Usually, our program leans more into the mom-daughter relationship, but I hear from many moms who say their husbands need to listen to our topics.

So this time, we've invited a dad of four female athletes. The oldest is 16 and plays basketball, runs track, runs cross country, plays golf, and tennis. The middle daughter is 14 and plays the same sports as the eldest. The next daughter is nine and plays a little bit of the same sports as her sisters. The youngest daughter is athletically gifted but not too into sports right now.

Nathan is a girl dad, through and through. We talked about some of the frustrations as a sports parent and how to handle them, what Nathan was noticing before his daughters joined The Elite Competitor Program, and their changes as they went through the program. 

Here are some insights from Nathan; catch many more in the episode.

What were you noticing in your daughter before ECP?

At practice, my daughter could shoot but in games, she was just hesitant. She's a shooter, but she’s not a shooter during the game. 

I noticed and learned that many athletes who experience such things have perfectionism issues. They get afraid to mess up.

What has been the most impactful part of this journey/ECP?

My daughter’s relationships with others, not only athletically, improved. It changed her whole personality because she's focused on the mental side of not just athletics, but everything. 

Her dream to get an athletic scholarship was also granted.

That is because she learned that…

“your mindset, and how you respond to things impact every part of your life.”

We work with a lot of moms/daughters, but I hear from a lot of moms that they wish the dads would also listen in. What have you learned in supporting your daughter?

I learned that supporting my daughter is a team thing— you, your kid, and your wife. If you have the mom and the dad on the same page, your daughter will take your advice and opinion more seriously.

I think that both parents need to be on the same page. Pretty much.

Communicating with my wife about the materials, research, videos, and things I found that I wished had, made us think on the same page. 

What message do you have for the dads?

Our kids are our most prized possession. So take time, to, you know, nourish what that child needs.

Work hand in hand with your wife and start helping with the basics, but leave the coaching to the coach. Don’t give your teenager unsolicited advice or it’ll just go from one ear to the other. 

Just try to be there for them. Focus on the process, and not the outcome. What a dad can do is make sure she's getting everything she needs mentally and emotionally. The outcomes will take care of themselves. The mental and emotional part of sports is 90% of the game. If you got a kid that's solid mentally, they're going to be good. 

**********
Helpful Links:

• Visit our podcast website for more on this episode
• Join our FREE training for Sports Moms](FREE Training | How to Strengthen Your Athlete Daughter's Mental Game) - How To Strengthen Your Athlete Daughter’s Mental Game Without Being Pushy Or Saying The Wrong Thing.

The BEST way to help us spread the word and get this information into the hands of millions of parents, coaches, and female athletes is by leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts. Thank you in advance for joining us on our mission!