Parent Communication with Sports Kids Who Lash Out

What exactly is going on in the minds of young athletes when they throw a bat after striking out, storm out of a gym after a loss, or cry when their team suffers a big upset? And how should you deal with this behavior? First of all, if you really want to understand the young athlete, don’t judge such behavior, says Gary Kramer, founder of Inner-Sports, which is an innovator in behavioral evaluation and coaching. Before parents and coaches react... [Read More...]

How To Give Constructive Feedback to Sports Kids

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 coaches? It’s your job to make sure you give kids constructive criticism in ways that allow them to learn and grow from it. If, for example. you’re a coach and you... [Read More...]

Kids’ Sports Psychology: How Sports Kids Deal with Constructive Criticism

Lisa Cohn of Kids’ Sports Psychology interviews coach James Jackson and Dr. Patrick Cohn about how kids handle criticism in sports today. When coaches don’t communicate well during games, kids take well-meaning constructive feedback personally and generally don’t learn or improve. Watch the video below on the interview with James Jackson and Dr. Patrick Cohn:  Read More →