{"id":6863,"date":"2020-11-20T14:02:34","date_gmt":"2020-11-20T14:02:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?page_id=6863"},"modified":"2026-04-12T12:53:43","modified_gmt":"2026-04-12T16:53:43","slug":"mental-training-for-young-athletes","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-training-for-young-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Training for Young Athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><strong>Instill Confidence with Expert Mental Game Coaching<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"916\" height=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mental-training-for-young-athletes.jpg\" alt=\"Mental Performance Coaching for Young Athletes\" class=\"wp-image-6911\" style=\"width:229px;height:169px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mental-training-for-young-athletes.jpg 916w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mental-training-for-young-athletes-300x221.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/12\/mental-training-for-young-athletes-768x567.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 916px) 100vw, 916px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;re certain that, as a parent,&nbsp;you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life.&nbsp;And as a sports parent, you\u2019d love for your children to reach their potential in sports.&nbsp;But encouraging your child to <strong>strive for greatness without pressuring them<\/strong> can be a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s no secret that sports success is linked closely to an athlete&#8217;s <strong>mental toughness<\/strong>. If your young athletes struggle to perform well in competition, are frustrated with their performance, talk about quitting or display low confidence levels, mental game training can help.&nbsp;Both you and your young athlete can learn how to <strong>build mental toughness and improve performance<\/strong> with <strong>sports psychology<\/strong> coaching for kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>How Young Athletes Benefit from Mental Coaching<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To become mentally tough, young athletes need to learn how to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Build confidence<\/strong> that transfers easily from practice to competition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Define and manage the high expectations and beliefs that lead to <strong>frustration and discouragement<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Supercharge focus<\/strong> and confidence before competition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Let go and quickly <strong>move on from mistakes, losses and setbacks<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Manage distractions<\/strong> and negative self-talk to perform with laser-like focus.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Parents Learn from Working with a Mental Game Coach<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>To be an effective and influential sports parent, you\u2019ll learn to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Assess what you might be doing or saying to hurt your athlete\u2019s confidence<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Say and do the right thing to your athletes to <strong>boost their confidence<\/strong> before and after competition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Help your athletes thrive in sports with <strong>four key questions you should always ask<\/strong> after games.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Encourage your athlete to play their best <strong>without pressuring them<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Understand what is holding your athlete back from a relaxed and focused performance in competition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Apply <strong>mental toughness skills<\/strong> to boost performance, make lasting changes and help your child succeed in both sports and in life.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>One-on-one sports psychology coaching is the fastest and most effective method to improve your athletes&#8217; mental game, boost their performance and make lasting changes. And as a bonus, parents learn what to say to help young athletes feel confident and thrive in sports. Please call <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\">us<\/a> at 888-742-7225 with your questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Patrick<\/strong> J. Cohn, Ph.D, Mental Coach to Professional Athletes<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/patrick-cohn-mental-coach300.jpg\" alt=\"Mental Performance Coaching for Young Athletes\" class=\"wp-image-9275\" style=\"width:180px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/patrick-cohn-mental-coach300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/patrick-cohn-mental-coach300-237x300.jpg 237w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Dr. Patrick Cohn is a mental training expert at Peak Performance Sports. Dr. Cohn works with athletes and teams worldwide from a variety of sports backgrounds. As the president and founder of&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Peak Performance Sports<\/a>&nbsp;(Orlando, Florida), Dr. Patrick J. Cohn is dedicated to instilling confidence and composure, and teaching effective mental game skills to help athletes, teams and corporate professionals perform at maximum levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to working with athletes and teams, Dr. Cohn teaches parents, coaches and athletic trainers how to help athletes achieve peak performance through mental game skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>About Jaclyn<\/strong> Ellis, M.S., MGCP, Mental Coach to HS and College Athletes<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/mental-performance-coach-ellis.jpg\" alt=\"Mental Performance Coaching for Young Athletes\" class=\"wp-image-9278\" style=\"width:180px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/mental-performance-coach-ellis.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/mental-performance-coach-ellis-237x300.jpg 237w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Jaclyn Ellis, M.S., MGCP, is a&nbsp;<strong>mental performance coach<\/strong>&nbsp;for Peak Performance Sports. She earned a Master\u2019s degree from Illinois State University. Her passion is working&nbsp;with athletes, coaches and parents to enhance both performance and enjoyment of sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She has a background in competitive sports including soccer, volleyball and tennis. She also performed in advanced show choirs for many years. Additionally, she was a competitive youth head soccer coach in Bloomington, IL.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>She has provided&nbsp;<strong>mental performance coaching<\/strong>&nbsp;to youth and elite athletes in various sports. Jaclyn has experience using cognitive programs like NeuroTracker and Eye Matrix to improve an athlete\u2019s eye-tracking movements and cognitive functioning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About Lane Schwartz, M.S., MGCP<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"380\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mental-performance-coach-near-me.jpg\" alt=\"Mental Performance Coaching for Kids\" class=\"wp-image-13074\" style=\"width:180px\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mental-performance-coach-near-me.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/mental-performance-coach-near-me-237x300.jpg 237w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Lane Schwarz is a mental performance coach with a <strong>Master of Science in Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology<\/strong> from Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he carried a perfect 4.0 GPA. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in Allied Health Science from Luther College, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude with a 3.88 GPA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lane is working toward earning his <strong>Certified Mental Performance Coach (CMPC)<\/strong> designation through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and is completing the <strong>Mental Game Coaching Professional (MGCP) certification<\/strong>, trained directly by Dr. Patrick Cohn of Peak Performance Sports, LLC. Learn more about <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-psychology.com\/virtual-sessions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual session with a mental performance coach.