72 Comments

  1. Believe me from personal experience parents should be so careful. I was so hurt when I was young because one of my parents had nothing but critical things to say. Encouragement was always something that did wonders for me.

    1. Hi Terra, thanks for your comment. It is disappointing to hear that one of your parents was critical towards your sporting activities. This clearly illustrates that encouragement is critical for any athlete.

  2. Lavanda Mihcelle says:

    Absolutely, hitting the right balance between support and criticism is crucial. Encouragement helps maintain their confidence and motivation.

    1. Hi Lavanda Mihcelle, thanks for your comment. I totally agree!

  3. This is a really great post to parents and highlights how you can easily demotivate and instead avoid these things and think of inspirational statements instead xx

  4. These are great examples and tips! Surely will share this to people I know who plays volleyball! We should always encourage our kids instead of criticizing them.

    1. Hi Nadalie, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful. Happy to know that you are thinking to share this post with your friends who play volleyball.

  5. Lisa at Following the Rivera says:

    You provide really helpful tips for parents. Sometimes it can be easy to say these things and not realise that they can be discouraging to your child.

    1. Hi Lisa, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful for volleyball parents.

  6. Sometimes when emotions are high, we tend to be insensitive of other’s feelings but as intentional parents, we should be mindful of those forbidden words and gestures.

    1. Hi berlin, thanks for your thought provoking comment. I totally agree with you!

  7. Celebrate Woman Today says:

    These are the examples of what NOT to say to anybody in any sport. Great reminder post.

    1. Hi Celebrate Woman Today, thank you so very much!

  8. Wow, there are so really hard things to read that parents would say to their kids but I appreciate this post to bring awareness on how discouraging and devaluing they can be. Great reminder for parents to take a deep breath and to think before they speak.

    1. Hi Cassie, thanks for your encouraging and valuable comment. I totally agree with your points.

  9. This is such an important, informative read for sports parents! Encouraging and supportive words can go a long way! Thanks for bringing awareness to unnecessary negativity when it comes to volleyball parents.

    1. Hi AJ, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful for volleyball parents. I completely agree with you.

  10. This is such an important topic! You’re right it can be so easy for a child to get discouraged when parents aren’t supportive or cheering them on. Positivity will help keep their spirits up as they grow and learn more Volleyball!

    1. Hi Katherine, thanks for your thoughtful comment. I completely agree with you. Encouragement from parents is critical for a child to successfully play volleyball or any other team sport.

  11. By addressing the things parents should avoid saying, it helps foster a positive and encouraging environment for young athletes. The promise of practical tips makes it a must-read for any parent looking to contribute constructively to their child’s success in volleyball.

    1. Hi Sue-Tanya Mchorgh, thanks for your comment. Glad you found these things from the post helpful for volleyball parents.

  12. Melanie E says:

    It’s best on the whole to use positive rather than negative language when talking to children. This can otherwise impact their enjoyment of the game and affect their ability to play well.

    1. Hi Melanie E, thanks for your thought provoking comment. I can’t agree with you more!

  13. Victoria Prasad says:

    I agree. I have sat on the sidelines when my kids played sports and there was always at least 1 parent saying things like this. There is a place for constructive criticism as there is always room for improvement. But children do well with encouragement and support.
    Great read.

    1. Hi Victoria Prasad, thanks for your invaluable comment. Glad you found this post helpful. I totally agree with you that children thrive in sports with their parent’s encouragement and support.

  14. Lavanda Michelle says:

    It’s important to support our young athletes positively! Understanding what not to say can make a big difference.

    1. Hi Lavanda Michelle, thanks for your comment. I totally agree with you!

  15. Great tips on how to encourage your child. I think this mindset also works well outside of the volleyball court too!

    1. Hi Lisa, thanks for your comment. I totally agree. It can be applied outside of the volleyball court too.

  16. After reading your list of what you should say, it’s interesting to hear what you shouldn’t say! You should never put pressure on your child in a sport.

    1. Hi Jupiter Hadley, thanks for your comment. I totally agree. Putting pressure on a child in any sport won’t work.

  17. Great article! It needs to be shared far and wide for all parents of student athletes.

    1. Hi Gina, thanks a lot for your kind words! It truly means a lot.

  18. This is a thoughtful article that every volleyball parent should read! Understanding the impact of our words can make a huge difference in fostering a positive and supportive environment for our young athletes.

