{"id":11112,"date":"2024-05-23T21:21:37","date_gmt":"2024-05-24T01:21:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=11112"},"modified":"2026-01-29T11:01:06","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T16:01:06","slug":"mental-toughness-in-young-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-toughness-in-young-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Mental Toughness for Young Athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mental-toughness-in-athletes.jpg\" alt=\"Mental Toughness in Young Athletes\" class=\"wp-image-11113\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mental-toughness-in-athletes.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mental-toughness-in-athletes-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Does_it_Take_to_Perform_at_Peak_Level_in_Playoffs\"><\/span>What Does it Take to Perform at Peak Level in Playoffs?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-toughness-in-young-athletes\/#What_Does_it_Take_to_Perform_at_Peak_Level_in_Playoffs\" >What Does it Take to Perform at Peak Level in Playoffs?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-toughness-in-young-athletes\/#Mental_Toughness_and_Performance\" >Mental Toughness and Performance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-toughness-in-young-athletes\/#Related_Youth_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Youth Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-toughness-in-young-athletes\/#10-Minute_Pre-Game_Prep_Digital_Download\" >10-Minute Pre-Game Prep (Digital Download)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>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 championship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Elite athletes can regulate the pressure, while other players have difficulty controlling how they experience pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Four factors for <strong>mental toughness in young athletes<\/strong> players perform at their peak during the playoffs. These four interrelated factors help sports kids regulate pressure so they can perform their best given the circumstances:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Mindset <\/strong>\u2013 Kids should not make the game too big or try to be playoff heroes. The key for young athletes is to understand and carry out their role to the best of their abilities.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Focus <\/strong>\u2013 Young athletes should stay present and look for opportunities to make plays in the moment. Competing in the present minimizes worry about making mistakes or losing the game.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;<strong>Preparation <\/strong>\u2013 Kids need to prepare in the same manner as they have all year. They should try to normalize the game to prevent becoming overwhelmed by the moment.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>&nbsp;<strong>Confidence <\/strong>\u2013 While each of the three previous tops impact confidence, it\u2019s still essential for sports kids to ensure they feel confident. To achieve this, many elite athletes visualize previous successful performances or performing at their peak before a game to keep their confidence high.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p> These four mental strategies will help improve<strong> mental toughness in young athletes<\/strong>, they will minimize distractions and perform confidently in the playoffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the first five games of the 2024 NHL playoffs, New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad has consistently produced despite the pressure.<br>Zibanejad has 10 points in five games (three goals and one assist) and is tied for second in postseason scoring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mental_Toughness_and_Performance\"><\/span>Mental Toughness and Performance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Examining Zibanejad\u2019s mindset, you can understand why he has played at a high level during the playoffs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI go out there and try to do my best and do whatever I can in that situation. If things are not clicking offensively, I know I have other areas I can contribute,\u201d he said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI think in terms of the goals and the points for an offensive guy they will come, I\u2019ve been just trying to focus on doing the right things and when I have a chance to attack the game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not just how Zibanejad has played in the playoffs but how he prepares for each game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Ranger teammate Jack Roslovic points to Zibanejad\u2019s preparation as the key to his peak playoff performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not easy to score big points in the playoffs so for [Zibanejad] to do that at this time of the year is important,\u201d Roslovic said. \u201cYou see him in practice, his preparation; I don\u2019t think anyone should be surprised at what he\u2019s doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Kids achieve peak playoff<\/strong> results by attending to their mental game. They should train their mind to be on top of their game. This lays the foundation for peak play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Help sports kids create a mental playoff preparation plan for the days leading up to a game by answering the following questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>How will I tend to my mindset to positively contribute to my team?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can I be \u201clocked in\u201d during the game?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>How can I prepare over the following days to be mentally, physically, technically, and tactically ready to compete?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>What can I do each day to maintain a high level of confidence?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\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\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Youth_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Youth Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/what-is-mental-toughness-for-athletes\/\">What is Mental Toughness for Athletes?<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-athletes-play-higher-ranked-teams\/\">How to Play Higher-Ranked Teams<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-mental-game-challenges-of-injuries-in-youth-sports\/\">The Mental Game Challenges of Injuries in Youth Sports<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\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\" id=\"block-2af4b66a-7a25-46fc-b627-e07fc2853075\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"10-Minute_Pre-Game_Prep_Digital_Download\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/10-minute-pregame-prep-digital\" title=\"10-Minute Pre-Game Prep (Digital Download)\">10-Minute Pre-Game Prep (Digital Download)<\/a><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\" id=\"block-59efff1d-7aae-4218-86ef-46a87932eb50\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/pregame-prep-small.jpg\" alt=\"Pregame Mental Preparation for Young Athletes\" class=\"wp-image-11162\" style=\"width:170px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>&#8220;<strong>10-Minute Pregame Prep<\/strong>&#8221; teaches young athletes how to manage the expectations they feel, cope with pregame pressure, and take charge of their confidence before a game or competition\u2013in just 10 minutes a day! 8 ten-minute audio lessons included and 8 parent manuals on each lesson. Our most popular program for young athletes and their parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your kids learn many sport-specific examples of things kids should be concentrating on\u2014the thoughts, feelings, cues, or images to focus their best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The audio guides young athletes through eight short lessons that will help them boost their pregame mental preparation and success in sports. Your kids listen to the audio and then complete the exercises for each of the eight lessons.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-9d708389\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-91509cd3 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/10-minute-pregame-prep-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Does it Take to Perform at Peak Level in 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 championship. Elite &#8230; <a title=\"Mental Toughness for Young Athletes\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-toughness-in-young-athletes\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Mental Toughness for Young Athletes\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11114,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[346,39,387],"class_list":["post-11112","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-athlete-mental-toughness","tag-kids-sports-psychology","tag-mental-toughness-for-young-athletes"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11112","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"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=11112"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11112\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11114"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11112"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11112"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11112"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}