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Top 10 Books for Parents of Athletes

By , About.com Guide

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If you're a parent of an athlete or an active child you may want to learn more about sports, training, injury treatment, nutrition or simply what you can expect as your child gets involved in sports. These books are great for parents who want to become familiar with some basic sports medicine concepts and other issues specific to children's sport participation.

1. Anybody's Sports Medicine Book

A true find for parents and athletes alike. Organized in an easy to follow 'body part' format, the book provides information about injury treatment, rehab and advice on when to see a doctor. Dr. Garrick provides clear, easy to understand descriptions of injuries and treatment you can do at home. Read this book for tips on prevention and immediate first aid, and then refer to it for all your aches and pains.

2. 101 Ways to Be a Terrific Sports Parent

A must-read for any parent of an athlete. Author, Dr. Joel Fish, a sport psychologist, shares practical and clinical advice to help parents support their little athletes reach their full athletic potential as well as learn when to back off. For parents of Little Leaguers to high school athletes, this book is right on target.

3. The Sports Medicine Handbook for Parents & Coaches

A nice, easy to read guide for parent's of active children. Plenty of detailed diagrams help explain how injuries occur and clear instructions help you manage many common injuries. Good prevention advice will aslo help parents keep their kids safe and avoid serious injuries.
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4. A Parent's Guide to Sports Nutrition for Young Athletes

If you wonder what your child should eat before or after practice or games, you might want this book on your shelf. With detailed information about children's nutritional needs and tips for finding food they like and that are good for them, this book is a wonderful reference for parents.

5. College Bound Student-Athlete Guides

If your high school student is heading to college you may want tp learn more about preparation and what they can expect. This series includes books on specific sports including tennis, soccer and basketball and will help you and your child navigate the ins and outs of becoming an athlete at the college level.

6. Sports Injury Handbook

An Athlete's Guide to Causes, Prevention, and Treatment. While this book is directed at adults, the information is helpful for parents of developing athletes as well as teenage athletes.
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7. Molding Young Athletes

How Parents and Coaches Can Positively Influence Kids in Sports
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8. Feeding the Young Athlete

Sports Nutrition Made Easy for Players and Parents
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9. Coaching Children in Sport

For coaches of the 6-16 age range this book helps put theory into practice when it comes to the principles of coaching youth sports. Academics (many with coaching experience) and practitioners have been commissioned to write on their specialist areas.

10. Effective Coaching for Children

A straigh-forward approach to coaching kids from fundamentals to advanced skills. There are tips on maximising your child's physical, motor, mental, emotional and social development, to ensure that they not only participate more fully in sporting activities, but also grow up to be fit, active and healthy adults.
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