Tournaments are a time of excitement and emotional tension for everyone. Coaches, tutors and players strive to perform at their best in every match. But they are not the only ones, as parents also enjoy these moments and face certain challenges. These are the challenges families face during tournaments.
Kaptiva Sports Academy will attend two major tournaments in the 25/26 season: Cruyff Football and MIC. Meanwhile, KSA Global Stage will compete in the Surf Cup and FIT. Let’s see how families can help their children and manage these situations well.
Provide support and manage expectations
Firstly, it is important that they know how to manage sporting results. Why? To reinforce effort, growth and development, to avoid overreacting to results and help maintain a balanced perspective, and to support players after defeats without focusing solely on results.
It is also important to give appropriate messages to players, avoid comparing your child to teammates or opponents, focus on progress, effort and attitude rather than just talent, and use supportive language that builds confidence.
Of course, expectations must be managed. In what sense? To support the individual development of the athlete rather than demanding perfection, to allow players to enjoy the sport rather than feeling pressured to perform, and to respect the coach’s decisions and team dynamics without interfering.
Self-control, resilience and healthy routines
Emotional self-control is important for demonstrating calmness and sportsmanship at all times, avoiding excessive criticism, frustration or overexcitement, and modelling how to handle pressure through your own reactions.
In addition, in terms of resilience, help players focus on learning from mistakes and reframe adversity as an opportunity to improve. Be mindful of players’ anxiety and nervousness before competition. Primarily, help athletes focus on preparation rather than worrying about results, and remind them to enjoy the moment and trust their abilities.
Finally, ensure you maintain healthy routines. The objectives are varied: to encourage proper nutrition and hydration, to ensure players get enough sleep and rest, to promote a balance between sport, studies and social life, and to support injury prevention and recovery strategies.
You have already seen some of the challenges families face during tournaments. Without a doubt, all parties face various challenges at these types of events.
