{"id":196,"date":"2009-08-05T22:46:26","date_gmt":"2009-08-05T22:46:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=196"},"modified":"2025-08-08T01:54:53","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T05:54:53","slug":"how-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/","title":{"rendered":"How Maturity Levels can Dictate Sports Kids\u2019 Confidence"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"aligncenter size-full wp-image-3436\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/good-stress-and-bad-stress-for-youth-sports-kids.jpg\" alt=\"Youth Sports Psychology\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/good-stress-and-bad-stress-for-youth-sports-kids.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/good-stress-and-bad-stress-for-youth-sports-kids-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=\"Young_Athlete_Maturity_Levels_And_Confidence\"><\/span>Young Athlete Maturity Levels And Confidence<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\/how-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/#Young_Athlete_Maturity_Levels_And_Confidence\" >Young Athlete Maturity Levels And Confidence<\/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\/how-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/#He_has_made_two_observations_which_are_related\" >He has made two observations, which are related.<\/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\/how-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/#Group_kids_by_maturity_level_not_by_age\" >Group kids by maturity level, not by age.<\/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-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/#To_ensure_your_kids_have_fun_you_should\" >To ensure your kids have fun, you should:<\/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-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/#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-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/#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>Should kids be grouped by maturity level?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And will it help them have more fun or feel more <strong>confident<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Dr. Gary Brazina knows what he\u2019s talking about when he says some young athletes struggle with <strong>confidence<\/strong> because of maturity differences. He\u2019s a sports dad, an orthopedic surgeon in LA who is team physician to the LA Heat and a second opinion physician to the NFL Players Association.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"He_has_made_two_observations_which_are_related\"><\/span>He has made two observations, which are related.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Number One:<\/strong> We need to helps kids have more <strong>fun<\/strong> in sports, he says. Here at the Ultimate Sports Parent and Kids\u2019 Sports Psychology, we agree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Number Two:<\/strong> Kids should be grouped by maturity level, not by age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why are Brazina\u2019s two observations about youth sports related? When kids play against same-age peers who are bigger, stronger and more mature, it\u2019s not always a lot of fun. And that creates <strong>mental game challenges<\/strong>. Read on to learn more&#8230;.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cIn the adolescent athlete, you may have a 13-year-old who is shaving competing against a kid who has not gone through puberty,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The young athlete who matured faster often has advantages. He\u2019s \u201cpre-selected\u201d and often gets more attention and coaching.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He cites Malcolm Gladwell\u2019s book, <em>\u201cOutliers: The Story of Success,\u201d<\/em> which says that professional hockey teams\u2019 best players had birthdays around the same time of year. They were the ones who were older than the other kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe larger, more mature players were naturally more coached and did better at a younger age, and the kids only 10 months younger did not get the same treatment and grew later and did not become professional athletes,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The problem, Dr. Brazina adds:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cWe are pre-selecting these athletes so early that the kids who may mature later do not get the experience and coaching just because of their delayed maturity level.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, this does not help kids grow <strong>confidence\u2014to<\/strong> see others get more attention or resources because of their size and weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The more mature kids get pre-selected when there\u2019s too much <strong>focus<\/strong> on the score, Dr. Brazina says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cThe <strong>focus<\/strong> shouldn\u2019t be on winning, but on how to pitch, skate, and dribble \u2013 as opposed to who scored the most goals. Some kids may not mature until later and be eliminated by competition,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>His solution:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Group_kids_by_maturity_level_not_by_age\"><\/span>Group kids by maturity level, not by age.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p><em>\u201cI would also have a lot more JV teams where everyone can participate,\u201d<\/em> says Dr. Brazina. <em>\u201cAlso, require that every kid has to play the same amount of time in every game. Until they are at that level where competition is more intense, keep it fun.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As we mention above, we agree that having fun is critical to ensuring kids benefit from sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"To_ensure_your_kids_have_fun_you_should\"><\/span>To ensure your kids have fun, you should:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Focus<\/strong> on the process, rather than the score. Help kids focus on the next shot or play, rather than on the scoreboard.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find something positive to say about every game. Avoid picking apart every mistake kids make or over-analyzing your kids\u2019 games or performances.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Be sure to cheer for other young athletes\u2014not just your own.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Just before a game, tell your young athletes to have fun. Don\u2019t tell them to score 15 points or nab 13 rebounds. This can create expectations that might undermine their <strong>confidence.<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>And here\u2019s one more from Dr. Brazina:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When your kids are hurt, don\u2019t insist that they play! He says one of his patients\u2019 parents wanted him to take off a cast so their 12-year-old son could pitch in the championship game!<\/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\/teaching-sports-kids-pregame-plans\/\"><strong>Teaching Sports Kids Pregame Plans<\/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\/\"><strong>Addressing Anxiety, Mistakes and Low Confidence in Youth Sports<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-can-sports-kids-get-to-the-next-level\/\"><strong>How Can Sports Kids Get to the Next Level?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on 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>Young Athlete Maturity Levels And Confidence Should kids be grouped by maturity level? And will it help them have more fun or feel more confident? Dr. Gary Brazina knows what he\u2019s talking about when he says some young athletes struggle with confidence because of maturity differences. He\u2019s a sports dad, &#8230; <a title=\"How Maturity Levels can Dictate Sports Kids\u2019 Confidence\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-maturity-levels-can-dictate-sports-kids-confidence\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How Maturity Levels can Dictate Sports Kids\u2019 Confidence\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3445,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[26,5,7,6,12],"tags":[401,400,254,402],"class_list":["post-196","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-confidence-in-young-athletes","category-kids-in-sports","category-sports-psychology-for-kids","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","category-youth-sports-tips","tag-maturity-and-confidence-in-young-athletes","tag-maturity-and-sports-psychology","tag-sports-psychology-for-kids","tag-young-athletes-maturation","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196","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=196"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/196\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3445"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=196"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}