{"id":5081,"date":"2018-12-17T15:11:53","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T15:11:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=5081"},"modified":"2025-07-10T06:01:59","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T10:01:59","slug":"sports-kids-performance-and-concistency","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-kids-performance-and-concistency\/","title":{"rendered":"Sports Kids&#8217; Performance and Consistency"},"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\/2017\/12\/should-sports-kids-expect-to-perform-without-mistakes-1.jpg\" alt=\"Coping With Mistakes\" class=\"wp-image-4803\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/should-sports-kids-expect-to-perform-without-mistakes-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/12\/should-sports-kids-expect-to-perform-without-mistakes-1-300x150.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=\"Pregame_Routines_for_Young_Athletes\"><\/span>Pregame Routines for Young Athletes<br><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\/sports-kids-performance-and-concistency\/#Pregame_Routines_for_Young_Athletes\" >Pregame Routines for Young Athletes<\/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\/sports-kids-performance-and-concistency\/#A_pregame_routine_might_begin_for_example_with_these_five_steps\" >A pregame routine might begin, for example, with these five steps:<\/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\/sports-kids-performance-and-concistency\/#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-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-kids-performance-and-concistency\/#The_Composed_Sports_Kid\" >The Composed Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p><strong>A sports parent asks:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p><em>&#8220;My almost 13-year-old daughter is very talented, but her head gets in the way. She is a starter at striker. She has amazing games one day and the next she&#8217;s a different player, she&#8217;s inconsistent. What going one and how can we help her?&#8221;<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>There are many reasons young athletes may not be <strong>consistent<\/strong> performers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These reasons include feeling <strong>intimidated<\/strong> by the competition or not having a <strong>consistent<\/strong> <strong>pregame<\/strong> <strong>routine<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by asking your athletes what they are thinking about regarding the competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Often, your sports kids will perceive the competition as bigger or better than they really are, or will <strong>focus<\/strong> on the competition\u2019s strengths instead of on their own games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your task as parents is to help kids think about their own strengths&#8211;not on the strengths of those they\u2019re playing against!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remind your sports kids to <strong>focus<\/strong> on what they can do to help the team, whether it\u2019s being great team players or strong on defense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Another solution is to work with your young athletes on creating <strong>pregame<\/strong> <strong>mental<\/strong> <strong>preparation<\/strong> <strong>routines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Consistent mental and physical pregame prep leads to consistent performance&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s possible that your sports kids are approaching each game differently, which will lead to different <strong>mindsets<\/strong> and different results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_pregame_routine_might_begin_for_example_with_these_five_steps\"><\/span>A pregame routine might begin, for example, with these five steps: <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Kids should <strong>let go of distractions<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Review the reasons to feel <strong>confident<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Overcome<\/strong> <strong>doubts<\/strong> that creep into their minds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Establish<\/strong> a <strong>game<\/strong> <strong>plan<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Visualize<\/strong> what they need to do during competition.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep in mind that your kids are human and have lots going on in their lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Don&#8217;t expect them to perform at their best every game!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even the pros have bad performances. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It&#8217;s unrealistic to expect your athletes to perform at their peak every game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Injuries, school life and home alike can affect how kids perform in games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about <strong>pregame<\/strong> <strong>mental<\/strong> <strong>preparation<\/strong>, check out our &#8220;10-Minute Pregame Prep&#8221; program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Just 10 minutes a day will help your kids learn how to <strong>prepare<\/strong> <strong>mentally<\/strong> for games. Learn more today:<\/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\/how-young-athletes-can-use-mental-imagery-to-boost-performance\/\"><strong>How Young Athletes Can Use Mental Imagery to Boost Performance<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/when-should-young-athletes-start-mental-training-and-why\/\"><strong>When Should Young Athletes Start Mental Training and Why?<\/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<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=\"The_Composed_Sports_Kid\"><\/span>The Composed Sports Kid<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/composed-sports-kid-small-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Composed Sports Kid\" class=\"wp-image-11173\" style=\"width:170px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Composed Sports Kid&#8221; audio&nbsp;and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The Composed Sports Kid system<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;is really two programs in one\u2013one program to train parents and coaches how to help their kids practice composure, and one program that teaches young athletes\u2013<em>ages 6 to 13<\/em>\u2013how to improve composure, let go of mistakes quickly, have more self-acceptance,&nbsp;<strong>and thus enjoy sports more<\/strong>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-26bcd9b3\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-903b6244 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-3275f4fd gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/confident-sports-kid-series-digital-version\/products\/the-confident-sports-kid-bundle-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pregame Routines for Young Athletes A sports parent asks: &#8220;My almost 13-year-old daughter is very talented, but her head gets in the way. She is a starter at striker. She has amazing games one day and the next she&#8217;s a different player, she&#8217;s inconsistent. What going one and how can &#8230; <a title=\"Sports Kids&#8217; Performance and Consistency\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-kids-performance-and-concistency\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Sports Kids&#8217; Performance and Consistency\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,13,17,6],"tags":[636,303,304],"class_list":["post-5081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kids-in-sports","category-mental-training","category-sports-parenting","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-consistency-in-youth-sports","tag-mental-preparation-for-sports-kids","tag-pregame-routine-for-sports-kids"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5081","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=5081"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5081\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5081"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5081"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5081"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}