Parental support for navigating early involvement in professional youth soccer academies - A cross-cultural understanding of children's perceptions and expectations.

Being involved in a professionalized sports pathway imposes unique demands and adaptations on youth athletes. A supportive environment can serve as an important social resource to facilitate this adjustment and future development. Therefore, the current study explored children's experiences and preferences for parental support during early involvement in a professional youth soccer academy from a cross-cultural perspective. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 33 male soccer players (7 to 11 years) of professional clubs in Germany, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Data were first analyzed independently in each country via thematic analysis and then integrated in a culturally sensitive manner. Findings showed interpretations of parent-athlete relationships related to athletic transitions and showcase how these interactions were shaped within pathways of each country. Cross-cultural themes included children experiencing increased parental involvement, struggling to voice support preferences, and valuing emotional support. Interview data supported the notion of parents acting as a social resource with shared and unique interpretations through culture. Findings are theorized and discussed, drawing from developmental and motivational psychology literature. Practical recommendations for enhancing children's early involvement in competitive soccer and expectations towards parental roles are provided with a focus on unique and interconnected learnings from cross-cultural comparison.