Professional sportspeople start young. They grow up with the sport. They spend a decade by the time they are teenagers perfecting the sport. Their bodies are better suited to the training, can better adopt muscle memory, and, of course, are much better at healing. Not every kid who shines on the field is going to become a professional, but if that is their dream, it is up to you as a parent to help them as much as you can.
Try Out Different Sports
Let your kid try out a variety of different sports. Your community center will likely host a variety of classes and teams that your child can try out. Taster sessions are also typically budget-friendly, and some are even free.
Get Involved in the Culture
In order for your child to succeed in a sport, you need to throw yourselves wholeheartedly into it. It is very rare that an athlete becomes a pro on their own, without the support of their family. You need to go to all the practices, get involved with the team, get to know the right people, and so on.
Invest in Extra Training
If your child wants to go pro with their sport, then you need to find a way to get them personal, one-on-one training. At the very least, they need extra training to improve any weaknesses they have so that they are a solid, well-rounded player that any team would be happy to have.
Hire a Coach
Coaches are typically seen as the leader of a team — the one who coaches them to wins and championships. Just as there are coaches for the team, there are also coaches for individual players. You can hire such a coach to help you secure soccer scholarships no matter where you are in the world. They will direct you through what you need to do academically and for your sport, get you accepted to a top school, and can even help direct you in your pro career.
Parents should hire such a coach early on, as early as 12 years old, for the best results.
Have a Second Plan
Even if your child makes it, sporting careers typically don’t last long. Sure, if your child makes it to the big leagues when they grow up, they will likely have made enough to retire in their early thirties, but even with this best-case scenario, it isn’t very sustainable. Having a second plan, rather than a backup plan, helps your child prepare for a life outside of their sport, whether they make it or they don’t.
These plans should be tied with their passion. A soccer player could go on to become a coach or start their own training academy. Having a plan in place will help your kid stay focused later on so that they can excel both at their sport and what they intend to do after they retire.
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