Kids Sports Psychology articles and tips for sports parents, young athletes, and youth coaches to improve mental performance and consistency.
Mentally Prepare to Compete Against Higher-Ranked Teams Table of Contents Toggle Mentally Prepare to Compete Against Higher-Ranked Teams Building belief is the first step in athletic success… Related Kids Sports Psychology Articles: The Confident Sports Kid The main mental ingredient in upset victories is belief. By belief, we’re not just … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Sports kids face a number of challenges when their identity is all about sports, said Dr. Becca Wallace, a clinical pediatric psychologist at Children’s Hospital in New Orleans. Children often get overly involved in sports, leading to their identity being closely tied to their athletic performance. She offers tips for creating … Read Sport Psychology Tip
There’s so much that can come from participating in youth sports, but ensuring kids experience that requires teams to establish team cultures based on clear expectations of players, parents and coaches. That’s the word from Katie Steele and Dr. Tiffany Brown, co-founders of the nonprofit organization Athletes Mental Health Foundation. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
What Does “Setting the Standard” Mean in Youth Sports? Setting a high standard refers to establishing a level of quality, expectation or performance. Some teams set winning as the standard. Often, teams with a high expectation of winning adopt the credo, “Championship or Bust.” While winning may be the goal, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Kids get emotional in street hockey. They might throw their hockey sticks because they missed a shot, for example. Coaches with the Charlotte Street Hockey League deal with such behavior by inviting kids to express their feelings, and then trying to help them find more appropriate ways to communicate. The … Read Sport Psychology Tip
As co-founder and executive director of L.E.A.D. Center for Youth in Atlanta, Kelli Stewart uses sports as a way to help kids learn skills that give them a leg up in life… And that effort is succeeding, she said during a recent interview with our Ultimate Sports Parent podcast. The … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Kids Confidence is Directly Impacted by Their Mistakes All athletes make mistakes. But how kids respond to mistakes is critical. For example, if a player misses the last shot of a basketball game, will that athlete pass up shots late in future games? If a young athlete drops a pass … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Hillary Cauthen, a sport psychologist and author of “Hello Trauma: Our Invisible Teammate” gives tips for helping sports kids cope with toxic sport cultures, including coaches who yell at and demean kids. Listen to Learn More: Related Articles on Kids’ Mental Game: *Subscribe to The Sports Psychology Podcast on iTunes*Subscribe to The … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Benefits Of Having Fun During Practices and Games Creating fun for kids is an important focus for Kevin Hoover, CEO of Rally Day Camps and an owner of youth baseball and softball camps for major league baseball teams like the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres. “Fun and safety … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Kaig Lightner founded Portland Community Football Club 10 years ago, providing coach mentors, free uniforms and no-cost or low-cost opportunities for immigrants and others living in low-income communities. The program focuses on creating a culture of connection, encouragement and trust. Player growth is more important than winning games. Now the … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Archery can provide numerous benefits to kids–including building confidence, focus and success. Kids realize these benefits fairly quickly because they often find success as beginners, said Tommy Floyd, president of the National Archery in the Schools Program. The former school principal recently was a guest on our Ultimate Sports Parent … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How to Push Through Challenges Have you ever wondered why some athletes succeed despite challenges and adversity while other athletes fall apart when encountering similar circumstances? The difference between these two types of athletes is mindset. An athlete’s mindset has a profound effect on athletic achievement. If kids’ mindsets don’t … Read Sport Psychology Tip
The mental game is critical to sports–and improving mental health can boost both kids’ mental game and performance. That’s the word from Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundation, which works in schools and sports organizations to help kids improve their mental health. Related Articles on Kids’ Mental … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How Skipping Breakfast Doesn’t Help Performance This can lead to anxiety and lower performance in sports, said Steph Magill, a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition and is a sports parent to two teens. She recently was a guest on our Ultimate Sports Parent podcast. Anxiety and lower performance … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Studies show that when kids skip breakfast, they have a harder time focusing, are irritable and distracted by hunger. This can lead to anxiety and lower performance in sports, said Steph Magill, a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition and is a sports parent to two teens. She recently was a … Read Sport Psychology Tip
When athletes feel pressure, they naturally tend to panic, said Conor Hogan, author of The Gym Upstairs: The Neuroscience of Future Champions. If they understand some of the neuroscience of sports, they can calm themselves with techniques like visualization and meditation, he said. Listen to Learn More: Related Articles on … Read Sport Psychology Tip