{"id":1680,"date":"2012-05-10T18:46:51","date_gmt":"2012-05-10T18:46:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=1680"},"modified":"2025-08-07T07:23:42","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T11:23:42","slug":"how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Motivate Talented Young Athletes Who are Early Bloomers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/boosting-confidence-in-the-face-of-little-playing-time-3.jpg\" alt=\"Youth Sports Psychology\" class=\"wp-image-3809\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/boosting-confidence-in-the-face-of-little-playing-time-3.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2011\/01\/boosting-confidence-in-the-face-of-little-playing-time-3-300x150.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=\"Sports_Kids_Who_Are_Their_Own_Worst_Enemy\"><\/span>Sports Kids Who Are Their Own Worst Enemy<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\/how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers\/#Sports_Kids_Who_Are_Their_Own_Worst_Enemy\" >Sports Kids Who Are Their Own Worst Enemy<\/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\/how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers\/#Why\" >Why?<\/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\/how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers\/#Sometimes_its_a_good_idea_to_let_these_kids_fail_when_they_refuse_to_work_on_new_skills%E2%80%A6\" >Sometimes, it\u2019s a good idea to let these kids fail when they refuse to work on new skills\u2026.<\/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\/how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers\/#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\/how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers\/#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\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\">Young athletes who develop early or who possess raw talent often are their own worst enemies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why\"><\/span>Why?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Things come too easy to them. They\u2019re so used to picking things up quickly that they often aren\u2019t open to working hard to learn.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cYou need to find ways to <strong>motivate<\/strong> and <strong>challenge<\/strong> these kids so things aren\u2019t so easy for them,\u201d<\/em> says Jake Kuritz, a coach, coach instructor, and former Division 1 athlete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, an athlete who is fast and can kick a ball far and <strong>accurately<\/strong> might not want to take the time to work on smaller and simpler tasks, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cOften, you see frustration or anger. They\u2019ll say, \u2018That\u2019s stupid. I don\u2019t need to learn that. I\u2019ll stick to what I know.\u2019 It\u2019s a <strong>comfort zone.\u2019\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this case, coaches and parents need to step in and be <strong>creative,<\/strong> says Kuritz. They need to push these kids out of their <strong>comfort zones.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Sometimes_its_a_good_idea_to_let_these_kids_fail_when_they_refuse_to_work_on_new_skills%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>Sometimes, it\u2019s a good idea to let these kids fail when they refuse to work on new skills\u2026.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cLet them fail in a controlled environment. Once they fail, let them know you are there for them and show them a better way to do things,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kuritz says that as an athlete, he refused to learn how to alternate and use two legs when running hurdles. But once he lost a championship race as a result of this attitude.<em> \u201cIt took me losing a championship race because I couldn\u2019t alternate,\u201d<\/em> he says. And that changed his attitude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to letting kids fail and then helping them learn the skills you\u2019re trying to teach them, parents and coaches can show young athletes the benefits of learning the skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s much more convincing than giving them a lecture or showing them a video, Kuritz says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, when <strong>teaching<\/strong> kids the value of alternating when running hurdles, Kuritz asks young athletes to run the hurdles their way (without alternating) and then his way\u2014alternating and using both legs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He times them both ways and then shows them which is more effective. <em>\u201cThe clock doesn\u2019t lie,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s critical to help talented or early blooming athletes learn new skills for a number of reasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ve found that talented athletes are often <strong>confident<\/strong> and really trust in their skills, which is generally a good thing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But they often don\u2019t want to work hard. And that can disrupt the team\u2019s work ethic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents and coaches need to show these kids that they have to do more than simply show up and put their innate talents to good use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Coaches and parents might even explain to kids that they\u2019re setting bad examples by resisting hard work. Remind them that they\u2019re more likely to <strong>succeed<\/strong> if the whole team is working hard.<\/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\" 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-motivate-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/\"><strong>How To Motivate Your Young Athletes Without Pressuring Them<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/addressing-anxiety-mistakes-and-low-confidence-in-youth-sports\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-friendly-competitions-helps-athletes\/\"><strong>How Friendly Competitions Helps Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/one-sports-parents-story-about-perfectionism-and-the-mental-game\/\"><strong>One Sports Parent\u2019s Story About Perfectionism and The Mental Game<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to<strong>\u00a0<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><\/strong>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a> <\/strong>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>Sports Kids Who Are Their Own Worst Enemy Young athletes who develop early or who possess raw talent often are their own worst enemies. Why? Things come too easy to them. They\u2019re so used to picking things up quickly that they often aren\u2019t open to working hard to learn. \u201cYou &#8230; <a title=\"How to Motivate Talented Young Athletes Who are Early Bloomers\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-motivate-talented-young-athletes-who-are-early-bloomers\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How to Motivate Talented Young Athletes Who are Early Bloomers\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3812,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[495,496,459,263,182,251],"class_list":["post-1680","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-motivate-sports-kids","tag-motivation-in-sports","tag-motivation-in-youth-sports","tag-sports-kids","tag-sports-parents","tag-youth-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1680","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=1680"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1680\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3812"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1680"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1680"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1680"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}