Coaching your own child is often hard enough for very experienced coaches to ask a friend to do it. That happens not only in the sports, but in the arts and in the sciences. There are many cases of extremely talented athletes, artists and scientists that were not trained by their parents. For anyone looking from the outside, it is obvious that the parental example made an impact and determined the course of actions. But how many cases of resentful people we all know where a parent tried to impose his own profession or skill on his child and the result was pain and confusion? Why and how do some people succeed where others fail? Here we asked some successful coaches to share the stories of how they managed the coach-parent double role.

1. Coaching your kid: how to manage being a
parent and a coach
November2015
Coachingyourown childisoften hard enough for very experienced coaches to ask a friend to
do it.That happens not only in the sports, but in the arts and in the sciences. There are many
cases of extremely talented athletes, artists and scientists that were not trained by their
parents.
For anyone lookingfromthe outside, it is obvious that the parental example made an impact
and determined the course of actions. But how many cases of resentful people we all know
where a parenttriedtoimpose hisownprofessionor skill on his child and the result was pain
and confusion? Why and how do some people succeed where others fail?
Here we askedsome successful coaches to share the stories of how they managed the coach-
parent double role.
PLW - Are you a professionalcoach? Whatis yourclientelelike?
PLW - Didyour childwatchyou trainingandcompete since averyyoungage?What was
his/herreactionatthat earlyage?
PLW - How andwho hadthe ideaof startingthistrainingprogram?Whose initiative wasit?
PLW - How doesyourchilddeal withyourinstructionstothe exercises,especiallywhenyou
needtocorrect something?
PLW - Didyou everhave tohandle a rebelliousattitude atsome exerciseoractivityyou
thoughtwasimportant?How didyoumanage thissituation?
PLW - What advice doyou have forparentsthat wishto engage ina coach-athlete
arrangementwiththeirkids?