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.

How Sports Kids Can Avoid Panicking by Understanding Neuroscience

Building Confidence in Athletes

When athletes feel pressure, they naturally tend to panic, said Conor Hogan, author of The Gym Upstairs: The Neuroscience of Future Champions. If they understand some of the neuroscience of sports, they can calm themselves with techniques like visualization and meditation, he said. Listen to Learn More: Related Articles on … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Why Girls Drop out of Sports at Higher Rates than Boys

Building Confidence in Athletes

Girls in sports drop out at higher rates than boys, and a number of challenges lead to that problem, says Kathryn Ackerman, a physician and director of the Female Athlete Program in the sports medicine division of  Boston Children’s Hospital. She’s also an associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical … Read Sport Psychology Tip

The Power of Empathy in Youth Sports 

Building Confidence in Athletes

Empathy is a powerful confidence builder on youth sports teams. That’s the word from Dr. Conor Hogan, author of “The Gym Upstairs: The Neuroscience of Future Champions,” and a coach who helps young athletes improve their mental and overall performance. A team’s empathy can help individual players cope with pressure, … Read Sport Psychology Tip

This Coach Trained a Blind 23-Year-Old in Karate

Building Confidence in Athletes

Karate is all about the mental game, says Master Rande Lawrence, head instructor at Lawrence World Class Karate in Fayetteville, N.Y.  He coaches Matthew Killian, a blind 23-year-old with autism spectrum disorder to use his strong mental game in karate. Killian won two gold medals at his first karate competition, … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Parents Should Show Sports Kids They Care About More than the Win

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

Sports parents need to show their young athletes that they care about more than the score and the win. That’s the word from Wayne LaMarre, clinical professor and director of the athletic training program at the University of New England. LaMarre is also on staff for the Women’s National Ice … Read Sport Psychology Tip