Dan Carter has joined a host of other New Zealand athletes in a video, telling parents to behave better on the sidelines. Photo / Getty
Dan Carter has joined a host of other New Zealand athletes in a video, telling parents to behave better on the sidelines. Photo / Getty
All Black legend and current Blues first-five Dan Carter has joined a host of New Zealand athletes in a bid to stop bad behavior by sideline parents at sports games.
Carter, along with the likes of former New Zealand footballer Maia Jackman, former Silver Ferns captain Anna Stanley, Black Cap Ross Taylor and Chiefs coach Warren Gatland, appears in a new video, aiming to make parents better supporters and emphasising the joys within youth sport.
It comes after reports of kids being overworked at trainings, stemming from pressure applied by coaches and parents.
Recently a Wellington father was banned from a pool for making his son swim for two hours non-stop.
Carter has two sons who play futsal, one of whom is an avid Lionel Messi fan.
The 38-year-old spoke in the video about the behaviour of some parents.
He says the way a parent acts, good or bad, will likely be picked up by their children.
"It's important that not only you're saying the right thing to your children, but you're acting that way as well. They'll pick up a lot from your body language or how you're acting.
"It's important that as a parent you continue to be supportive and a good role model."
Jackman, who is now a physiotherapist at Mount Albert Grammar School in Auckland, told Stuff she was seeing an increased number of injuries linked to youths being overworked.
"Sore knees, sore ankles, sore backs – they just don't have the time to rest because there is not that time allowed for their bodies to recover," she says.
Former Football Fern Maia Jackman. Photo / Getty Images
Jackman believes the problem is also linked to parents forcing their kids into a specific sport early in their lives, which is putting stress on their bodies.
The former Football Fern details a 15-year-old who was training in rowing and football for about 25 hours a week.
Jackman has a 5-year-old daughter with an interest in football, but says she will not be pushing her daughter and instead encouraging her to take part in a variety of codes.
In the video, she says "just like in the classroom kids, learn at different speeds".
"Same with sport, they will progress differently."
Taylor, who is still chalking up appearances for the Black Caps at 36, told parents "don't be afraid to give your kids a break".
"Not only is it good for their body probably because they're still growing, but also their mind as well."
