Win or lose, one of the most important things a parent can do to help their child become a sports champion is simple: just be there.
That was one of the top tips given to 130 parents at a Sports Otago seminar in Dunedin last night.
The parents of All Black Ben Smith, world champion cyclist Alison Shanks and White Fern cricket captain and Tall Fern basketballer Suzie Bates were on a panel of the Parenting a Sport Champion seminar in Sargood Gallery.
Sport Otago sport development adviser Nicola Woods said the seminar aimed to reveal how to be a good sporting parent and she urged the audience to tell other parents how to in the hope of curbing bad behaviour on sports sidelines.
On the panel were Robin and Jo Bates, Stu and Karen Smith, and Roy and Kay Shanks.
Mr Shanks said the biggest challenge in his daughter's sporting career was when the Union Cycliste Internationale decided to remove the individual pursuit event from the Olympics.
''It was her event and she was current world champion.''
The Shanks supported their daughter by being sympathetic and empathetic, he said.
''Which was easy because we were quite frankly pissed off,'' Mr Shanks said.
They listened to their daughter's plans and supported her to watch her place fifth at the London Olympics in a team cycling event.
Mrs Bates said the most important thing a parent could do was to be there.
''How you deal with the losses makes you.''
Mr Bates agreed.
''You learn more from your knock-backs than your successes.''
Mr Bates said when critiquing performances, parents should be positive.
''Keep them moving and keep them positive.''
Mr Smith said his son started showing promise in rugby when he was 13 and the secret to his success was good coaches and an enjoyment of the game, which had his son out playing with mates most nights after dinner.
Roy Shanks' rules
Three rules for children playing sport
• Play sport to have fun and enjoy it. If you are not enjoying it, find another sport.
• Respect the officials, the opposition and the rules of the game.
• You must do better than second.
