Introduction

For most athletes, the journey to attaining expertise in sport frequently begins with an active childhood and taking an interest in sport from an early age. So what makes us sporty or active? Think back to your own early experiences of physical activity. Who played your first game of catch with you or taught you to ride your bike? The answer to these questions will most likely be a member of your family. There are many factors, psychological, social and biological, that shape who we are and what we do, and the family we are born into and grow up in is certainly one of these factors.

Course learning outcomes

After studying this course, you should be able to:

• Summarise the main research evidence of family influence on a child’s level of physical activity participation
• Relate expectancy-value theory (Eccles, 1993; Eccles et al., 1983) to parental involvement in children’s sporting experience
• Understand how gender and parental gender stereotypes may affect parents’ support of children’s participation in sport.