Kids in Sports Articles

Kids in sports articles and tips for sports parents, young athletes, and youth coaches to improve mental performance and overall consistency in sports.

One Trap for Parents That Hurts Kids’ Confidence

Sports Parent That Hurts Kids' Confidence

Avoiding Comparisons to Boost Confidence in Young Athletes As sports parents, we all strive to be positive and happy role models for our children. Unfortunately, the stresses of sports can bring out the negative in us if we don’t try to keep an actively positive mind. The trap is that … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Why Are Younger Athletes Dropping Out of Sports?

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

Reasons for Rising Dropout Rates in Sports Recent studies have shown a 14% drop off in soccer participation between the ages of 6-12, says Benjamin Dudley, executive director, Positive Coaching Aliance (PCA), Portland. We also see these kinds of numbers in baseball, football, and basketball all around the country. And … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Mental Training Programs For Young Athletes

Mental Training Programs For Young Athletes

What’s the Best Program for My Young Athlete? A sports mom asks: “I just wanted to know what the best program is for a 11 (almost 12) year old. I have a 12-year-old with confidence issues.” We often receive emails with these types of questions. Here at the Ultimate Sports … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Building Confidence With Supportive Communication

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

Do You Over Coach Your Athletes From the Sidelines? It’s important to build kids’ confidence, on and off the field. But its’ not always obvious to sports parents about how to do that. In a recent interview, Greg Winkler, award-winning soccer coach and author of “Coaching a Season of Significance,” … Read Sport Psychology Tip

How Proper Gear Boosts Confidence When Coming Back From An Injury

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

Helping Sports Kids Feel Confidence Again After Injury Coming back from an injury can be one of the toughest mental obstacles for athletes at all stages. Tracy McGrady, seven- time NBA all-star, spent eight straight seasons scoring more than 24 points per game before fading out in a flash after … Read Sport Psychology Tip