Young Athlete Maturity Levels And Confidence Should kids be grouped by maturity level? And will it help them have more fun or feel more confident? Dr. Gary Brazina knows what he’s talking about when he says some young athletes struggle with confidence because of maturity differences. He’s a sports dad, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
The Benefits of Youth Sports What are the extra and all-important benefits of sports for kids? That’s a question Dr. Steve Horan, an expert in community health improvement, asked himself after many years of being a coach and sports parent. “As you look at the numbers, so many kids drop … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Embracing a Coaching Philosophy In a recent survey by Youth Football USA, 69 percent of respondents said that their main concern was the quality of youth coaches, says Joe Bouffard, active director of Youth Football USA. The survey respondents had good reason to be concerned, he says. But first an … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Here’s a really tough question for sports parents…. If a youth sports coach yells at his young athletes a lot, but his teams always win AND his team members generally seem happy, is he a good coach or a bad coach? That’s a question recently posed in a blog that’s … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Communicating With Young Athletes We recently checked in with sports dad Michael Wood–chief fitness officer at Koko Fitness Inc.– about his daughter’s making her high school basketball team as a 6th grader. This was a double-edged sword for Wood… On the one hand, he was happy she had the opportunity … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Dealing With Others Jealousy How do you help young athletes whose dreams in sports are undermined by others’ jealousy? In the case of Lela’s son, Frank, it’s a big challenge. Frank is a high school student and Olympic-caliber athlete in track. He is ranked nationally for his event and age group. … Read Sport Psychology Tip