Supporting your child with academics & sports

Key topic

It’s a different ball game when it comes to raising young adults and facilitating their transition from playing sports for fun, to playing sports in pursuit of something bigger. Facts dictate that it’s very difficult to achieve a collegiate career and even more difficult to go from there into a professional career. Therefore, this lesson explains that parents and students should realize this fact and prepare for a dual career, while also preparing for the financial side of things. We explain the importance of education and higher education and provide practical tips on how to help your child balance education and sports.

Learning objectives

• Understand the importance of combining sports and academics
• Come up with ways to improve your participation in your kids’ academic lives
• Develop proper habits for approaching your kids’ sporting lives
• Create conditions that will allow your kids to have alternatives when deciding for their future

The importance of a dual career

If you are attending this presentation, it means that your children are already past the youth sports experience and into the pre-college era, when sports start to become a more serious piece of the life-puzzle of your young sport stars in the house. By now you and/or the coaches know your child’s potential; whether they have the talent and skill to get into an athletic program at university, or if they can get into an athletic program and then maybe even go on to become professional athletes, or if they have reached their potential at this academy and will need to focus on having a career in something different.

At your kids’ age, everyone starts to approach sports in a different manner. For the coaches and the teams, it starts to become more heavily dependent on the outcome and on performance, rather than the development, the social influence and the team spirit. For the athletes, it’s about being recognized and scouted, as well as earning a scholarship, which could be the gateway to professional sports and the lifestyle that comes with it. For most parents it’s about a huge opportunity to a free college education for their kids, as well as the prospects of professionalism in sports and a sports career for their kids. In essence, it’s time to get serious about sports.

However, let’s all remember that as of 2018, only 6% of student athletes in all sports get the opportunity to make the transition from high school to college sports; only 2% of collegiate athletes become professional athletes; disheartening numbers, one might claim, but nevertheless the possibilities are there! For that 98% of college athletes who will need to find a career outside of sports after higher education, that’s ok. They got to compete on collegiate level and probably even received scholarships to be there and compete in their favorite sports. For that 94% who fail to make the transition from high school to college sports, then they will have plenty of time to think about alternative routes during their time at college, should they choose to do that.

First day of college practice usually has a surprise installed for student-athletes. It’s the hard realization of the fact that all NCAA athletes will turn pro, but in something other than sports. It is not intended to undermine the efforts of teenage athletes or diminish your own personal aspirations for your kids’ sport career and the dedication with which you have facilitated their sporting growth. It’s simply stating the facts and helping you help your kids prepare for the future.  For some, accepting this will not be easy, it might even be difficult.

Teenage athletes should strive to perfect their craft and succeed in sports, long term, but at the same time they should focus on their academic work as well. Even for those who do actually become NCAA student-athletes, it is vital to understand the importance of a dual career (sports and academics). After all, the term literally consists of a dual role: student and athlete. This is your chance as parents, to get a head start and explain to your kids the importance of tending to both and not neglecting one of their roles in favor of the other.

It is perfectly acceptable for you and your children to have sporting aspirations and dreams of professional sport careers. It’s even noble and bold, in a sense, to make a joint investment towards that. But you should remember that education is a key life component for young adults and a necessary tool for life after sports. It is important because it creates knowledge, skills and competencies and it builds character.  Even if sports can provide for your child, education is key to sustain and maximize the benefits from a short-lived sport career, so that the benefits can last a lifetime. If you search on the outcome of the life of professional athletes, post-career, you will find that a staggering percentage either declares bankruptcy  or has serious trouble establishing a post-sport career path; both outcomes are heavily dependent on the education of athletes, or the lack thereof.

There is currently a movement away from higher education and the rejection of college degrees. There are several factors for this: one is the constant bombardment of your kids with success stories of college drop outs or entrepreneurs with just high-school diplomas. You should explain to them that these stories omit a very important reality, which is that these success stories are just a drop in the ocean; they don’t come with statistics and percentages of how many of these people actually make it this way. The chances that someone is the next Steve Jobs, are slimmer than successfully making the transition from college to professional sports.

Most importantly however, is one of the thorns to the American economy: student loan debt. As at December 2021, about 44.7 million Americans have outstanding student loan debt, totalling over $1.86 trillion, with 42.3 million Americans holding federal student loan debt. It is argued that the current trends in student loan debt are unsustainable. Inevitably, this discourages some people and their parents from choosing the option of college.

Student loans are not the best option. However, there are alternative ways of funding which nonetheless have to be considered a lot earlier than the application deadlines. The best way to prove the advantageous effects of college is to detail the income of people based on educational achievements. So here they are (according to Northeastern University):

As you can clearly see, even if the beneficial effects of going to college may be disputed, there is a clear positive correlation between average annual earnings and education. The average salary between someone who received (at least) a Bachelor’s degree is almost double that of someone who did not go to college.

