Cochran’s / Photo: Tucker Marshall
What Parents Need to Know at the Start of the Ski Racing Season
The start of the ski racing season is exciting, stressful, and emotionally charged—not just for racers, but for their parents too. Early races bring expectations, comparisons, and questions that can quietly shape how a season unfolds. Often—at a conscious or unconscious level—parents tell themselves: “It’s time to collect my ROI.” And when the season starts slowly, that mindset can create anxiety about whether the considerable investment of time, energy, and money will pay off.
Some athletes start fast. Some struggle. Others land somewhere in between. What parents say—and how they behave—during this period can either support long-term enjoyment, development, and performance, or unintentionally add pressure that undermines all three.
Here are a few things every parent should keep in mind as the season begins.
1. Early results don’t predict the season
I’ve worked with countless racers who started slowly and finished strong, and just as many who peaked early and faded. Early-season results rarely tell the full story. Parents should help their young racers focus on the process and the fun rather than weigh them down with expectations and negative emotions tied to outcomes.
2. Progress is rarely linear
Ski racing is like the stock market, full of ups and downs. But over time, the long-term trend usually moves upward. One great race doesn’t mean everything is fixed. One bad race doesn’t mean something is broken. Young racers need room to struggle, adapt, and grow—without feeling judged by every result or weighed down before every race.
3. Your child already puts too much pressure on themselves
If you add to the weight of that pressure, it can become overwhelming. Most pressure doesn’t come from parents directly saying the wrong thing (although that certainly happens). It comes from subtle, judge-y questions and comments that racers interpret as: “I’m letting my parents down.”
4. Emotions speak louder than words
One of the worst things parents can do to their young racers is feel too much. Whether elation, disappointment, frustration, or anger, strong emotional expressions send a clear message: their ski racing is REALLY important to you.
One of the greatest gifts you can give your kids is emotional equanimity. Huge success, so-so performance, or major fail on race day, your response stays calm, composed, supportive, and loving.
Here’s a simple rule: Post-race, regardless of how your child performed, give your kid a hug, kiss, or fist bump and say just one thing: “What do you want to have for lunch?”
5. NEVER talk about outcomes
Never, ever talk about results, points, rankings, or qualifications. Your child is already drowning in Live Timing, friends, fellow competitors, and other parents obsessing about results. If you need to talk about skiing with them, ask what they did well, what they learned, or how they felt. Better yet, don’t talk about skiing at all.
Your presence already sends the message that you care. By not talking about ski racing, you send an equally important message: ski racing isn’t THAT important to you.
6. Remember your role
You’re your young ski racer’s parent. Not their coach. Not their friend. Their parent. In that role, you carry great power for good or for harm. Hold that power with intention, humility, and gratitude.
Your child will enjoy the sport more and perform at their best. Most importantly, they will benefit from the incredible life experiences ski racing offers if you remain their rock-solid base of belief, love, and support.
The most successful and happiest racers are not those whose parents expect success from them. Instead, they are the ones whose parents were on the journey right beside them—with an arm around them. That’s the kind of parent you want to be for your ski-racing children.
About the Author: Dr. Jim Taylor
