Dual careers : what do the parents think?

Abstract

Although there has been substantial research on dual-career athletes, there remains a limited understanding of parents' perspectives, particularly how their level of understanding influences the parent-child relationship and the support they provide as a result of that understanding. Thus, this study explores parents' perspectives on their children's dual career paths, with a focus on the challenges they face and how their relationship with their child influences the pupil's ability to manage both academic and athletic responsibilities successfully. The study utilised a qualitative research design. Data was collected through semistructured interviews, conducted with eight parents of dual-career student-athletes pursuing a career in Malta. The eight parents interviewed were selected to reflect diverse demographics in terms of their sport and the type of school their child attended, whether state, church, independent, or institutions specifically designed to support dual careers, to gather a range of perspectives and achieve a more comprehensive understanding. The study illustrates the diverse strategies parents employ to manage their children’s dual careers, while also utilising institutional support systems. It also demonstrates the strategies used by the student-athletes themselves from the perspective of the parents. The experiences of parents and student-athletes underscore the need for enhanced support frameworks, ongoing emotional and motivational backing, and parental sacrifices, particularly in terms of financial support. A key theme that emerged is the importance of the parent-child relationship, built on mutual understanding and maintained through consistent and transparent communication. Moreover, the parents’ experiences shed light on deficiencies in institutional support, particularly in terms of financial and logistical support for training and competition preparation. The study explored, from the parents' perspective, how dual-career athletes struggled to balance their demanding academic schedules with rigorous training sessions. Parents noticed that high expectations and demands often led to significant lifestyle sacrifices, including social isolation and mental stress, which could ultimately lead to burnout. Ultimately, this study evaluates existing support systems and highlights the need for adaptable, integrated frameworks that cater to both athletic and academic schedules. These frameworks should enable coaches, educators, together with parents and student-athletes, to work together in collaboration rather than in isolation from one another. These findings are crucial in understanding the value of the parent-child relationship and highlight the need for systemic changes to alleviate pressure on parents while encouraging more children to pursue a dual career.