Hi Jim,

The attachment was a Word 1997-2003 document. I do not have the ability to re-upload a file through this system, so I have copied and pasted the final version below, but it does not show tracked changes. I hope this is acceptable.

Thanks,
Amy

Draw a circle on a piece of paper. This is your child’s Circle of Trust. A dot inside the circle represents a behavior helpful to your child. A dot outside the circle represents a behavior not helpful to your child. To be a gold-medal sports parent, work with your child to identify whether your behaviors, with regard to his or her sports participation, land inside or outside of the circle. Creating a visual representation such as this can be very beneficial during brainstorming efforts and help you make positive and practical changes, as well as bond with your child.

So what are athletes’ usual preferences for parental behavior? In a 2010 study published in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, Dr. Camilla Knight and her colleagues at the University of Alberta surveyed junior tennis players’ preferences for parental behavior during competition. Overall, 11 focus groups were conducted with 42 high-performance Canadian tennis players. Major themes identified included:
•	Parents should comment on attitude and effort, but refrain from technical and tactical instruction.
•	Parents should provide practical advice (e.g., reminders about nutrition and doing warm ups).
•	Parents’ nonverbal signals should match their verbal communication (i.e., making encouraging statements in tandem with relaxed body language and gestures).
•	Parents should understand and respect the etiquette of the game (e.g., avoiding displays of bad manners, such as screaming at the officials).
Most athletes across all sports and ages (even professional and Olympic athletes) would readily agree with these themes. Additionally, timing of feedback is particularly important. As a parent, you should avoid giving long lectures or having in-depth discussions about your child’s performance on the ride to and from the game or practice. The dinner table is also not an ideal place to coach your child. As an alternative, laugh a lot and enjoy spending quality time with your kids.

Always give praise when it's earned. Correct your child’s misbehavior consistently and with compassion. Make good eye contact with your child and give him or her your full attention when he or she is talking to show you are really listening. Help your child have experiences in which he or she accomplishes something to feel proud about. Love your child for who he or she is, not for the things he or she can do. You are a role model, so set an example of what you value in yourself. Follow these behaviors and you will stay inside your child’s Circle of Trust.