Taking the time to discuss all these with your children is very important. Understanding that college and professional sport careers are a long shot, together with them you should aim at a joint decision that academics are equally important and useful. Without minimizing their dreams, young athletes should take time to comprehend and appreciate the importance of a dual career, especially at the high school and college level, in order to make sure that they  do have options later on down the road.

Academics and sports combined

Combining the two will never be an easy task. Hard work, dedication, determination are all important characteristics that a teenager must develop. At the same time, the support network around the athlete, especially the parents, should help the athlete with time- management, encouragement and motivation. Compiling a daily schedule to incorporate practice and studying is the basis of a harmonious and functional coexistence between sports and academics. Lightening the load of chores or extra-curricular activities is also a sound choice. Remember that young athletes have to cope with various stressors and pressure coming from teachers, coaches, peers, friends, boyfriends etc. Parents should strive to become a pillar of support and a boundary to a balanced life and not just another source of stress.

Encourage your children to adopt their sport-specific traits into their academic life. Hard work, focus, success orientation, good teamwork, respect for the task at hand and respect for the “players” in this task. These young adults can better relate to these characteristics and can transfer them into their daily regiment in school, when doing homework, and in all aspects of their social life as well. It would be ill-advised to create a competition between sports and academics, or relate the academic performance to the continuation of sport activities. If for example, you deprive a child of their sporting activities because of underperformance in academics, you might end up cultivating in them, resentment for academics.

It is also recommended to avoid comparisons with siblings or other children, teammates and so on. The message should be clear, to the extent that your child should strive to be the best they can be; the student-athlete should be better today than yesterday and better tomorrow than today, on and off the field of play. The benchmark of comparison should always be who WE were yesterday. You never know what shortcomings or problems other people have. If someone gets the best grade in Math class, they might be the worst performers in the rest of their classes. A child who is better than yours at their favorite sport, might be failing school. Psychologists argue that we should never encourage people to compare themselves with their peers because quite simply we never have all the information, we only have one or a few aspects of their lives.

You, as parents, should pitch in to the effort too. An important approach should be to create other alternatives to a sport-based college education. Whether that be college admission due to high academic performance, or preparation for a specific field of work with professional development skills, it’s important for all in this process (parents and athletes) to identify the need for alternatives.

When it comes to academics, make sure you do your own homework, probably through the school website or a visit at the school itself, for issues such as

• school calendar
• contacting school staff
• special events like dances and class trips
• testing dates
• current grades and missing assignments
• information on extracurricular activities
• student resources for life after high school

Make sure that despite the high concentration on sports, your kids continue to have a normal high-school life, while at the same time receiving the message that you care, that you are there for them and that you are equally investing in their education and quality of life; it’s also a good heads-up warning for their academic performance, which is in a high degree associated with being accountable and putting in the same effort in the classroom, as they do on the field of play.

There is a series of things you also need to remember doing at home that will help your kids with their school work and will even pay dividends in their sporting life. For example:

• Support homework expectations, by discussing and jointly controlling their habits of spending too much time on TV, on social media and other matters outside of school work. Regularly sit down with them to go over class loads and make sure they’re balanced, and help them stick to a homework and study schedule. Encourage your teens to ask for help from their teachers, when it’s needed. Explain that you are not supervising or controlling, rather you are facilitating and investing. Encourage your child to complete their homework on time and stay on top of their assignments, as leaving things for the last minute can cause stress for both you and them. Sticking to their plan and tackling tasks as soon as possible will help them be more in control and avoid getting stressed during their free time, sports practice or games.
• Time Management, is important for making the above work in all areas of their lives. Assist your child in choosing a tool to help them make a plan and teach them to create calendar assignments for games, practices, and other deadlines. You can help them come up with a schedule once they get their syllabus and training schedule and you may discuss and review the plan together at frequent intervals to ensure that it is realistic
• Help them study in a smart and efficient manner, by discussing with your child how to make the best use of their time, perhaps travelling to and from games may be utilized to complete an assignment, while they should try to use study halls and school libraries as  much as they can. This is an additional aspect to time management. Indeed, homework doesn’t only have to be completed at night; be creative with their time management so as to maximize their free time; this way, your child will also learn how to manage their time well.
• Send your kids to school ready to learn, by agreeing on a good sleeping pattern both on school nights and during the weekends, by offering and promoting a balanced nutrition and good eating habits, as well as plenty of hydration and overall mental and physical rest.
• Make time for your child to relax, as it is important that your child’s plan incorporates breaks to enjoy their hobbies, hanging out with friends and family, and rest. Having a proper life balance will help them avoid burn out and enjoy the journey, which is what sports should really be about!
• Know and communicate school policies on discipline, bullying, attendance and make sure your kids adhere to these important aspects of high school life.
• Get involved by being present at sporting and other school events, by attending teacher conferences, by talking on career days, or assisting with school programs etc.
• Make time to talk about school with your kids; show interest and appreciation and make them realize it is important not only to you but for their sake too. Exercise discrete control this way, by staying informed and also staying in touch.
• Less is more. If your child is involved in too many sporting events, or too many extracurricular activities, and does not get any personal time, then it may be time to reconsider which activities are most important and which can be set aside for now.

