ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the role of the family in the development of talented athletes, focusing on how the family can support or detract from this process. The majority of research considering the family or parent influence in talent development has focused upon nuclear families. Recognizing the potential impacts of supporting talent athletes, and the need to ensure that families are supported in their attempts to help their children develop, researchers have recently begun to put their focus on the parents themselves. The chapter presents an overview of the positive and negative influences of parents in sport. It provides a detailed examination of the role of the family throughout the process of athletic development and discusses the consequences of supporting a talented athlete. The chapter concludes with suggestions for future research for exploring the complexity of family influence within talent development.