    1. Hi mark berg, thanks for your comment. I totally agree with your points!

  19. Talent without effort really is a tragedy. And we don’t want our kids to be or feel entitled!

    1. Hi Rosey, thanks so much for your thoughtful comment!

  20. Rhian Scammell says:

    Anything that puts too much pressure on kids must be so bad for them. Thanks for highlighting not just what to do, but what not to do/ say x

    1. Hi Rhian Scammell, Thank you so much for your encouraging words. I totally agree!

  21. Parents really need to speak kindly and be encouraging to their kids in sport. Criticising and talking down to them is no help at all.

    1. Hi Yeah Lifestyle, thanks for your thoughtful comment. I completely agree!

  22. Stephanie says:

    All of these tips on what not to say to your volleyball playing children are spot on! We should keep these in mind and only be encouraging.

    1. Hi Stephanie, thanks for your thoughtful comment. I completely agree!

  23. These are all good things to keep in mind as any parent of a child in sports. It is important to be supportive and give positive, uplifting feedback.

    1. Hi Marysa, thanks for your valuable comment. I completely agree!

  24. This is such an important read!! Parents should never make comments like this to their children regardless of what sport they are playing! Support and encouragement are so important!!

    1. Hi AJ, thanks for your comment. I totally agree!

    1. Hi Pauline Stephens, thank you so very much. I totally agree!

      1. Great article and tips!

  25. Yes! I coached competitive soccer for years, some parents are so challenging. I wonder if they heard themselves in playback would they cringe at what they say to their kids.

    1. Hi Sandi, thanks for your thoughtful comment. Very happy to know that you’ve coached competitive soccer for several years.

  26. It’s very disheartening to hear parents speak to their kids this way. My kids played multiple sports growing up and I now have 5 grandkids involved in sports. I make it a point to tell the kids to just have fun and learn. Winning isn’t the important thing in youth sports. That’s just my opinion. These are great tips for what not to say to your kids as volleyball parents or any other sport. Thanks for sharing.

    1. Hi Karen Kasberg, thanks so much for your thoughtful comment. Glad that you found these statements helpful for volleyball parents. Very happy to know that your kids and grandkids all involved in multiple sports.

  27. These ring true for all other sports too. I’m sure it can be hard being a sports parent and finding that balance between encouragement and support. Thanks for sharing!

    1. Hi Tammy, thanks for your comment. Glad you found these statements helpful.

  28. Great information! A lot of people don’t realize the impact some of the things they say can make whether they are just trying to be encouraging or not.

    1. Hi Luna S, thanks for your comment. I completely agree with you!

  29. These should never say sentences should never be said by parents to their child, period!!! “You’re Letting Your Team Down” I can’t imagine how damaging this is….GREAT POST.

  30. This is a post every parent of an athlete needs to read. I’ve seen parents overtly criticizing their kids at games, and then I’ve seen parents accidentally crush their kids by trying to motivate them in the wrong way.

    1. Hi Ben, thanks for your thoughtful comment. Glad you found this post helpful.

  31. I think every sports parent needs to read this. I heard so many parents absolutely tearing their kids down at games when my son played junior and high school sports.

    1. Hi Beth, thanks for your comment. Glad you found this post helpful. It’s very sad to hear this, and that’s unfortunately what happens sometimes. Parents need to take the emotions out of the match and only support their kids.

  32. As a volleyball parent, this blog post really resonated with me. It’s so important to be mindful of the things we say to our children, especially when it comes to their performance in sports. This list of 10 things to never say to your child as volleyball parents is a great reminder to be supportive, encouraging, and positive in our interactions with our young athletes. Communication is key!

    1. Hi Nicole, thanks for your comment. I completely agree with your points. Very happy to know that you are a volleyball parent.

  33. Monika Harrison says:

    Thank you for the reminder what not to say to my daughter. Sometimes I am so engaged in the game that I do make unnecessary comments. I need to watch it.

    1. Hi Monika Harrison, thanks for your comment. Glad you recognize that you make unproductive statements sometimes. It happens in the heat of the moment and I am happy that you find these tips helpful to rectify them.

  34. It is so sad to have to even write a post on this, but there are some parents who do this some meaning it, others thinking it is encouragement. No matter what your child is doing you should never put them down like this

    1. Hi Samantha Donnelly, thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. I completely agree with your points. The main aim of this post is to spread awareness among volleyball parents and sometimes, unproductive statements come out in the heat of the moment. I hope volleyball parents find these tips helpful.

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