For Parents · Sporting Athletic Club

Dealing with Changing Levels

How you react teaches your child how to respond to setbacks.

BuildsResilienceAdaptability

Level changes happen all season, in both directions. Your reaction and involvement in this moment shape how your child addresses setbacks.

What often happensTreating a move down as a failure - for you or your child - and reacting negatively toward the coach.

Try insteadFrame it as a phase, not a set decision. Put the responsibility on them and ask: "What do you need to do to move back up?" If they don't know, encourage them to talk with their coach.

Why it works

A player who learns that a setback is temporary and within their control builds their Resilience and the Adaptability to adjust and climb back. A player whose adult always fights their battles becomes fragile in the face of setbacks. Encouraging your child to take responsibility and have a conversation with their coach helps them develop mature conversational skills they'll need in the real world.