By Amanda Coates, Teacher of Physical Education and Year 11 Leader
As parents, we all want our children to excel under pressure - whether in academics, social settings, or their future careers. A key factor in building their resilience and confidence is fostering psychological safety - the assurance that they can take risks, make mistakes, and express themselves without fear of judgement.
Sports offer a valuable framework for cultivating this mindset. In a supportive environment, athletes learn to overcome challenges, bounce back from setbacks, and grow through experience. By embracing these principles at home, parents can help equip their children with the mental strength to thrive under pressure in all aspects of life.
Beyond the Game: A New Initiative
We are excited to collaborate with Neil Moggan (Founder of Future Action and author of Time to RISE Up) on a bespoke programme for Alice Smith titled 'Beyond The Game'! Focusing on the 5C’s informed approach, this innovative programme is designed to help coaches and students optimise their performance on the sports field and beyond.
Earlier this year, we presented our initial findings at the PHASE PE and Sport Conference in Bangkok, where the initiative received strong interest and positive feedback from international schools and wellbeing organisations worldwide.
Parent Workshop: Key Insights
Join our upcoming parent workshop, ‘Beyond the Game’ - an interactive session designed to equip your child with the resilience and confidence to thrive under pressure, whether in sports, school, or everyday life.
Preparing for Pressure
Help your child develop a positive mindset before high-pressure situations by encouraging them to embrace challenges and set meaningful, achievable goals. These techniques build resilience and provide young athletes with the stability they need to navigate the highs and lows of competition.
Equip your child with strategies to stay composed and perform at their best during the game. Mental toughness - deeply influenced by parental love and support - is a key factor in helping athletes overcome adversity, manage emotions, and strive for success.
Discover how the psychological skills developed through sports extend beyond the field, shaping success in academics and everyday challenges. Reflection and application of these lessons can significantly enhance a child’s overall wellbeing and future achievements.
The Importance of Parental Support
Research has shown that parenting styles significantly influence mental toughness and sportsmanship in young athletes. Maternal and paternal love and affection positively predict mental toughness, highlighting parents' crucial role in their children's psychological development.
By integrating these principles at home, parents can complement the valuable lessons learned in sports, helping children build confidence, adaptability, and mental strength.
Building psychological safety is powerful for helping children succeed under pressure in sports and life.
Creating a supportive environment and applying the lessons from sports can help your child develop the resilience, confidence, and mental strength needed to thrive in all aspects of their life.
Through Beyond the Game and our parent workshop, we aim to provide you with the insights and knowledge to support your child’s wellbeing and potential.
Join us in empowering our children to embrace challenges, grow through experience, and lay the foundation for lifelong success.
References:
- Time to RISE Up: Supporting Students’ Mental Health in Schools Hardcover – by Neil Moggan (Author), Dr Elizabeth Durden-Myers (Foreword)
- https://www.futureaction.net/about
- https://www.pescholar.com/insight/pe-insights-episode-18-neil-moggan-trauma-informed-pe-and-rise-up/
- https://performancepathways.co.uk/content/empowering-students-with-trauma-informed-pe-neil-moggan/