Why Setting Goals is So Important for Sports Kids
It’s a great idea to set goals for sports kids. Goal-setting helps improve kids’ motivation and commitment, helps them stay focused on what to accomplish, helps them assess their strengths and weaknesses, and track their performance. But who should do it–the parent, the young athlete, or the coach? And what do you as a sports parent do if you want your child to set goals, but the coach doesn’t focus on this issue? These are great questions... [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...]
How Are Sports Kids Their Own Worst Enemies?
Just how many ways can young athletes sabotage their sports performance? In lots of ways, says Dr. Harold Shinitzky, a sports psychologist and author of “Your Mind: An Owner’s Manual for a Better Life.” “A lot of athletes, based on how they think of themselves, engage in behaviors that interfere with their ultimate performance. That’s the saboteur,” he says. Examples? When kids decide to eat poorly, get little sleep, or engage in other... [Read More...]
Is Setting Goals Too Much Pressure for Young Athletes?
Do you feel frustrated when your young athletes seem to lack motivation and direction? Would helping sports kids set goals be helpful? If so, you’re not alone. We often hear from sports parents and coaches who want to better understand how to help motivate their young athletes to work harder. They’re struggling with that very difficult balancing act: Trying to motivate without pressuring. Here’s what one sports parent wonders about... [Read More...]
How One Teen Uses Sports Psychology to Excel and Stay Calm
A recent LA Times story featured Marisa Berger, a 15-year-old high school student who takes part in the modern pentathlon, an Olympic sport during which she shoots guns, fences, swims, rides horses and runs–all in single day. Her goal is to become “the complete athlete,” proficient in five distinct athletic skills. How does she manage to stay in the game? By honing her mental game, she says. ”You have to have the mental aspect... [Read More...]
