Understanding the psychological impact on young athletes of parental involvement in their sport experience is critical to forming a better understanding of how to provide enjoyable and developmentally appropriate sport experiences for youth. Gymnastics is a sport that provides ample opportunity for parental involvement that can be perceived by youth in positive or negative ways. Previous sport psychology research has shown that young athletes identify their parents as sources of encouragement and positive affect (Babkes & Weiss, 1999; Brustad, 1988; Scanlan & Lewthwaite, 1988), but unfortunately also as sources of pressure and negative affect (Hellstedt, 1990; Scanlan & Lewthwaite, 1984; Scanlan & Lewthwaite, 1988). What explains these vastly different responses to parent involvement? The purpose of this study was to examine perceptions of competence and perceptions of control as predictors of gymnasts’ interpretations of parental involvement in their sport experience. Based on existing theory (e.g., Harter, 1978, 1981), it was hypothesized that higher perceived competence and internal control, combined with lower perceived external and unknown control, would predict more positive perceptions of parents as well as higher gymnastics enjoyment and lower competitive anxiety. Participants in this study were female gymnasts (N=134), ages 12 to 14 years (M=12.8, SD=.85) and ranging from USA Gymnastics level 4 through Elite. Participants completed a multi-section questionnaire containing reliable assessments of: (a) perceived competence, (b) perceived internal, external, and unknown control, (c) perceived encouragement, pressure, and involvement of the mother-figure and father-figure (d) competitive anxiety (concentration disruption, somatic, worry), and (e) sport enjoyment. Multivariate multiple regression analysis revealed a strong relationship (R_c=.71, R_d=.21) between the predictor variables (perceptions of competence and control) and the criterion variables (perceptions of parents, competitive anxiety, enjoyment), Wilks’ l=.34, F (40, 457)=3.7, p < .001. Canonical loadings indicated that gymnasts with higher perceptions of gymnastics competence (.66) and internal control (.47), and lower external (-.81) and unknown (-.59) control, reported higher levels of enjoyment (.70) and perceptions of father involvement (.33) combined with lower perceptions of maternal pressure (-.49) and competitive anxiety (concentration disruption=-.82, somatic=-.51, worry=-.79). These findings are consistent with theoretical perspectives on motivation and suggest a gymnast’s perceptions of competence and control may impact how she interprets the involvement of her parents in her sport experience.