Children and youth sport involve many adult actors, not least family members. Parents and guardians are involved in children and youth sport both at amateur and elite level, as coaches, instructors, referees, and audiences. In addition, athletes juggle their roles as parents and guardians. Previous research has been conducted both on elite and amateur athletes. Often this have concerned mothers: as a social phenomenon (Pedersen, 2001), about returning after pregnancy (Appleby, 2004) and managing multiple identities (Palmer & Leberman, 2009). Fathers have been included as well: Ironman triathletes (Andreasson et al, 2018). Globally parents and guardians’ roles, as well as athlete parents’ roles, are likely to differ in relation to sport models, socioeconomic contexts, religion and social insurance systems. Furthermore, expectations of these roles may vary dependent on the social constructions of masculinity, femininity, and sexuality. There are challenges and opportunities in the clash between being a good parent/guardian and a good coach, and people are likely to handle these in various ways.
The aim of this special issue is to examine the intersection of parenthood and sport from several theoretical perspectives, geographical areas and methodologies. We welcome submissions from various research themes regarding parenthood and sport; the following are suggestions of topics of
research:
- What challenges and opportunities do parents and guardians to active children at all levels of sport activities face?
- What is it like to be an (elite) athlete and a parent/guardian?
- How are the roles coach and parent/guardian handled?
- Parental pressure in children’s sports.
This issue will highlight the complexity of parenthood and sports in various ways.
