Parents & Guardians
The Bank of Mum and Dad? That’s just the start! Being the parent or guardian of a talented young athlete is so much more. Taxi driver, personal assistant, sports psychologist, lead nutritionist…and that’s was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic. Their CV would have grown even further in recent times. School teacher, training partner, social media assistant…and their back garden or garage is probably a gym too! They really are the ‘team behind the team’ as they take on many different roles.
There will always be a common thread that brings the parents and guardians of talented young athletes together….the love of the sporting journey and the value it brings to their family’s lives. SportsAid helps parents and guardians by giving them advice, insight and knowledge, both through online and in-person workshop sessions, on how they can offer the best support to their children as they navigate the performance pathway. They also spend time together sharing experiences.
“There was a point when Becky was training an hour away from home and had to be at the pool for 5am, which meant getting up at 3am, taking her to training, getting back at 9am, taking her to school, going to work and then taking her back to swimming for 4pm. It wasn’t easy. SportsAid was huge from a financial point of view, because at the time I wasn’t working."
Kay Adlington
Mother of Rebecca Adlington
"It can be difficult to generate funding for young, developing athletes starting out. SportsAid is likely the first time parents receive formal, external affirmation of their child’s potential and this validation cannot be underestimated. The support has been used predominantly by the girls to allow them to compete for Great Britain at international competitions. Junior trips are generally unfunded and require substantial lump-sum investment; SportsAid can make all the difference to their viability and a child realising their dream to compete for their country for the first time. The personal impact of SportsAid has been in helping the transition from a developing hobby into recognised potential."
Helen Piper-King
Mother of Eleanor & Louisa Piper
“We used to have to fundraise by baking cakes, painting kids’ faces, and selling chicken we fried on the barbecue! When we received SportsAid support things got a lot easier financially - their funding just eliminated that anxiety and worry. The SportsAid money enabled us to buy sports equipment, helped with education, funded extra food and driving lessons, which isn’t sports related but will enable Lexi to get to her football and manage without me.”
Ty Lloyd-Smith
Mother of Lexi Lloyd-Smith
“We’ve missed family events and parties and there are times when it can be very tough. Ross had to make a tough decision recently about whether to commit to cycling full-time, and SportsAid funding has helped him do events he would otherwise not have been able to do. It’s also given him a sense of independence which I think has helped him mature and develop as a person, too."
Paul Cullen
Father of Ross Cullen