Why Having Fun Helps Sports Kids Perform Well
High school athlete Jacob understands why having fun is hands-down the most important thing kids can do when all seems lost. In a recent interview, he told us that when his team is down, or if he makes mistakes, his confidence starts to slip—until he reminds himself that it’s important to focus on having fun. “I forget my mistakes and tell myself that no matter what happens, we’re in this for fun and we’re just going to have fun.” Here... [Read More...]
Why Sports Parents Need Perspective
We all want our kids to excel in sports. But exactly what does it mean to excel — and how can parents best help young athletes? It’s all about perspective. Read on to learn great tips for ensuring your kids excel in ways that help them stay in sports and reap all its benefits. Too often, well-meaning parents lose perspective in youth sports. We admit it. We’ve done it ourselves. We’ve found ourselves yelling from the sidelines,... [Read More...]
The Advantages of An Inside-Out Mindset For Young Athletes
Too often today, young athletes are motivated for the wrong reason, says Kirk Mango, a former Division I gymnast who is now a coach and sports parent. He says many athletes seek external rewards, such as trophies, admiration from coaches and parents, poularity, and scholarships. The problem with what he calls an “outside-in” mindset: The rewards are fleeting, and don’t sustain young athletes, he says. “When you value something from the inside,... [Read More...]
Encouraging Sports Kids without Pressuring Them
Just how can sports parents encourage kids to take part in sports and support them—without pressuring them? That’s a good question, and the answers are not so obvious. Read on to get tips from Olympic fencer Tim Morehouse, who says his parents knew just how to support him as he grew into an Olympic athlete. “I was very fortunate,” he says. “My parents encouraged me to do different things that I loved.” The key, when kids are very young,... [Read More...]
When Should Young Athletes Start Mental Training and Why?
“Is my 9-year-old too young for mental training?” asks one sports parent. It’s clear, she says, that her son has some mental game blocks. “In practice he is one of the best players on his team, but his confidence in games is low—he seems very tentative and willing to let others do the work (out of) fear of failing.” Our answer: Kids are never too young to be exposed to mental toughness training. What’s important is how you expose... [Read More...]
