Youth sports psychology articles and tips for sports parents, young athletes, and youth coaches to improve mental performance and consistency.
Build Confidence by Teaching Discipline and Self-Respect For Sabrina Yavil, a sports parent to three active boys, a big challenge was finding ways to get the kids to clean up after games and practices. “After sports, they would come home tired and dirty and they just wanted to veg out. … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Should young athletes quit or recommit to youth sports? That’s a question that Andrew Simpson and his associates ask young athletes who may be approaching burnout. Simpson, chief vision officer, Player’s Fitness and Performance, helped create a training program for these athletes. The program looks at ways to help athletes recognize … 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
Have a Calm Mindset to Reach Peak Performance Overthinking can cloud kids’ judgment and send too many signals to their bodies at one time. Philadelphia 76ers star Ben Simmons, after the 108-103 Game 2 loss to the Boston Celtics, tweeted about his “overthinking” during the game. He committed five turnovers, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Kids and teens say they lack connections with adults in their schools, says Paul Caccamo, CEO and founder, Up2Us, a coach training program. Youth coaches can fill in the gap and build resilience, improved focus and self-esteem in young athletes, he says. To meet that goal, Up2Us partners with schools … Read Sport Psychology Tip
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