Improve Confidence and Success in Young Athletes
What can sports parents do when kids' confidence dips when performing in front of others? Truth is, you don't have control over what is happening inside your kids' minds—whether they feel pressure or not. However, you can teach them tools for managing—or eliminating—the pressure they … [Read more...]
As part of Kids' Sports Psychology's Sports Parents' Coach audio series, Lisa Cohn and Dr. Patrick Cohn give advice to Jennifer, the mother of an 11-year-old baseball player who is a perfectionist. Jennifer says that her son is afraid of failing and tends to stay in his own "comfort zone," without … [Read more...]
What are the top challenges for the sports kids we deal with and how can you help these kids? Our survey of parents and coaches showed that more than 40% of athletes struggle to some extent with perfectionism and fear of failure. Perfectionism and fear of failure cause young athletes to be their … [Read more...]
Just how frustrating is it for parents when a child isn’t having fun in sports because he’s a perfectionist? A reader tells us: “Practically all of the emails I have received from you (about perfectionism) could have been written about my son...." "He is afraid of failure and afraid to … [Read more...]
We believe that confidence is the most important asset that leads athletes to sporting excellence. It’s critical for your kids to feel confident—to believe in their abilities—in order to realize their physical potential. Confidence helps them bounce back after mistakes, hang in there when … [Read more...]
A sports parent tells us her son really shines on the field during practice. "He's way beyond all the other boys in terms of technical and tactical skills during practice." However, here's the "But." And it's a big one. During a game, she says, you wouldn't know her son excels in … [Read more...]
Youth coach Doug Donaldson says he knows intuitively when one of his young athletes feels pressured by a parent’s expectations. And he also knows the problems such well-meaning expectations can create in young athletes. For example, one of his player’s mothers wants the child to play goalie … [Read more...]
It’s no secret that many young athletes aren’t very open to constructive feedback during games. That’s because they often take it personally. They think that what you say about their performance as athletes reflects on them as people. What does this mean for you as parents and … [Read more...]
