'Don't Be a Helicopter Parent': Annika Sorenstam's Tips for Your Kid's Sports Experience
Annika Sorenstam won 10 major championships and 72 LPGA Tour events. She is one of the greatest golfers in history. She was also, as a teenager, so terrified of public speaking that she would deliberately miss putts coming down the stretch of junior tournaments — just to finish second and avoid giving a winner's speech.
That detail alone makes this Steve Borelli interview worth reading. But Sorenstam's advice for sports parents goes well beyond golf. She's now a mom of two teenagers navigating the same questions the rest of us are, and she's figured out a few things worth sharing.
What Sorenstam Wants Parents to Know
Don't be a helicopter parent — even if you're a Hall of Famer
Sorenstam doesn't formally coach her son Will, even though she knows more about golf than virtually anyone alive. "I've learned you don't want to be a helicopter parent. You're so invested and so engaged and so caring. We all love them so much and we just want them to succeed, and then it's just, how do you handle it?"
Foster independence through enjoyment — not structure
Sorenstam's parents weren't coaches. They were facilitators — driving her to courses, providing equipment, and staying out of the way. "It was more they're loving parents and not very pushy and just kind of help us and guide us through the steps." That freedom to choose her sport sparked the curiosity that eventually became a career.
Ask three questions after every game — and let them answer
After Will plays, Sorenstam asks: How did it go? What did you do well? What can you do better? "It's kind of up to him. I'm not going to tell him: 'I think you should do this better.' He'll tell me something, and then say, 'I got it.' Whether he actually knows or not, he's telling himself, 'That's probably what I need to do.'"
Go with the flow — adapt as they do
Will and his sister tried every sport Sorenstam and her husband played before each found their own path. "You just gotta go with the flow." The goal isn't to create the next superstar. "The goal is to make great individuals that represent the sport, and not so much just result and performance."
"When your kid leaves the golf course or the driving range you want them to have a smile on their face. Then I think you've been successful."
By Steve Borelli — USA TODAY
Published June 3, 2025 · Republished with permission
Read the Full Article at USA TODAY →Stay Informed
Get free resources, news, and updates for sports parents delivered to your inbox.
Watch Be Valiant
Subscribe to our YouTube channel for video content, interviews, and the Be Valiant series.
Subscribe on YouTubeBE VALIANT. PLAY FEARLESS.
