At a Glance
- Billie Jean King says her parents never asked if she won, only how her day went
- The 39-time Grand Slam winner credits this approach for her longevity in tennis
- She warns that most kids quit sports by age 10-11 due to parental pressure
- Why it matters: Her simple parenting tip could keep children in sports longer and reduce performance anxiety
Tennis legend Billie Jean King, 82, shared her single most important parenting advice for raising young athletes during her Jan. 9 appearance on SiriusXM’s LIFT.
The Question That Changed Everything
King revealed that her parents never asked about wins or losses.
“They never asked Randy or me if we won,” she told the hosts of the show that features interviews with extraordinary women. Her brother Randy had a decade-long professional baseball career.
Instead, her parents asked different questions when picking up the children or when they walked through the door at home.
The Science Behind Staying in Sports
King explained the danger of focusing on outcomes.
“Most young people, they’re finding, around 10, 11 years old, will quit their sport or sports because they don’t feel they can live up to their parent’s ambition for them,” she said.
She urged parents to let children process their own experiences.
“Let the child figure it out. You [the parent] can say, ‘What kind of day did you have?’ … ‘What did you do well?'”
King noted that her parents executed this approach consistently throughout her childhood.
“They did that really well. And I don’t think most parents do that,” she added.
Modern Parenting Pitfalls
The tennis icon criticized current parenting trends she frequently observes.
King said she often sees parents today “hover” over their children, creating additional pressure rather than space for growth.
Her observations come from decades of mentoring young athletes and speaking with families at tennis clinics and events.
A Champion’s Foundation
King’s career achievements support her parenting philosophy.
She captured 39 Grand Slam titles throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including 12 singles majors that helped elevate women’s tennis visibility globally.
Her 1973 victory over Bobby Riggs in the televised “Battle of the Sexes” became a landmark moment for gender equality and inspired the 2017 film starring Emma Stone.
Off the court, King co-founded the Women’s Tennis Association and spearheaded efforts to secure equal prize money at the U.S. Open.
Personal History Shapes Advocacy
King’s own childhood experiences shaped her perspective on access and opportunity.
Speaking to News Of Losangeles in May 2024, she recalled realizing at age nine that professional baseball was closed to her because of her gender.
“I’ll never forget. I was 9 years old and at a minor league baseball game. I remember looking out there, at the game, and my heart sank,” she said.
The moment crystallized her mission to open doors for women and marginalized communities.
“I think [access is] one of the most important words. I feel like we’re losing it in our society and I think we need to think about it,” King said.
The Broader Message
King emphasized that everyone deserves opportunity regardless of background.
“Everyone has something to offer,” she stated. “Women, LGBTQs. Everyone. You never know where a good idea is going to come from.”
New episodes of LIFT premiere at 12 p.m. ET/9 a.m. PT every Thursday on Stars on SiriusXM (ch. 109) and on the SiriusXM app.
