Sporting a Star
How to foster your child’s passion and
love for the game.
by Devin Durrant
PARENTGUIDE News April 2006
Play With Your Children
One of the joys of parenthood is the opportunity
to help your children see in their minds images
of their life’s dreams. Love of sports
starts early. When your daughter is a toddler,
buy her a ball. Roll it back and forth with
her. Cheer for her. Make the game fun and
let the love begin.
Run with your children. Shoot baskets with
them, golf with them and play tennis with
them. Last year, I went golfing with my brother
Mark. He had his two sons, ages 4 and 6, with
him. They each had their own set of junior
golf clubs. Mark was doing something he loves—
golf— and he was doing it with his sons.
That is a tough combination to beat.
Attend Sporting Events
As your children get older, take them to a
game. There is a different feeling about a
game when you are near the action rather than
watching it on television. Take them to the
arena or ballpark and let them experience
the sounds, smells, tastes and sights. Let
them sense the excitement of the competition.
I can remember vividly, as a 6 year old, when
my father would take me to the old Smith Fieldhouse
at Brigham Young University. I could feel
something in the air as we entered the building.
They had ice cream sandwiches for sale at
the concession stand, and my Dad would buy
me one as we headed to our seats high up in
the bleachers. I still remember the emotions
I felt in that building as we watched great
athletes play. Ever since those early childhood
days, I have loved sports arenas and sporting
events.
Television and Newspaper
When you cannot go to the arena, watch televised
games with your child. Watch and study his
favorite players. Sit close to your child
and tell him who the players are so he makes
a connection with them. When Sammy Sosa and
Mark McGwire were in the home run record chase
in 1998, I told my boys that I would give
each of them a quarter every time either Sosa
or McGwire hit one out of the park. Each morning,
there was a race between my boys to get the
newspaper so we could read the sports pages
together to see if either Sosa or McGwire
had hit a home run. Through this experience,
my boys began identifying with the greatest
athletes in the world and learned to take
interest in the morning sports pages.
Teach While You Watch
Teach your youngster while you watch the game.
At the arena or on television, pick out a
player who loves the game. Say to your son
or daughter, “Look at number 35. He
is the player that I admire.” My father
used to do that. He would tell us, “I
like that player because of the way he conducts
himself on the court. Watch him. He never
complains to the referee or to the other players
on his team. If he makes a mistake, he doesn’t
get down on himself. He loves the game. Be
like him when you play.” From that time
on, I knew that my father valued players who
acted with dignity on the court— players
who conducted themselves with class.
Movies and Books
If you can’t watch a sporting event,
you can share a movie or a book with your
child. I saw the first Rocky movie when I
was a high school senior. I loved that movie
and have watched it many times since. Recently,
I watched the movie Miracle with my daughter,
Laura. I would have loved to have been able
to skate for coach Brooks— and for my
country in the Olympics. I remember watching
the Pete Maravich movie Pistol with my daughter,
Emily. We talked about that movie for a long
time after. There are other such movies that
you can bring home and watch together.
Along with inspirational movies, I also read
some great sports books. Each book helped
fuel the love of the game within me. Search
your public library and bookstores for books
that will help your child build his vision
of the type of athlete he wants to be.
Build Confidence
As a parent, you can have a profound influence
on your children’s confidence. You want
to give your children so many things and opportunities.
You work hard to provide food and shelter
for them. Yet that which will be of greatest
worth to them is your affirmation that they
are very important people and they are capable
of excelling in many ways.
As a young boy, I remember many times while
I was working side by side with my Dad, he
would make me feel like I had something to
contribute, not only to the task we were working
on, but in all aspects of my life. You, as
a parent, more than any other person, are
the mirror into which your child looks to
determine his self-worth. Remember confidence,
like good bread, is homemade.
One-on-One Time
A by-product of participating in sports with
your child is the close relationship that
can be built between the two of you. My Dad
and I were always closest on our way to a
game, at a game or discussing a game. Our
one-on-one games were really our one-on-one
time. My Dad always said, “The only
time my children talk to me is when I am with
them.”
As you work to develop a love of the game
within your child, the love between the two
of you will grow as well.
Devin Durrant is the author of the new
book Raising An All-American: Helping Your
Child Excel In Athletics (and in life) (Spring
Creek Book Company). For more information,
go to www.raisinganallamerican.com. Durrant
is available for interviews and speaking engagements
by calling (801)635-4821.
