{"id":1265,"date":"2011-06-12T14:43:12","date_gmt":"2011-06-12T14:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=1265"},"modified":"2025-08-07T02:38:12","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T06:38:12","slug":"do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better\/","title":{"rendered":"Do Pre-Game Jitters Help Sports Kids Perform Better? [Podcast]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pre-Game_Butterflies_in_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>Pre-Game Butterflies in Youth Sports<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 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\/do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better\/#Pre-Game_Butterflies_in_Youth_Sports\" >Pre-Game Butterflies in Youth Sports<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better\/#Kids_worry_about_failing_because_of_the_pressure_and_feedback_they_get_from_adults_says_Russell\" >Kids worry about failing because of the pressure and feedback they get from adults, says Russell.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/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\/do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better\/#You_can_listen_to_part_of_the_interview_with_Twan_and_Lisa_here\" >You can listen to part of the interview with Twan and Lisa here:<\/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\/do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better\/#Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\" >Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better\/#Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\" >Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignleft is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/youth-sports-podcast-new.jpg\" alt=\"Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast\" class=\"wp-image-3780\" style=\"width:157px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/youth-sports-podcast-new.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/10\/youth-sports-podcast-new-150x150.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Pre-game butterflies are good for young athletes\u2026Pre-game fear is not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s the word from Twan Russell, a former Miami Dolphins&nbsp;player and current Director of Youth Programs for the Dolphins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWe tell kids, \u2018Be nervous.\u2019 That anticipation prepares your body for what you are going to do,\u201d Russell told us in a recent interview. \u201cIt\u2019s hard to believe the CEO of a Fortune 500 company wouldn\u2019t be nervous before his first day of work. That\u2019s the way we\u2019re made. We\u2019re nervous if we want to be successful,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fear before a game, on the other hand, is not such a good thing, he explains. Fear is often about the fear of failing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cIf you\u2019re worried about failing, you won\u2019t have a successful play because you\u2019re not letting your mind and body be free,\u201d says Russell. Kids shouldn\u2019t be afraid of taking chances to make a play work, he says. \u201cIf you look at the great players, every so often they do something they didn\u2019t learn during practice; they\u2019re not worried about failing, but about making the play. You sometimes just have to react,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key, as we\u2019ve said before here at Kids\u2019 Sports Psychology, is for kids to trust what they\u2019ve learned and feel free to act intuitively and take risks. That\u2019s what makes them learn and grow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kids_worry_about_failing_because_of_the_pressure_and_feedback_they_get_from_adults_says_Russell\"><\/span>Kids worry about failing because of the pressure and feedback they get from adults, says Russell.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe best coaches I had in the NFL said, &#8216;You learned a lot this week, let\u2019s go out and have fun.&nbsp; The nature of sports is you\u2019re going to make mistakes.&#8217; We tell kids, go out and have fun. Use your energy to motivate you and be strong and play hard.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents shouldn\u2019t be sideline coaches, Russell says. They need to help their kids make decisions for themselves. In fact, their most important role is to support the coach. And they should always begin a conversation about sports with a <strong>positive<\/strong> statement about their kids\u2019 performance, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Exclusive members of Kids\u2019 Sports Psychology can get additional tips from Russell by downloading our informative, advice-packed interview with him. To do that, listen to part of his interview here:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Interview with NFL Player Twan Russell<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"You_can_listen_to_part_of_the_interview_with_Twan_and_Lisa_here\"><\/span>You can listen to part of the interview with Twan and Lisa here:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Libsyn Player\" style=\"border: none\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/21565490\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/forward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/4188b5\/\" height=\"90\" width=\"100%\" scrolling=\"no\"  allowfullscreen webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen oallowfullscreen msallowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n<p>But&nbsp; that\u2019s not all that\u2019s available to exclusive members of Kids\u2019 Sports Psychology. We have loads of articles, videos, audio interviews, question-and-answers, plus e-books. Just a few examples:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Six Steps for Helping You Kick Fear of Failure and Perfectionism: A Workbook for Sport Kids<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Twelve Pre-Game Mental Strategies to Help Young Athletes Trust in Their Skills, an e-books for sports kids<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Confidence Video Tip 13: Pre-game Tips to Boost 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\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\"><\/span>Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<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-to-turn-pregame-jitters-into-a-positive\/\"><strong>How to Turn Pregame Jitters into a Positive<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/young-atheltes-pregame-jitters-podcast\/\"><strong>Young Athletes Who Suffer From Pregame Jitters Podcast<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-should-sports-parents-behave-before-a-game\/\"><strong>How Should Sports Parents Behave Before A Game?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\"><\/span><strong>Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright 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:138px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re 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>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<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","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pre-Game Butterflies in Youth Sports Pre-game butterflies are good for young athletes\u2026Pre-game fear is not. That\u2019s the word from Twan Russell, a former Miami Dolphins&nbsp;player and current Director of Youth Programs for the Dolphins. \u201cWe tell kids, \u2018Be nervous.\u2019 That anticipation prepares your body for what you are going to &#8230; <a title=\"Do Pre-Game Jitters Help Sports Kids Perform Better? [Podcast]\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/do-pre-game-jitters-help-sports-kids-perform-better\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Do Pre-Game Jitters Help Sports Kids Perform Better? [Podcast]\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3780,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31,15,6],"tags":[110,435,269,268],"class_list":["post-1265","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pregame-jitters","category-sports-parent-podcast","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-children-and-sports-psychology","tag-performane-anxiety-sports","tag-pregame-anxiety","tag-pregame-jitters"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1265","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=1265"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1265\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3780"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1265"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1265"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1265"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}