Not all parents are former players or basketball fans with the knowledge to understand basketball as a sport, and professional basketball as a challenge. In order to support your child, you must educate yourself:
- Educate yourself on the rules of the game so you can actively discuss with and understand your child.
- Educate yourself on the development pathways available to your child in order to provide him/her with proper guidance and relevant opportunities.
- Educate yourself on the pressures of being an athlete so that you can provide the proper support systems for your child. Too much pressure can turn a child away from sport while with the right attitude and support your child can learn just as much from losing as they can from winning.
- Educate yourself on how developing athletes can balance sport and other parts of life so that you can guide your child as he/she makes life-decisions.
- Educate yourself on the dangers related to drug-use, overtraining and other risky behaviour that are common among athletes so that you can be aware of any growing problems or issues your child is having.
- Educate yourself on the role parents can play within a club or team and make yourself available for volunteering and actively engaging with the team.