Youth sports psychology articles and strategies for sports parents of young athletes to improve mental game and performance.
What is Choking? Some examples of chokers: Choking is under performing during pressure moments of a game or competition. The problem is not about kids’ ability to perform. It’s about performing under pressure. For chokers, pressure becomes overwhelming and interferes with performing in the moment. Just as problematic is kids … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Do Your Sports Kids Have Fun When They Compete? Is sport enjoyable for them, or does it cause added stress in their lives? You would think athletes have a deep passion and love for competing, but that’s not always the case. Many athletes admit that competing is not fun. High … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Young Athletes Should Park Their Egos & Embrace Teamwork Syd Abernathy, a two-time All-American former Navy lacrosse player who was recently inducted into the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame, says young athletes should be “serving leaders” who check their ego at the door, embrace open mindsets … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Seeing The Game To The End More than physical factors, mental factors affect the outcome of close games. Back-and-forth games are often a game of attrition or who can wear down their opponent. Some athletes feel more comfortable during close competitions than other athletes. For example, some basketball players are … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Elite and Travel Teams Can Hurt Kids’ Confidence That’s the view of Hal Phillips, a former sports parent and youth soccer coach, plus author of Generation Zero: Founding Fathers, Hidden Histories and the Making of Soccer in America. He spoke with us recently during an interview for our Ultimate Sports … Read Sport Psychology Tip
When Sports Kids Believe They Can, They Build Confidence When they have unshakeable confidence, they are more resilient, overcome obstacles and increase the likelihood of accomplishing their goals. Belief, confidence and accomplishment are intertwined in youth sports. Belief sets the cycle in motion, but what creates belief? Kids may have … Read Sport Psychology Tip