Youth Athletes Need to Understand Mental Coaching Young athletes often resistant mental performance coaching because they don’t understand what it is… We know that athletes often have the wrong impression of what mental coaching is. Athletes often think mental coaching is therapy. They assume it’s only because something is wrong with … Read Sport Psychology Tip
What does it take for kids to perform at their peak during playoffs? Pressure increases a notch in the playoffs. A loss during the regular season is just a loss, just one game. However, in the playoffs, one game may be the difference between going home or going to the … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Does a 30-point lead at half-time of a basketball game ensure victory? Will a 3-goal lead in a soccer match with 10 minutes remaining guarantee victory? Is it even possible that a golfer with a 5-stroke lead heading into the last two holes of a tournament can lose? There have … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Mentally Prepare to Compete Against Higher-Ranked Teams The main mental ingredient in upset victories is belief. By belief, we’re not just talking about pie-in-the-sky belief, but belief steeped in reality. The first step in understanding belief is to know the effect of a lack of belief. Young athletes who lack … 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 goodness that can come from participating in youth sports, but ensuring kids experience that goodness requires teams to establish team cultures based on clear expectations of players, parents and coaches. Team agreements and ethical coaching can help create the opportunity for sports kids to benefit from all … Read Sport Psychology Tip