Patrick Cohn | Sports Psychology for Young Athletes

Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D., earned his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Virginia in 1991, specializing in sports psychology, and founded Peak Performance Sports in 1994. Dr. Cohn is an author, professional speaker and one of the nation’s leading mental game coaches. His coaching programs for young athletes instill confidence, composure and effective mental strategies that enable athletes and teams to reach their performance goals.

Helping Kids Overcome Losses in Sports

Losing Provides an Opportunity for Life Lessons Parents don’t always know what to say or do when their kids experience losses or make mistakes in sports. Dr. Harley Rotbart, pediatrician, sports parent and author of “No Regrets Living” says parents should teach young athletes to be grateful for what they … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Anxiety and Depression in Sports Kids

How to Help Kids Through Stress and High Expectations Ryan Colby, a mental health specialist for athletes, has seen a big jump in the number of kids experiencing anxiety and depression during the pandemic—and that includes sports kids who were already feeling pressure. Kids are also struggling with identity issues … Read Sport Psychology Tip

How Sports Parents Can Help Kids Relax

Teach Athletes Strategies to Control Their Thinking Are your sports kids anxious during stressful moments while they’re competing? Are they generally anxious as athletes? Why do so many athletes feel anxious during competitions? Two issues contribute to anxiety in sports. First, young athletes label themselves as anxious. When this happens, … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Teaching Kids Courage, Resilience and Character Through Sports

Encouraging Young Athletes to Learn “Superpowers” in Sports Young athletes can learn a number of “superpowers” by participating in sports–traits such as courage, resilience and character. That’s the message from Beth Brown, an educator with a Ph.D. in sports psychology and the author of the children’s book series, “Adventures with … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Help Young Athletes Develop a Competitive Mindset

How to Separate Training from Competition What is a competitive mindset? Can young athletes learn to develop a competitive mindset? They can, but first they need to understand the difference between the training mindset and the competitive mindset. When kids are in the training mindset, they focus on improving the … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Helping Kids Get Out of Their Comfort Zone

How Getting Uncomfortable Builds Confidence Jack Canfield, co-creator of the popular “Chicken Soup for the Soul” book series, peak performance expert and co-author of the new kids’ book “I Can Believe in Myself” was a guest on our Ultimate Sports Parent podcast recently. The father of four–who has been a … Read Sport Psychology Tip