ABSTRACT
The greatest influence on student athletes other than coaches tends to involve family members, most notably parents. Certainly, coaches, teachers, peers, and school staff are important, but significant research and literature has long focused on parental influence when it comes to examining virtually all forms of success in school. However, in order to best address specific aspects of consultation with parents and student athletes, one important foundation to consider are the guidelines established by the parent teacher association (PTA). It is important that parents have varying levels of influence on their children at several levels of development, regardless of sports or other areas of life, such academics and socialization. However, the pressures that most children face during the middle periods of school as well as their sports careers tend to bring out some of the more negative behaviors in both parents and children alike.
