| Parents are major agents in the youth sport experience, and yet we understand little regarding the sport parenting experience, particularly the benefits and stressors experienced, and the coping strategies used by sports parents. The purposes of this study were threefold: (1) determine the benefits and stressors experienced by youth sport parents; (2) determine the coping strategies used by swimming parents; and (3) conduct sport parent stress research that included both parents to better understand individual and family functioning. The purposes of the study were addressed by interviewing 10 parent-dyads regarding their experiences in youth sport. Nomothetic and case study analyses revealed that parents experienced a number of benefits (e.g., parent friendships or child life-skill development) and stressors (e.g., planning and logistics stressors), and engaged in numerous coping strategies (e.g., communication) due to swimming involvement. Parents perceived multiple stressors at any one time and engaged in multiple coping strategies to cope with the stressors experienced. Links between specific stressors, and coping strategies were difficult to draw because of the complex and idiosyncratic nature of the stress and coping appraisal process. Case study analyses further explained the idiosyncratic nature of the stress and coping relationship by demonstrating that parent-dyads experienced similar stressors in different ways due to family demographics and specific family narratives. Additionally, parent-dyads worked together to divide stressors between the two parents (e.g., one parent would be the taxi driver for practice while the other made dinner) as a way of reducing stress and increasing coping strategy efficiency. Overall parent coping appeared to be successful and adaptive with regard to the stressors faced. |
