In elite sports, the mindset athletes carry into training and competition can be as influential as their physical preparation. While coaches and trainers work tirelessly to build skills, parents play a pivotal role in shaping the outlook their athletes adopt. One of the most valuable contributions parents can make is helping their athlete foster a growth mindset.

Raising an ambitious young athlete is one of the most rewarding and challenging roles a parent can take on. The investment of time, energy, finances, and emotion required to support a child pursuing high-level sports is significant — and with that comes inevitable highs and lows. Based on the latest sport psychology and executive coaching research, here’s how you can more effectively support your young athlete when adversity strikes.

As parents of elite student athletes, we see how much our children love their sport, how much they sacrifice to excel, and the pressure they face to perform well. What may not be so apparent, is the mental toll of approaching their goals with expectations of perfection. Here are some strategies for parents to help their athlete strive for healthy excellence.

Navigating conversations with authority figures is an important skill on and off the field.  At its core it’s about self-advocacy and proactively clarifying and anticipating the expectations of coaches or other authority figures. In the business world, this ability is called “managing up.” As a parent, you can help your athlete manage up and learn to analyze and adapt to the needs of their coach so they can best serve the team while achieving their personal goals.