Finding Flow in Sports Brooks Elms, a youth sports coach and former Division 3 player for NYU, says that as a young athlete, he was very anxious and too focused on winning. He brings that background to his coaching, helping kids cope with butterflies and focus on what’s most important. In a recent interview, he described being a sports kid whose identity was wrapped up in being … [Read more...] about Tips for Helping Sports Kids Focus on What’s Important
Pressure in Youth Sports
Athletes Who Do Well in Practice, But Struggle During Games
Kids Who Fail to Perform Well in Competition A sports grandparent says, “I have a 10-year-old grandson who plays little league baseball. When he started playing at 8 years old he was very aggressive and very good at making contact with the baseball. The last two years his confidence has decreased…stepping out of the batter’s box instead of stepping toward the pitcher. At home and in … [Read more...] about Athletes Who Do Well in Practice, But Struggle During Games
Parents: Are Your Athletes Having Fun?
How to Keep Athletes in the Game A sports parent asks: “My son is a HS freshman with huge potential in football but is not wanting to pursue it, he says he does not feel ‘passionate’ about it, even after being told by a few retired coaches and refs that he could definitely get a scholarship. He's saying that he doesn't want to play football now and I think he is wasting huge potential. I … [Read more...] about Parents: Are Your Athletes Having Fun?
Parents: Do You Want Kids to Have Fun or Perform Well?
How to Focus on The Fun in Youth Sports A sports mom wrote: "My son is 8 years old and has been playing hockey since he was 4. He has been on the “travel” team for two years now... He loves to play but has absolutely no drive to win. I do not know how to change his mentality to understand that sports are not just for enjoyment but are also to be won, especially team sports." The parents of … [Read more...] about Parents: Do You Want Kids to Have Fun or Perform Well?
Parents, Have Your Kids Wanted to Quit Sports?
Why Do Young Athletes Want to Quit Sports? Why do young athletes want to quit sports? We'd love to hear from you... Often, athletes quit sports because of pressures from outside sources, be it parents, coaches, or teammates, but reasons vary. Here’s what some young athletes have told us: "My mom wont let me quit basketball even though I don't enjoy it anymore. She’s always yelling at me... I … [Read more...] about Parents, Have Your Kids Wanted to Quit Sports?
When Athletes Worry About What Friends Think
Do Your Athletes Have a Need to Impress Friends? A young athlete asks: "I’m a volleyball player on the same team for the third year in a row. We recently played another team which one of my best friends plays on, and I played great until she came in and everything went wrong. She had never seen me play and I made every possible mistake I could when usually I make very few. Is this … [Read more...] about When Athletes Worry About What Friends Think
How to Deal With World Cup Pressure Like The Pros
How to Help Sports Kids Overcome Pressure in Sports The further into the World Cup we go, the more exciting it gets. As any sports parent knows, when games get more exciting, the evil twin of excitement rears its head: pressure. The nerves of even the greatest athletes in the world are on fire during these games, just as they are for your sports children. The only difference between your … [Read more...] about How to Deal With World Cup Pressure Like The Pros
What to Do When Sports Kids Want to Quit
How to Help Sports Kids Feel Less Pressure What should you do if your young athlete wants to quit sports? Seventy-five percent of young athletes quit sports by the age of 16. The reasons vary, but most often, the child is no longer having fun. As sports parents, what can you do? You need to remember that if your sports children decide they want to quit a sport, there is very little you can … [Read more...] about What to Do When Sports Kids Want to Quit
How Parents Can Encourage Kids Without Pressure
How to Avoid Pressuring Young Athletes A sports parent asks: "When should children be encouraged to push through the hard times and when is it okay for them to just take a break?" At a certain point in your children’s athletic careers, all parents must ask themselves this question... If you push your children too hard, you risk taking the fun out of the game for them, possibly prompting them … [Read more...] about How Parents Can Encourage Kids Without Pressure
Why Sports Should be Fun for Young Kids
How Can Parents Help Athletes Have Fun? A sport parent asks: "My 5-yr-old niece is playing softball and right now she is experiencing issues of not wanting to bat with fear of getting out. It’s real bad and embarrassing, she keeps crying and having tantrums in the dugout. Also today after finally batting, she was on second and was forced out at third, she then had a tantrum right there on the on … [Read more...] about Why Sports Should be Fun for Young Kids