Five ways to success for a motor sports parent

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Five ways to success for a motor sports parent

How to help your youngster be a better racer
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Hi there

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***

Have you ever been a motor racing parent? Have you ever been a little Johnny or little Janet going racing with the help of a motor racing parent? Like me, I’m sure you’ve seen some comical sights at the kart tracks and moto-cross parks. At a schoolboy moto-cross, I once saw two young lads run into each other on the track, only for them then to watch together in amazement as their Dad’s pushed and shoved about it at the side of the track! For sure, there’s a time for being assertive, whether on-track or off, but far too many incidents involving parents hinder their loved-ones progress, rather than help it.

So what are the five ways to success for a motor sports parent?

1st way

Let the child’s motivation come from within

We call this ‘intrinsic motivation’ and this is the motivation the champions have. Consider it use of the carrot rather than the stick. Create an environment where the child can love the sport for the sheer joy of doing it, whether win, lose or draw. When the stakes get high (and you do want to maximise your performance, don’t you?) you and your offspring will be in big trouble if your youngster doesn’t get a thrill from the day-to-day demands of motor sport.

2nd way

Criticise the action, not the child

“Johnny, the line you took through the last corner during Q was awful” is a world away from “Johnny, you were awful”. Use the former, not the latter. Repeated messages will become beliefs and ultimately, we will act on our beliefs. Let’s not instil the wrong kind of belief, eh?

3rd way

Praise the action, not the child

We touched on this previously in Mindset for Racing. This goes hand-in-hand with the 2nd way, but for a different reason. If young Janet does well and you say “Janet, you were awesome” then what happens next week when the racing demons come out to play and you don’t qualify? (Quite possibly because you chose the wrong tyre pressures and Janet did all she could…) Your little racer then believes the confidence she gained because you said she had talent has gone out the window. We can’t change our talent but we can change the job we do next time. We get confidence from knowing we can change.

4th way

Create an environment where failure is fine

Do you know the one thing all successful racers have in common? Failure! If you never make a mistake, you’ll never make anything of yourself, period. Top racers take risks and deal with the consequences. If your young hot-shoe stuffs it in the kitty litter whilst trying to be the last-of-the-late-brakers then hey, at least they’re taking a risk and having a go. (If they get to the last lap of their first potential national title then this is a different story. But they won’t reach that point if they fear failure, believe me.)

5th way

Focus on mastery, not the outcome

It’s hard to separate the thrill of winning from the thrill of racing when our youngsters have so many races. Sure, the top guys will block pass you in an instant as they care so much about winning. It’s racing after all! This is the way it has to be. However, those top guys also love trying to master all the skills and techniques their racing demands. They will constantly aim to do all the important stuff better. How many young racers do you know that were the ‘next big thing’ but didn’t make it when it got serious? There are dozens and this is one of the main reasons why.


* The Mindset for Racing Finish Line *

If you are a parent then you have a massive influence over the mindset of your little racer. Their patterns of thinking and therefore behaving will, for a large part, be set by you. Effective patterns of thinking are what separates those that make it from those that don’t. Are you setting them up for success?

You know what the top guys do and what you should be doing, don’t you?


*** Special December 07 end-of-season deal

Extension of Special Deal:

Order a Sun1400 24-Pack during the month of December 2007 and you will receive up to £250 worth of complementary benefits.

Why not make use of easy-to-use Skype video-conferencing and get set for 2008?

Call Mike on 07737 655 912 to ask any questions and raise any concerns you have. Perhaps you’d like a copy of the Sun1400 Client Information Pack, which may well answer some of your concerns and questions?

This Special Offer is limited and will end on December 31 2007.

***


Want to receive the FREE 37-point Test for the Racing Mindset? Contact Mike at mike.garth@sun1400.com if you do!

Enjoy your racing and never give up.

All the best to you, your team and your family for this Xmas. Here’s to a great 2008 and see you at the tracks.

Check out this Sunday’s Observer Sport section for the latest Sun1400 media coverage! Read the article women in sport.

Regards

Mike

Mike Garth BSc (Hons) MSc
07737 655 912
mike.garth@sun1400.com
www.sun1400.com
Sun1400: Sunday 2pm - Ready to race?
Maximising your mental approach in motor sports

© Sun1400, 2007. All rights reserved. You are free to use material from the Mindset for Racing eZine in whole or in part, as long as you include a complete attribution, including live web site link. Please also notify me where the material will appear.
The attribution should read:

"By Mike Garth of Sun1400. Please visit Mike's web site at www.sun1400.com for additional articles and resources on helping motor sports athletes and their teams perform better." (Make sure the link is live if placed in an eZine or in a web site.)