Articles and tips for sport parents and young athletes to learn how to use those pregame nerves for them and not against them.
What Do Pregame Jitters Mean? Summary: Pregame jitters are the nervous, jumpy feeling athletes get before competition — racing heart, sweaty palms, a knot in the stomach. They’re a normal sign that the body is gearing up to perform, not a sign that something is wrong. In most cases, jitters … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How to Perform Freely We received an email from a young athlete what is feeling nervous… “I have a figure skating competition next week and I was wondering if there are some tips to help me for the competition. I get really nervous for no reason. And I do really … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Do Your Athletes Have Pre-Game Jitters or Anxiety? A sports parent asks: “My sports kid gets especially nervous before some games and seems to kind of psych himself out before the game even starts! Is there anything I can do?” Pregame jitters are a common source of anxiety for players. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Helping Sports Kids Overcome Pregame Anxiety Just before a game, your kids may say they’re feeling jittery and will look distracted, over-excited and tense. They may have sweaty palms and a pounding heart. In many cases, such feelings are pregame jitters or “butterflies” that actually help kids perform better. These … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Pregame Jitters in Young Athletes Do your kids interpret pregame jitters as something is wrong with them before they compete? Often, the pregame jitters can help kids focus better and boost their energy just before a game. However, those butterflies and sweaty palms are more than just jitters; they’re actually … Read Sport Psychology Tip
High Expectations in Youth Sports Parents, it’s easy to hurt your sports kids’ confidence before a game by saying or doing things that you think will help your athletes. You may think that you’re boosting kids’ confidence, but in reality, you might cause them to feel more expectations. For example, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Over-Coaching Young Athletes Many parents we talk to are guilty of this mental game no-no before their athletes enter competition… Over-coaching your young athletes. When you over-coach kids just before a game, you fill their heads with information they really don’t need at that moment. Just before a game, kids … Read Sport Psychology Tip
What Sport Parents Should Avoid Lisa Cohn here from KidsSportsPsychology.com. I admit it. I said and did all the wrong things with my first young athlete, especially before a game. Long before we got in the car, I’d start talking about the last game. I’d talk about how big the … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Anxiety in Youth Sports Nearly 20% of the population suffers from anxiety, and young athletes are no exception. In fact, kids who have mild anxiety might experience high anxiety in stressful sports situations. Parents and coaches, you can help identify when sports kids are suffering from anxiety- and determine how … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Pre-Game Butterflies in Youth Sports Pre-game butterflies are good for young athletes…Pre-game fear is not. That’s the word from Twan Russell, a former Miami Dolphins player and current Director of Youth Programs for the Dolphins. “We tell kids, ‘Be nervous.’ That anticipation prepares your body for what you are going to … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Pre-Game Stress In Youth Sports Are your sports kids stressed before games? Do you know the signs and causes of stress in young athletes? Stress can really undermine kids’ confidence and success. And that hurts their performance and happiness. We talked to Debbie Mendel, a stress management expert and author … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Overcoming Pregame Jitters Most top athletes and coaches are aware of the importance of a calm mind and relaxed body for kids to reach peak performance in sports. And so am I… If your athletes are tense, worried about outcomes, or bring stress from life into competition, they will under … Read Sport Psychology Tip