Kids Sports Psychology articles and tips for sports parents, young athletes, and youth coaches to improve mental performance and consistency.
How Do You Develop Leadership in Youth Sports? Summary: Leadership in youth sports is not something kids either have or don’t. It’s a trainable skill, and sports gives young athletes more opportunities to practice it than almost any other environment. This post covers what leadership really looks like in young … Read Sport Psychology Tip
When athletes’ identities are wrapped up in sports, they can experience pressure and high expectations. What’s more, they might become disappointed if they go to college and are no longer the stars they were on their high school teams, said Zedralyn Butler, author of The Mental State of Sports and … Read Sport Psychology Tip
It’s a myth that participating in youth sports will build character in young athletes, say Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski, authors of “Away Game: A Christian Parent’s Guide to Navigating Youth Sports.” The problem: There are too many variables in youth sports to conclude that participating will build character. Referees … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Our brain tends to lean toward negativity. “The brain doesn’t understand today the difference between protecting us from a lion or a snake and protecting us from emotional states,” said Debbie O ‘Connell, president, Live Positive and Golf Positive and vice president, LPGA Northeast section. The brain tends to embrace negative emotional … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Do Your Kids Embrace the Underdog Role? When athletes are the underdog, they have two choices: believing they can win or believing they will lose. If kids believe they are going to lose, their bodies and minds will likely follow suit. They won’t prepare fully. Self-doubt will take over their … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Posting notes at home, trying hypnosis and passing a ball from the left hand to the right are three ways sports kids can combat negative thinking. These techniques are designed to help kids’ minds switch from negativity to positivity, said Ignacio Segovia, a psychologist, certified hypnotherapist and mental performance coach who … Read Sport Psychology Tip