Youth Sports Podcast

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.

Girls in Sports, Identity, and Self-Esteem

Building Confidence in Athletes

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

Grit and Discipline Lessons for Young Athletes

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

Without grit and discipline, young athletes won’t be successful, said Cary Knox, retired head coach and author of I Believe, which explores the legacies of Illinois sports legends. “You have to be gritty to be successful in just about anything you do,” he said. “You have to have a willingness to get … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Reasons Why Kids Can’t Have Fun in Sports

Building Confidence in Athletes

Young athletes often stop enjoying sports because they’re perfectionists, compare themselves to others or “mind read,” or make assumptions about what others are thinking, according to Jaclyn Ellis, a mental performance coach at Peak Performance Sports Related Kids Sports Psychology Articles: *Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on iTunes*Subscribe to The Sports … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Mastering Emotional Intelligence in Youth Sports

Building Confidence in Athletes

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

Helping Sports Kids Combat Negative Thinking

Building Confidence in Athletes

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