How Should Sports Kids View Pregame Warmups? Often, young athletes’ confidence sinks if they don’t do well during pregame warmups. They mistakenly think that if they goof up a shot or drop a ball during warmups, they won’t do well during the game. Perfectionists often embrace this idea, and are … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Pregame Mental Preparation For Young Athletes Just before a game or competition, kids need to be as mentally ready as possible. However, it’s hard to do this when kids feel anxious, distracted, worried or tense about what’s about to happen. This can undermine kids’ performance and confidence…. Parents can inadvertently … 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
Dealing With Emotional Kids Before Competition A parent asks how to help her son recognize and name the different feelings he might have before a match and learn how to put them aside until later. This is a good question. It’s important for young athletes to understand how they’re feeling—and … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Helping Young Athletes Let Go of Mistakes When kids hang onto mistakes, they often end up experiencing low confidence, frustration and poor performance. When they dwell on their mistakes, they can’t focus in the moment or have fun playing sports because they become so angry with themselves. It’s especially important … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Help Young Athletes Cope With Pressure A parent asks, “What are two simple things that I can say to (my player) before the game that will help and not create stress?” Just before a game, tell your young athletes to avoid thinking about the score or the outcome. When kids … Read Sport Psychology Tip