APPLIED COACHING RESEARCH JOURNAL 2021 , Vol . 7
Summary and recommendations The purpose of this project was to understand the types of resources and information parents would like to receive to help them support their child through coach-led activity . Most parents were interested in accessing learning / information to help them support their child ’ s involvement in coach-led activity . Equally , the majority relied on the coach to gain information about their child ’ s involvement in coach-led activity . As a result , it is important for coaches to engage with parents in order to provide the necessary information for them to effectively support their child . The following section provides some recommendations for coaches .
Provide regular feedback to parents
Feedback was identified as extremely important to parents . They were keen to receive regular feedback about their child ’ s development , progress and goals away from sessions . Parents were also interested in receiving seasonal progress reports similar to those received regarding schoolwork .
Communication with parents is essential to manage expectations and ensure parents are informed about progress and development ( Horne et al , 2020 ). One option for coaches is to hold regular
parents ’ meetings where key information can be shared while giving parents the opportunity to ask questions and provide their thoughts ( UK Coaching , 2020b ).
Develop a starter pack for parents
When a child first starts taking part in a particular activity , or joins a new group ( eg on a talent pathway ), parents may know very little . Parents who completed the survey identified that they would like to receive sport-specific guidance to help them support their child including :
• jargon-free rules
• a competition guide
• clear pathway / progression information
This was to enable them to have a good understanding of what was expected of them and their child and where their involvement in the activity may take them . An information pack , which directs parents to resources or provides information can be really helpful to ensure parents are informed , particularly when their child is new to the group . In the pack , coaches may want to provide information on
how parents can enhance their child ’ s experience of being coached ( UK
Coaching , 2019b ), along with fixture calendars and key session information . Information packs could also signpost parents to other relevant resources including governing body websites for rules ,
top tips for parents ( Sport Parent EU , 2018b ) and
nutrition ideas ( UK Coaching , 2020a ).
Provide opportunities for parents to get involved
Many parents reported that they had previously helped out with their child ’ s coached activity in a variety of ways including fundraising , transporting and coaching . Parents were keen to find out about opportunities to get involved with their child ’ s club and are a potentially untapped resource for coaches .
Encouraging parents to be part of the team ( UK Coaching , 2019a ) can be one way of providing support for coaches – something which the parents surveyed were eager to understand .
Equally , some parents wanted to get involved in coaching and identified being provided with opportunities through their child ’ s club as something which would help them to do so . Ways in which coaches could provide opportunities for parents to get involved include :
• Leading the warm-up / cool-down
• Setting up / collecting equipment during practice
• Feeding or scoring ( activity dependent )
• Overseeing small group activities Share good practice
Parents were interested in receiving tips for supporting their child at home with their coached activity . Specifically , parents identified that they would like information to support their child with conditioning and training at home . Parents may be interested in resources that help to explain the benefits of
physical training ( Sport Parent EU , 2018a ). Equally , coaches could signpost parents to existing video / photo demonstrations relating to their sport or activity so that parents have an understanding of what an activity / skill should look like when their child is performing it . Alternatively , coaches may choose to create their own demonstrations so that parents can support their child with specific activities at home .
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