{"id":1722,"date":"2012-08-16T13:51:40","date_gmt":"2012-08-16T13:51:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=1722"},"modified":"2025-08-07T07:18:23","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T11:18:23","slug":"why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Focusing Skills Are Critical for Young Athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3443\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/what-every-sports-parent-needs-to-improve-kids-confidence.jpg\" alt=\"Youth Sports Psychology\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/what-every-sports-parent-needs-to-improve-kids-confidence.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/what-every-sports-parent-needs-to-improve-kids-confidence-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Should_Sports_Kids_Focus_On\"><\/span>What Should Sports Kids Focus On?<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\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/#What_Should_Sports_Kids_Focus_On\" >What Should Sports Kids Focus On?<\/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\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/#Focusing_on_others_and_on_avoiding_mistakes_is_a_big_mental_game_no-no\" >Focusing on others and on avoiding mistakes is a big mental game no-no.<\/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\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/#Then_you_should_teach_them_the_three_Rs_of_refocusing\" >Then you should teach them the three R&#8217;s of refocusing:<\/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\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/#Focusing_on_performance_cues_is_key_here\" >Focusing on performance cues is key here.<\/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\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/#Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\" >Related Articles on Youth Sports:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/#Help_Your_Young_Athletes_Improve_Focus_In_Sports\" >Help Your Young Athletes Improve Focus In Sports!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>A sports mom tells us that coaches recognize her daughter, 13, who plays fast-pitch softball, could potentially be a Division 1 player.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But she\u2019s got a big challenge to overcome\u2014a <strong>mental game challenge<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the sports mom\u2019s words, this player <strong>gets too nervous<\/strong> on the field. As a result, she doesn\u2019t get a lot of playing time on her elite team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cMy daughter told me that she feels that she has to prove something every time she is on the field because they will not give her playing time if she screws up.&nbsp; This of course makes it 10 times worse so how do we get her to <strong>relax?\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The sports mom has identified the problem, but isn\u2019t sure how to tackle it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This player\u2019s challenges are her <strong>high expectations<\/strong> and her desire to <strong>show others she\u2019s good enough to play<\/strong> in the field. As her mom says, she <strong>focuses<\/strong> too much on <strong>impressing others<\/strong>, on making mistakes and on what others think of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Focusing_on_others_and_on_avoiding_mistakes_is_a_big_mental_game_no-no\"><\/span>Focusing on others and on avoiding mistakes is a big mental game no-no.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And at times, it may seem like there\u2019s not way out of the cycle:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The player <strong>focuses on making mistakes<\/strong> and on others, and, as a result, plays worse, then worries even more about making mistakes and <strong>what others think<\/strong> of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there is a solution, and it\u2019s found in mental game education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This player\u2014and the many young athletes like her\u2014need to <strong>learn how to focus on the things that will allow them to perform well<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Worries about what others think are huge distractions that kids need to banish from their minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of being distracted, kids need to learn how to become <strong>totally immersed in the process of playing<\/strong> or performing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In order to do that, kids need to learn how to first, <strong>identify what distracts them<\/strong>, and second, <strong>refocus<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You should work with your sports kids to identify the feelings, thoughts, worries, or events that distract them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Then_you_should_teach_them_the_three_Rs_of_refocusing\"><\/span>Then you should teach them the three R&#8217;s of refocusing:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>They need to <strong>recognize<\/strong> that they are off-task.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They need to <strong>regroup<\/strong> by banishing&nbsp;distractions from their minds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>They need to <strong>refocus<\/strong> by concentrating on the performance cues for their next play or shot.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Focusing_on_performance_cues_is_key_here\"><\/span>Focusing on performance cues is key here.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>These cues are objects, feelings, thoughts, targets, <strong>communication<\/strong> from team mates or <strong>cues<\/strong> from their surroundings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are important things that they need to <strong>focus<\/strong> on in order to <strong>successfully complete a task<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, before athletes pass the soccer ball, they might <strong>focus<\/strong> on getting a signal from a team-mate that she\u2019s open. Or, just before they shoot a soccer ball, they might concentrate on the corner of the soccer goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Such cues keep kids grounded in the present and <strong>focused<\/strong> on the process.<\/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_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>Related Articles on Youth Sports:<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\/the-role-of-mental-game-skills-for-sports-kids\/\"><strong>The Role of Mental Game Skills for Sports Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/when-sports-teaches-life-skills\/\"><strong>When Sports Teaches Life Skills \u2013 According to Abby Wambach<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/tips-for-helping-athletes-transfer-sports-skills-to-life\/\"><strong>Tips for Helping Athletes Transfer Sports Skills to Life<\/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-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Help_Your_Young_Athletes_Improve_Focus_In_Sports\"><\/span>Help Your Young Athletes Improve Focus In Sports!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/focused-sports-kid-small-7.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/focused-sports-kid-small-7.jpg\" alt=\"the Focused Sports Kid\" class=\"wp-image-11217\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Are your young athletes easily <strong>distracted<\/strong> by people shouting on the sidelines? Do they obsess over their <strong>mistakes<\/strong>? Do they <strong>worry<\/strong> about what people think of them?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These issues will cause their concentration and performance to suffer!<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-sports-kid-cd-program\/\">The Focused Sports Kid<\/a> helps kids overcome distractions that can hurt their performance in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-sports-kid-cd-program\/\">The Focused Sports Kid<\/a> program is actually two programs: one for sports parents\/coaches that provides mental game tips especially designed for parents and coaches, and for young athletes, ages 8 to 12, that will walk them through 7 simple lessons in mental focus in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-2050113d\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-030447a4 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-focused-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-af59ca3f gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-focused-sports-kid-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What Should Sports Kids Focus On? A sports mom tells us that coaches recognize her daughter, 13, who plays fast-pitch softball, could potentially be a Division 1 player. But she\u2019s got a big challenge to overcome\u2014a mental game challenge. In the sports mom\u2019s words, this player gets too nervous on &#8230; <a title=\"Why Focusing Skills Are Critical for Young Athletes\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-focusing-skills-are-critical-for-young-athletes\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Why Focusing Skills Are Critical for Young Athletes\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[454,451,117],"class_list":["post-1722","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-focus-for-young-athletes","tag-youth-athletes-confidence","tag-youth-sports-psychology","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1722","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=1722"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1722\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1722"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1722"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1722"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}