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...]
Helping Sports Kids Focus on the Present and Improve Concentration
In the popular book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” one of the main characters—a racecar driver—talks about the importance of “having no memory” while competing. “Memory is time folding back on itself. To remember is to disengage from the present,” the book says. Here at the Ultimate Sports Parent and Kids’ Sports Psychology, we agree with this idea. Looking back—especially at past mistakes—isn’t... [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...]
The Problems with Favoritism in Youth Sports Athletes
Sports parent Michael Sands is unhappy with what he calls favoritism at Beverly Hills High, where his son plays football. The coaches are all volunteers, but on weekends, they coach certain kids—for a fee. This puts the young athletes who get extra coaching on weekends on a different playing field than those who don’t get the extra coaching, he says. They’re more likely to be favored by the coaches. This type of scenario is common in youth sports.... [Read More...]
When Your Sports Kid’s Confidence is Low Because Friends Excel
What do you do when your young athlete’s confidence sinks every time a talented friend or teammate excels in sports? This is a common problem for young athletes. Kids are social beings—and they tend to compare themselves to their friends. But in sports, this is a bad thing to do. Making comparisons to other athletes hurts kids’ confidence. Here’s one sports parent whose athlete struggles with this problem: “My daughter is a sprinter, long... [Read More...]
