Mental preparation for sports kids articles and tips for sports parents, young athletes, and youth coaches to improve mental performance and consistency.
For college recruiters, players’ mental game is important. Recruiters learn about kids’ mental game skills–or deficiencies–by talking to high school coaches, watching game videos and watching both parents and players at games. Keirsten Sires, CEO and founder of 2aDays–which provides college coach ratings and experiences from athletes–gives tips about how … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Teach Athletes Strategies to Control Their Thinking Are your sports kids anxious during stressful moments while they’re competing? Are they generally anxious as athletes? Why do so many athletes feel anxious during competitions? Two issues contribute to anxiety in sports. First, young athletes label themselves as anxious. When this happens, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How to Separate Training from Competition What is a competitive mindset? Can young athletes learn to develop a competitive mindset? They can, but first they need to understand the difference between the training mindset and the competitive mindset. When kids are in the training mindset, they focus on improving the … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Using Mindset to Get to The Next Level Some young atheltes define themselves by their limitations, saying “I’m shorter than most basketball players,” “I’m not as fast as other players on the soccer field,” or “I don’t have enough speed on my fastball to play college baseball.” When young athletes … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Focus on Small Objectives It’s important for young athletes to establish goals in order to improve their training for the new year. Many young athletes have goals about the successes they’re aiming for in competition, but don’t have well-defined goals for training and practice. Training is critical to success in … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Positive Actions Empower Young Athletes What kinds of adversity have your sports kids encountered? Perhaps they have experienced an injury or long-term sickness. Maybe they were cut from a team or benched by their coach. They could have bombed a big competition or missed the playoffs. They could also experience … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Youth Sports Interview with Author Amy Bass In the book, “One Goal: A Coach, a Team and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together,” author Amy Bass relates how refugees from Somalia brought their passion for soccer to the town of Lewiston, Maine and changed Lewiston in remarkable ways. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Using Mental Goals to Succeed at the Next Level If sports kids want to get to the next level in their sports, they need to try something new. Have you ever heard the expression, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got.” … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Using Your Mental Game For a Competitive Edge An athlete told us recently, “I am pretty much doing everything wrong from a mental perspective and just beginning to work on understanding better ways to think.” Athletes of all ages struggle with mental game challenges. They need to understand that mental … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How to Teach Young Athletes Mental Toughness Sports parents, want to help your kids achieve peak performance, that elusive state that allows them to stay in the moment, banish distractions and perform their best? Peak performance comes from great preparation. Consistent peak performance is based on consistent mental preparation. Help … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Pregame Routines for Young Athletes A sports parent asks: “My almost 13-year-old daughter is very talented, but her head gets in the way. She is a starter at striker. She has amazing games one day and the next she’s a different player, she’s inconsistent. What going one and how can … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Mental Preparation For Young Athletes A parent asks: “My child doesn’t seem as mentally ready as some of the other kids in his league. I need concrete ideas on what to say and do to help my child prepare for competition.” “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Teaching Young Athletes to Mentally Prepare Hall of Fame player Hank Aaron, one of the best hitters in the history of baseball and a model of consistency, attributed much of his success to his mental preparation, both before and during a game. Rather than focusing on mechanics, he believed that … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Improving Self-Confidence With Mental Preparation Parents, it’s important to recognize that confidence is the Number One mental game skill that helps kids perform to their potential. And when young athletes learn how to build their confidence in sports, it can transfer to other areas of their lives. When athletes have … 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
How To Mentally Rehearse Using Visualization In the new video series “Sports Parents Success Tips,” Dr. Patrick Cohn answers your youth sports psychology and mental training questions that deal with sports parents and the mental game challenges their sports kids have. Visit Peaksports.com and click on contact us to submit … Read Sport Psychology Tip