Pressure in Youth Sports

The Power of Empathy in Youth Sports 

Building Confidence in Athletes

Empathy is a powerful confidence builder on youth sports teams. That’s the word from Dr. Conor Hogan, author of “The Gym Upstairs: The Neuroscience of Future Champions,” and a coach who helps young athletes improve their mental and overall performance. A team’s empathy can help individual players cope with pressure, … Read Sport Psychology Tip

How Choking Hurts Athletes’ Performance 

How Choking Hurts Athletes’ Performance 

What is Choking? Some examples of chokers: Choking is under performing during pressure moments of a game or competition. The problem is not about kids’ ability to perform. It’s about performing under pressure. For chokers, pressure becomes overwhelming and interferes with performing in the moment. Just as problematic is kids … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Addressing Anxiety, Mistakes and Low Confidence in Youth Sports

Building Confidence in Athletes

Performance anxiety, mistakes and low confidence are some of the top challenges for girls who play volleyball–challenges that help them learn important lessons in life, said Leah Jantzen, a former Ironman and marathon runner who is now a mental health and performance coach at Ward Melville High School, Long Island. … Read Sport Psychology Tip

This Coach Trained a Blind 23-Year-Old in Karate

Building Confidence in Athletes

Karate is all about the mental game, says Master Rande Lawrence, head instructor at Lawrence World Class Karate in Fayetteville, N.Y.  He coaches Matthew Killian, a blind 23-year-old with autism spectrum disorder to use his strong mental game in karate. Killian won two gold medals at his first karate competition, … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Parents Should Show Sports Kids They Care About More than the Win

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

Sports parents need to show their young athletes that they care about more than the score and the win. That’s the word from Wayne LaMarre, clinical professor and director of the athletic training program at the University of New England. LaMarre is also on staff for the Women’s National Ice … Read Sport Psychology Tip