{"id":11148,"date":"2024-08-08T08:41:52","date_gmt":"2024-08-08T12:41:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=11148"},"modified":"2026-01-29T09:50:20","modified_gmt":"2026-01-29T14:50:20","slug":"kids-fear-of-mental-coaching","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/kids-fear-of-mental-coaching\/","title":{"rendered":"Kids Fear of Mental Coaching"},"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\/08\/fear-of-mental-coaching.jpg\" alt=\"Kids Fear of Mental Coaching\" class=\"wp-image-11149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/fear-of-mental-coaching.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/fear-of-mental-coaching-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_to_do_if_Your_Kids_Fear_Mental_Performance_Coaching\"><\/span>What to do if Your Kids Fear Mental Performance Coaching<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\/kids-fear-of-mental-coaching\/#What_to_do_if_Your_Kids_Fear_Mental_Performance_Coaching\" >What to do if Your Kids Fear Mental Performance Coaching<\/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\/kids-fear-of-mental-coaching\/#Mental_coaching_helps_athletes_and_parents_with_these_challenges\" >Mental coaching helps athletes and parents with these challenges.<\/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\/kids-fear-of-mental-coaching\/#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\/kids-fear-of-mental-coaching\/#Instill_Confidence_and_Success_in_Young_Athletes\" >Instill Confidence and Success in Young Athletes<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Young athletes fear doing mental game coaching because they don\u2019t understand what it involves&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Based on our survey with sports parents, we know kids fear what they do not understand&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young athletes think <strong>mental coaching<\/strong> is therapy for problem kids. They assume it&#8217;s only because something is wrong with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But this is not the case&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You\u00a0can help young athletes understand <strong>what mental training is.<\/strong>.. To do this, parents need to learn about its benefits and educate their children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, young athletes need to understand the benefits of <strong>mental performance coaching<\/strong> in sports and other areas of their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As mental performance coaches, we teach mental skills to athletes&#8211;we are not doing therapy. Athletes learn how to focus, trust in their training, manage expectations and become more proactive about improving confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the main signs that athletes need <strong>mental performance coaching<\/strong> is when they have trouble transferring skills from practice to games. In other works,, they under perform in competition.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During practice, some athletes perform very well. But fall apart in games because they start worrying about failing and about how coaches, parents and peers might judge their performance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mental_coaching_helps_athletes_and_parents_with_these_challenges\"><\/span><strong>Mental coaching <\/strong>helps athletes and parents with these challenges.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>During competition, athletes can also struggle with high expectations and fragile confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Mental performance coaching <\/strong>helps kids who are struggling with pressure, which can make them more likely to drop out of sports. It can help them enjoy sports more as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help kids embrace mental game training, parents can begin by talking with them about role models\u2013professional athletes\u2013who benefit from mental training. Examples include Iga Swiatek, Olympic Athletes, and Roger Federer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We help athletes transfer their skills from practice to competition and improve consistency. Your&nbsp;athletes&nbsp;can meet in person or via Zoom with a mental game coach once a week.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We begin with a mental game assessment\u2013a series of questions. Athletes will do mental game exercises during the week, perhaps a workbook, before meeting their mental performance coach again. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please note that <strong>mental coaching<\/strong> is not about keeping kids in sports&#8211;it&#8217;s too late at this point. If they want to quit for reasons other than the pressure they feel, mental training is not appropriate.<\/p>\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\/how-sports-kids-emotions-affect-teammates\/\"><strong>The Mental Game Challenges of Injuries in Youth Sports<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-link-between-sports-kids-mental-game-and-mental-health\/\"><strong>The Link Between Sports Kids\u2019 Mental Game and Mental Health<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-explain-mental-training-to-teens\/\"><strong>How to Explain Mental Training to Teens<\/strong><\/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=\"Instill_Confidence_and_Success_in_Young_Athletes\"><\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-kids\/\" title=\"Instill Confidence and Success in Young Athletes\">Instill Confidence and Success in Young Athletes<\/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\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/teen-sports-psychology.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"640\" height=\"427\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/teen-sports-psychology.jpg\" alt=\"Teen Sports Psychology\" class=\"wp-image-9326\" style=\"width:185px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/teen-sports-psychology.jpg 640w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/teen-sports-psychology-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re certain that, as a parents,&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&nbsp;<strong>strive for greatness without pressuring them<\/strong>&nbsp;can be a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s no secret that sports success is linked closely to an athlete\u2019s&nbsp;<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&nbsp;<strong>build mental toughness and improve performance<\/strong>&nbsp;with&nbsp;<strong>sports psychology<\/strong>&nbsp;coaching for kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Learn more about one-on-one virtual mental performance coaching for young athletes:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-a31e04c5\">\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-499968f5 wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button has-custom-width wp-block-button__width-25\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-medium-font-size has-text-align-center has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-kids\/#\" style=\"border-radius:9px\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">GET COACHING<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div style=\"height:50px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What to do if Your Kids Fear Mental Performance Coaching Young athletes fear doing mental game coaching because they don\u2019t understand what it involves&#8230; Based on our survey with sports parents, we know kids fear what they do not understand&#8230; Young athletes think mental coaching is therapy for problem kids. &#8230; <a title=\"Kids Fear of Mental Coaching\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/kids-fear-of-mental-coaching\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Kids Fear of Mental Coaching\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[39,203],"class_list":["post-11148","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-kids-sports-psychology","tag-mental-coaching"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11148","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=11148"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11148\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11148"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11148"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11148"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}