Athletes who Lose Confidence with Constructive Criticism
“I’m a female soccer player. I’m often challenged mentally when playing and this usually happens at training sessions, my teammate would tell me how I can’t do a certain thing eg. Properly marking my opponent.”
“I end up questioning my ability to do so, therefore affecting my performance poorly. How can I overcome this?”
For your young athletes, lack of confidence or self-doubt is a big mental challenge.
It will stop them from performing well consistently in competitions and reaching their potential because of self-doubt.
When your athletes question themselves because of what others say, it is because of their lack of ultimate or inner confidence.
Seth Curry, two-time most valuable player in the NBA, has this to say about ultimate confidence;
“I don’t listen much to any of what anybody says about what we can or cannot do or what I can do personally. I don’t know if that’s stubbornness or ultimate self-confidence but it’s just the fact that I know who I’m rolling with in the locker room, we just gotta believe.”
Ultimate confidence is a mental skill that has helped Curry become one of the greatest shooters of all time from all over the court.
So What Is Ultimate Confidence Made Of?
–Focus. It’s important for sports kids to focus on the things they can control, not the words of others. This will help keep your sports kids iron strong against anything they may hear in practice or in game.
–Belief in ability to perform. Kids with ultimate confidence have an unshakable belief in their ability to produce in competition. This will help them stay strong in the face of negative comments.
Developing ultimate confidence is the best strategy for controlling on-field doubts, whether they come from other players or your sports children themselves.
Encourage them to build their confidence, and to never let another person’s comments affect their belief in their skills and experience.
Related Articles on Youth Sports:
- How Low Self-Confidence Hurts Sports Kids
- Building Self-Confidence In Sports
- Why Kids’ Self-Confidence Suffers When Sports Parents Make Comparisons
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The Composed Sports Kid
“The Composed Sports Kid” audio and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.
The Composed Sports Kid system is really two programs in one–one program to train parents and coaches how to help their kids practice composure, and one program that teaches young athletes–ages 6 to 13–how to improve composure, let go of mistakes quickly, have more self-acceptance, and thus enjoy sports more!