Two members of the Young People's Sport Panel discuss the role their parents play in their own sporting journeys.
Eilidh
Taxi driver, motivator, first aider, bank account... the list of roles is endless for parents and guardians with a sporting youngster. But most importantly for me, I have a dance mum.
No, she is not the type you see on TV shouting at judges and other mums. She is enthusiastic, caring and most importantly gives me tough love when I need it most.
Don’t get me wrong, I definitely have a 'dance dad' too - I bet he never imagined when I was born that, six years later, he’d have to learn how to do a bun in my hair before a ballet exam.
My parents have definitely been the backbone of my sporting journey, from encouraging me to try a vast amount of sports when I was younger to taking me to dance competitions for 12-hour days.
When it comes to my sporting journey, I know I could never have done it without the support of my parents.
They have given up nights to take me to training, given up Sundays to come to dance competitions, given up late nights for an early start for shinty games.
Yes, athletes make sacrifices for their sport but I think people sometimes forget that parents make huge sacrifices too. I am forever grateful that my parents have always been willing to do this to help me make the most of my own sporting journey.
Sara
My parents have played a massive role not only in the experiences I’ve had in sport but also physical activity. Throughout my childhood we spent days as a family hillwalking, mountain biking, kayaking and just enjoying the outdoors.
In my early high-school years, both my parents would take it in turns to drive me an hour-and-a-half to basketball training two or three times a week after school. They also volunteered on game days to drive the team minibus to Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh. They were both teachers at my school - Mum taught me PE and Dad, along with teaching biology, coached my school basketball team.
When I took up rowing three years ago they would again spend huge amounts of time taking me to training, and regattas all around the country. Mum would spend most weekends cycling up and down the canal bank with me making sure I followed the program my coach had set.
Mum also joined the rowing club and we enjoyed rowing a double together last summer.
Without the involvement of my parents I would have missed out on so many opportunities and would not have been able to compete at the level I have in sport. Thank you Mum and Dad!
Find out more
- Meet the Young People's Sport Panel
- Read more about the work of the panel
