Parent Pact Guidelines

1. Encourage Positivity
   Focus on providing positive, encouraging, and motivating support to all players, coaches, and officials. Cheer for effort, teamwork, and improvement, not just results.

2. Respect the Officials
   Accept the decisions of referees and officials, even if you disagree. Avoid making negative or critical comments, and model respectful behavior for your daughter.

3. Be a Role Model
   Demonstrate the behavior you want your daughter to emulate, both on and off the field. Show respect, kindness, and sportsmanship to everyone involved in the game.

4. Support Development Over Results
   Prioritize your daughter’s growth, learning, and enjoyment of the sport over winning. Celebrate her progress, effort, and commitment, regardless of the outcome.

5. Address Poor Behavior Constructively
   If your daughter displays poor behavior, address it calmly and constructively after the game. Use open communication to guide her toward better choices and help her understand the importance of respect and teamwork.

6. Avoid Foul Language
   Refrain from using foul or intimidating language at sporting events. Remember that your words influence the environment and set an example for your daughter and others.

7. Speak Up Against Abuse
   If you witness abusive or inappropriate behavior, report it to the appropriate officials or representatives. Help ensure a safe and respectful environment for all players.

8. Celebrate All Players
   Show support for all players, not just your daughter. Acknowledge the efforts of her teammates and opponents to foster a sense of community and positivity.

9. Build Community
   Engage respectfully with other parents and spectators. Building positive relationships creates a harmonious atmosphere and encourages players to respect their peers and opponents.

10. Leave Coaching to the Coaches
    Trust the coaches to provide tactical and technical guidance. Avoid giving instructions from the sidelines, as this can cause confusion and frustration for your daughter and her team.

Supporting Your Daughter’s Mental and Physical Wellbeing

1. Encourage Open Communication
   Create a safe space for your daughter to share her feelings about her sporting experiences. Listen actively and provide reassurance when she faces challenges.

2. Promote Balance
   Help your daughter maintain a healthy balance between sports, academics, and downtime. Encourage her to rest and recover, both physically and mentally, to avoid burnout.

3. Focus on Fun
   Remind your daughter that sports are about enjoyment, learning, and personal growth. Avoid putting pressure on her to perform or achieve specific results.

4. Support Healthy Habits
   Encourage your daughter to eat nutritious meals, stay hydrated, and get enough sleep to support her physical performance and overall wellbeing.

5. Teach Resilience
   Help your daughter understand that setbacks and mistakes are part of the learning process. Teach her to view challenges as opportunities to grow and improve.

6. Celebrate Effort, Not Just Achievement
   Acknowledge and praise your daughter’s hard work, dedication, and perseverance, regardless of the outcome. This reinforces the value of effort over results.

7. Be Attentive to Mental Health
   Watch for signs of stress, anxiety, or frustration, and provide support when needed. If necessary, seek professional advice to ensure your daughter’s mental health is prioritized.

By taking this pledge, you are committing to creating a positive and supportive environment where your daughter can thrive, enjoy sports, and develop both as an athlete and an individual.

Together, we can empower every girl to reach her full potential in sport and beyond.

Let’s make sports a safe, fun, and inspiring experience for all!

Insightful articles to read...

EmPower Health's Top 10 Tips for Supporting Your Daughter

1. Listen first, fix later.
   Sometimes she doesn’t need advice — just someone who will listen to her and be there for her.

2. Normalise the conversations.
   Talk openly about bodies, hormones, and periods. If you’re relaxed, she will be too.

3. Fuel the fun.
   Encourage balanced meals and snacks that energise, not restrict. No food guilt, ever. Reframe the narrative, food = fuel.

4. Celebrate effort, not just results.
   A missed goal can teach just as much as a win. Praise her courage, not her stats.

5. Let rest be respected.
   Recovery isn’t laziness — it’s how the body grows stronger. Let her know that recovery is a) necessary and b) an essential part of getting better and stronger.

6. Model positive body talk.
   She listens when you talk about your body. Show kindness to yourself; she’ll copy it. Always focus on what bodies can DO, rather than what they look like.

7. Encourage her to track her cycle.
   Understanding her hormones can help her notice cyclical patterns in mood, energy, and performance.

8. Keep coaches in the loop.
   If she’s struggling physically or emotionally, a simple chat can help create a supportive environment.

9. Champion her individuality.
   Remind her that every athlete’s journey is unique — comparison is quite literally the thief of joy (and confidence!).

10. Be her biggest fan — not her biggest critic.
    The sidelines are her safe zone. Whether she scores or stumbles, she should always see your smile. 💜

www.empower-health.org