Balancing education and sports may be challenging for a teenager. However, with the right approach, it is a great way to teach teenagers all about time management, discipline, hard work, and skills that will equip them for a successful future. Of course, do not lose sight of the fact that at the end of the day, your child should enjoy the process and gain lifelong experiences that they will cherish for years to come!

Let’s now hear a student-athlete’s personal experience as to how being an athlete improved his academic achievement.

How Sport can improve academic achievement – TEDx

Action steps – Exercise 1 – (10 minutes)

• How do your kids feel about juggling sports and academics? Do they see the academic part as a necessary evil? If yes, what can you do to change their view?

Sporting approach for young adults

At the same time, you as parents should remember that your kids are no longer the same kids, they were three years ago; they have different needs, they require a different approach and they are a lot more wary of social influences due to their growing up process and their sexual maturity starting to peek. Be proper sport parents and help your kids by adopting the following:

• Encourage self-advocacy, by teaching them to speak up for themselves, to approach coaches and administrators, on their own and learning how to have productive encounters, asking but also listening, advocating their opinion, but respecting the opinions of others and the outcome.
• Remind them of their strengths, not only as athletes, but as students and as members of the family and the community; preach all those skills that make athletes special such as hard-work, focus, determination, goal-orientation etc.
• Remind them to use their time wisely, to remember to take breaks every now and them; alleviate pressure and encourage them to also lead a normal life, within the boundaries allowed by their teams and coaches.
• Be good listeners with them, stay away from the temptation of interfering in their game or their coaching and don’t hover around too much, as they need to prepare for the next chapter of their lives.
• Incorporate in your discussions with them the issues of sexual behavior and how that shows respect for the opposite sex, discipline towards the team and their academic work and of course how the new social aspects of their life can make or break a good student-athlete.
• Develop a commitment to an active lifestyle, which is imperative for their mental and physical health down the road.
• Focus on teaching life skills and allow your children to be involved in the decision making, while reinforcing and supporting their decisions.

Understanding your impact in the sport experience

It is vital to understand your role, as parents, in the overall experience of your children in sports. You have to understand that you are not there to be a coach, or mentor or facilitator. You are there to support, encourage, motivate and just be part of the process.

In the overall sport experience, there are usually three different routes. The first has to do with performance, the other has to do with development and the third has to do with the actual needs of the young athletes themselves. Coaches and team staff have an obligation to serve the development route, and in progression over time the performance route as well; your responsibility is to fulfill the children’s needs. As your kids enter high school, their  needs tend to shift and even though it’s best to support the development route throughout the early stages of sport participation, now it’s the time to allow your kids space to figure  out if they want to shift to the performance aspect.

Your kids need inspiration to learn how to cope, to develop a growth mindset and to remain focused on the process of learning. They need a sense of belongingness, trust and fairness and above all inclusion. They need empowerment so as to feel they take ownership of their overall participation and experience, but also a sense of self-direction. Together with the process of learning, kids need to have fun and actually play the sport they love, whilst learning skills and training their imagination. Finally, they need variety whether that be a result of playing multiple sports, or tasting new experiences in sports and sampling the different levels of sport participation.

In order to support children to have positive sport experiences, do take the time to discuss the above with the coaching staff. Include your kids in discussing this at home too. Make an effort to see the bigger picture and don’t be in a rush to get performance results that will lead to greater benefits, if that’s not what your kids want or what their sporting performance dictates.

Action steps – Exercise 2 (15 minutes)

• Have you discussed the possibility of college education with your kids? Did you include them in the discussion and the decision-making process? If so, how did they react? Or is it something that you have decided yourselves?
• Up to now, have you been helping your child balance education and sports? If yes, how?

Lesson wrap-up

Today we focused on academics and sports. Your children are at a crucial point. They have to make the preparations and put in the effort to go to college. This can either be as regular students or preferably for all of you as student-athletes with all the perks and   responsibilities that come with them. We therefore, explored why higher education is important. We also explained how you can help your child with their education and with their sporting activities, as well as how to harmoniously balance the two to maximize their performance in both.

At this point we will wrap up today’s lesson. First, we will go over the learning objectives of this lesson and we want your feedback as to whether they have been achieved and then we will address any questions you may have. Please feel free to ask anything you’d like in relation to today’s lesson and we would love to hear how the concepts we discussed today relate to your athlete kids and your family!