Abby Wambach Says Parents Should Skip Children’s Sports Practices

Abby Wambach is saying no to parents being at practice games.

Speaking on an episode of her Welcome to the Party podcast, released Tuesday, Sept. 23, the retired soccer player, 45, gave some tips to parents on how to deal with their children when it comes to sports.

“Are we supposed to go to every practice?” asked guest and sports broadcaster Rebecca Lowe, to which Wambach replied, “No.”

“That is actually on my don’ts list,” she continued. “Do not go to the practices and watch your children. This is their time.”

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“Ever?!,” Lowe asked again.

Wambach explained that the point of practice “is not for the kid to look over their shoulder and make sure that their mom or dad or parent is sitting on the sideline watching them.”

“Practice is for free play for them,” she continued. “That there is nothing that’s going to encumber them from trying something new, taking a risk, making a mistake, trying something, being successful.”

She added, “Because what we’re then doing is, we’re externalizing all of our motivation. Like, ‘I’m only going to do this because I’m now looking over to the sidelines and I see my mom looking at me and being proud.'”

Wambach went on to say that “it becomes very difficult to actually curate in yourself to have internal motivation,” adding that children should be “self-starters and internally motivated.”

She also said that instead of asking children if they won or lost a game, parents should ask about “a special win.”

“What did you see out there today that was a special win that had nothing to do with the score line?” she suggested. “Did you see your teammate cheering? Did you pick up the cones for your coach without being asked?”

Wambach continued, “Figuring out how to deemphasize the outcomes of winning or losing and overemphasize the acts of leadership.”

The Olympian also said that if parents go to a game, they should not be saying anything negative to their kids or the coach from the sidelines.

“Positive cheering only and no instruction,” she added.

Wambach is a stepmom to her wife Glennon Doyle‘s three children — Chase, Tish and Amma.