This ‘Quick Tips’ feature is contributed by Gijs van Oosten from HockeyOuders
In the Netherlands, the combination of education and sport is not obvious, and thus it is somewhat difficult to find equilibrium. It is recommended that you assess the possibilities for effectively combining school and sport.
If your child is talented at sport, and sport is important to them, then consider making a choice from the selection of high schools that offer sport as an elective in their junior levels. Usually, you can choose from football, tennis, basketball or hockey.
Sport at school is supplementary to what is offered in a sports club. It is important that your child can independently train at a club from a young age, and that not too much time is spent on travelling.
A child does not need to travel great distances to train at a top club from a young age in order to develop their talent. Stephan Veen only played hockey at a larger club when he was 16, and yet he went on to become a two-time Olympic champion. By staying at his smaller club, he developed a strong mentality and learned to work hard for success.
Schools may give children the freedom to participate in sports at top levels. Talk to your school leaders about this. Conversely, it is also important that trainers at sports clubs provide children with time off to study for their exams.
Plan one day off each week from any sports obligations. That gives the child a few hours for social interaction or to just do nothing. This is also healthy.
It is important to keep an eye on the mental and physical development of your child. Pushing is never good. If there are problems, then it’s good to take a break. Sport must always be enjoyed. This is an important responsibility of every parent.
