youth sports podcast

How do Concussion Rules Affect Kids’ Mental Game?

Building Confidence in Athletes

New Rules Don’t Undermine Kids’ Mental Game Skills New concussion rules and regulations can build respect in young athletes for their opponents. In addition, the rules don’t hurt kids’ other mental game skills. That’s the word from Thomas Heiden, who played college hockey at Notre Dame and has coached many … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Why Pickleball is Good for Kids

Building Confidence in Athletes

Improve Mental Toughness by Playing Pickleball Pickleball’s popularity is growing quickly, with many schools offering it for the first time. That’s the word from Mike Nielsen, the AAU’s new pickleball chief, and In Pickleball president Richard Porter. In fact, the two pickleball enthusiasts are working to ensure the sport is … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Motivate Kids with Growth Mindset, Not Fear

Building Confidence in Athletes

Growth Mindset for Young Athletes Rather than focusing on instilling fear to motivate athletes, parents need to create a safe training environment for them, says Pomai Miyata, MGCP, and sports performance consultant and founder of ICE Mental Game. Fear-based training was common with old-school coaches and is often depicted in … Read Sport Psychology Tip

How Playing Sports Can Help Kids Transition to Reopening

pressure in youth sports

Easing Young Athletes Back into Seeing Friends and Teammates Sports kids may feel anxious about changing the routines they developed during the shutdown, says Elizabeth Englander, a Ph.D psychologist, researcher, professor and author of “The Insanely Awesome Post-Pandemic Playbook.” However, playing sports is a good way to transition to normal … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Teaching Kids Courage, Resilience and Character Through Sports

mental health in young athletes

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

Helping Kids Get Out of Their Comfort Zone

overcome adversity in youth sports

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