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-about-carolyne-lawley-m-s-mgcp\">About Carolyne Lawley, M.S., MGCP<\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.sportspsychologytennis.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/mental-performance-coach-carolyne-lg-222x300-1.jpg\" alt=\"Mental Performance Coaching for Kids and Teens\" class=\"wp-image-15616\" style=\"width:180px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Carolyne is a&nbsp;<strong>mental performance coach<\/strong>&nbsp;for Peak Performance Sports. She earned a Master\u2019s degree in Sport and Exercise Psychology from the University of North Texas. She played collegiate basketball and was also a competitive track and field athlete in high school. Following college, she continued her athletic career by playing two years of professional basketball in Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Carolyne has coached basketball and track at both the youth and high school levels. She is currently completing the requirements to become a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through AASP. She is a certified Mental Game Coaching Professional (MGCP) with Peak Performance Sports, LLC. Coach Carolyne has provided mental performance coaching to collegiate athletes. Learn more about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.sports-psychology.com\/virtual-sessions\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">virtual session with a mental performance coach.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Our Coaching Programs Include:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Young Athlete\u2019s Mental Aptitude Assessment (YAMAP)<\/strong><br>Our assessment specifically for young athletes will help identify what mental game barriers are hurting their performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Parent Assessment<br><\/strong>Our parent assessment is used to determine how you can best support your young athlete.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pre-game and Post-game Checklists<br><\/strong>These checklists help parents know what to say and do before, after and during a competition.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&nbsp;Personalized Mental Game Plan<br><\/strong>Your athlete will be given a custom game plan based on their specific challenges. The mental game plan will act as a road-map for their mental training sessions. The mental game plan will outline exactly what mental strategies will help their performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>&nbsp;Weekly Coaching Sessions<br><\/strong>Four, 45-minute coaching sessions conducted via Zoom, FaceTime, Skype, in person or over the phone. Each session is designed to teach your athlete how to apply mental strategies for practice and games. They will work directly with one of our coaches and learn how to improve their mindset and performance.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Unlimited email correspondence with our staff<\/strong><br>You are welcome to email our staff with any and all questions you have during the course of your athlete\u2019s mental training program.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Our Exclusive <em>Mental Edge <\/em>Workbooks<\/strong><br>You and your athlete will receive our exclusive workbooks that will allow you to review and apply mental game strategies between sessions.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/mental-training-for-young-athletes.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6868\" style=\"width:100px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>You can get expert mental coaching with us from anywhere. Meet with us via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or phone call. With today\u2019s video technology, we are able to connect with athletes and coaches all over the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">**Complimentary 15-Minute Coaching Session**<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Call Us Today to Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Session.<\/strong><br><strong>Find Out How Your Athlete Can Benefit From One-on-One Mental Coaching!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\">888-742-7225 | 407-909-1700<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Contact Peak Performance Sports Today<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Please contact us today to learn more about individual mental coaching programs for serious young athletes on a mission to greatness. Complete the webform to contact us via email or call us toll-free:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Enter your name, email, sport and role below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"AW-Form-567792982\"><\/div>\n<script type=\"text\/javascript\">(function(d, s, id) {\n    var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];\n    if (d.getElementById(id)) return;\n    js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id;\n    js.src = \"\/\/forms.aweber.com\/form\/82\/567792982.js\";\n    fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs);\n    }(document, \"script\", \"aweber-wjs-g44bm5c9f\"));\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What Sports Parents Say About our Coaching<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;Ashley wanted me to let you know that she placed very well at her competition this past weekend, thanks to you! She won the short, won the long, and had her personal best. She now looks at her competitions like ice shows and has fun. It is really nice to see her thoroughly enjoying the skate. She is very focused and very confident. We definitely attribute this to you.&#8221;*<\/em><br><strong>~Brenda Glassco, Skating Parent<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>&#8220;I want to thank you for the great work you are doing with Ty. He seems to be soaring with confidence right now. We are flying out to see him pitch next weekend. He threw well Friday night and is drawing a lot of interest from several Division 1 schools.&#8221;*<\/em><br><strong>~Randy Sullivan, Baseball Parent<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cMichelle had the best weekend of soccer she has ever played. She was relaxed, did not get frustrated with herself or teammates, and never once &#8216;shut down.&#8217; Numerous parents noticed a difference in her composure and attitude. Thanks again for EVERYTHING&#8230; Michelle is in a very good place right now!\u201d*<\/em><br><strong>~Diana, Michelle\u2019s Mother<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Disclaimer<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>*Testimonials found on this site are examples of what we have done for other clients, and what some of our clients have said about us. However, we cannot guarantee the results in any case. Your results may vary and every situation is different. No compensation was provided for these testimonials.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Instill Confidence with Expert Mental Game Coaching We&#8217;re certain that, as a parent,&nbsp;you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life.&nbsp;And as a sports parent, you\u2019d love for your children to reach their potential in sports.&nbsp;But encouraging your child to strive for greatness without pressuring &#8230; <a title=\"Mental Training for Young Athletes\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-training-for-young-athletes\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Mental Training for Young Athletes\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-6863","page","type-page","status-publish"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6863","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6863"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13083,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/6863\/revisions\/13083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}