Listen to our youth sport podcast to hear tips on how to best support your young athlete to help them grow in confidence and navigate sport specific challenges.
Sports kids should push past challenges by focusing on incremental steps rather than the bigger end goal, said Dianette Wells, a world-class mountaineer, ultra-endurance athlete and author. For example, to prepare for a hike in Malibu, Calif., she focused on improving her time by a minute each time she hiked. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Research shows that girls’ identities can become too wrapped up in sports, according to Marlene Holmes, a mental health advocate, sports social worker and regional director at Netball America. “What the research shows is that for young boys, when they are introduced to a sport before the age of 8, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Build Confidence by Teaching Discipline and Self-Respect For Sabrina Yavil, a sports parent to three active boys, a big challenge was finding ways to get the kids to clean up after games and practices. “After sports, they would come home tired and dirty and they just wanted to veg out. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
If people who lead in youth sports—coaches, team captains, players and parents—are emotionally intelligent, they’re well-suited to lead a team through its ups and downs. In fact, emotional intelligence competencies are better predictors of how well kids and adults will do in sports and their careers than IQ, said Caleb Chambliss, a … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Posting notes at home, trying hypnosis and passing a ball from the left hand to the right are three ways sports kids can combat negative thinking. These techniques are designed to help kids’ minds switch from negativity to positivity, said Ignacio Segovia, a psychologist, certified hypnotherapist and mental performance coach who … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Cathy Spaas was a professional equestrian show jumper at a young age and knows what it’s like to suffer from pressure. Spaas was riding international shows at the age of 14, but, in response to pressure from her dad, began to feel like she was never good enough. “I think I … Read Sport Psychology Tip