It was fantastic to launch our new ‘Sports Performance Parenting Programme’ with Bath Rugby Academy this week at Farleigh House.
WWPIS have been working with Bath Rugby Parents sporadically over the last few seasons delivering a number of live and virtual workshops.
CEO Gordon MacLelland delivered two workshops – firstly to the U18 parents, some of whom he had previously met when they first arrived as academy parents at U15 level prior to Covid. This was great fun and allowed everyone to catch up, share a few thoughts and reflections on their sports parenting journey so far and to look at the season ahead.
The second session for the new U16 cohort saw the first in a series of live workshops and webinars that will be taking place for parents over the next few seasons that will take them on the sporting journey alongside their children.
An introduction to performance sports parenting allowed for plenty of conversations, self-reflection and kicked the new programme off with some real momentum.
The new programme provides consistency and continuity in supporting parents as they progress through the academy journey.
Created by Gordon MacLelland and Sarah Murray (Performance Edge) the programme consists of the following workshops.
1.Performance sports parenting; an introduction
2.Parent parent OR sport parent; striking the balance
3.Managing disappointment; avoiding devastation
4.What’s your lens?
5.”Fast cars; poor brakes”; parenting the teenage brain
6.Beyond the badge: identity and sport
Craig Lilley Head of the Academy said, ‘In my experience, one of the main fundamentals to a player fulfilling their potential within a talent development environment is the coherence of messaging. Parents play a huge role with this and it is important that we support our parents and give them the tools to help support their children in what is a very dynamic world of sport.
Gordon delivered a couple of well planned and thought out sessions that our parents really bought into judging by the noise within the room. This new programme takes them on the journey with us and their children. Key concepts such as managing transitions, managing expectations, controlling the controllables are delivered and then discussed allowing parents to take the principles and apply to their own context.’
CEO Gordon MacLelland said, ‘We had a fantastic day with Bath Rugby Academy. They are doing outstanding work in how they engage with parents from their consistent messaging, how they manage the crucial pressure points on the journey and being really pro-active in their communication and all that they do. Sarah Murray and I are delighted with the programme that we have created, with a new book to accompany the series coming soon and can’t wait to work with the Bath parents further over the coming months and years.’
