{"id":5179,"date":"2019-04-05T16:53:09","date_gmt":"2019-04-05T16:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=5179"},"modified":"2025-07-10T05:40:24","modified_gmt":"2025-07-10T09:40:24","slug":"why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Young Athletes Avoid Mental Training"},"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\/2019\/04\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-5183\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training-1.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training-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=\"Athletes_Acceptance_of_Mental_Training\"><\/span>Athletes&#8217; Acceptance of Mental Training<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-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training\/#Athletes_Acceptance_of_Mental_Training\" >Athletes&#8217; Acceptance of Mental Training<\/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\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training\/#Here_are_quotes_from_some_of_the_greats\" >Here are quotes from some of the greats:<\/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\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training\/#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\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training\/#The_Composed_Sports_Kid\" >The Composed Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Often, young athletes don\u2019t understand the benefits of <strong>mental game<\/strong> training.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They say they\u2019re already mentally strong. Or they\u2019re afraid that they\u2019ll have to sit on a couch and reveal their innermost vulnerabilities. Mostly, they don\u2019t understand what <strong>mental game<\/strong> training is&#8211;or its benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help sports kids embrace the benefits, let them hear from the pros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The pros know: A strong <strong>mental game<\/strong> is key to succeeding in any sport.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Here_are_quotes_from_some_of_the_greats\"><\/span>Here are quotes from some of the greats:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Arnold Palmer said, <em>\u201cSuccess in golf depends less on strength of body than upon the strength of mind.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stephen Curry talked about how he treats pressure, turning anxiety into excitement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He said, <em>\u201cI\u2019ve never been afraid of big moments. I get butterflies &#8211; I get nervous and anxious, but I think those are all good signs that I&#8217;m ready for the moment.\u201d<\/em> That\u2019s an important mental game strength!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Lou Gehrig said, <em>\u201cThe ballplayer who loses his head, who can\u2019t keep his cool, is worse than no ballplayer at all.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Michael Jordan, one of the most focused athletes of all time, said, <em>\u201cI would tell players to relax and never think about what\u2019s at stake. Just think about the basketball game. If you start to think about who is going to win the championship, you\u2019ve lost your focus.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These quotes address important <strong>mental game<\/strong> skills: knowing how to make anxiety work to one\u2019s benefit; understanding the importance of staying composed; and knowing what to focus on when the stakes are high.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you help your young athletes understand the benefits of <strong>mental game<\/strong> training, they\u2019ll embrace the <strong>mental game<\/strong>, which can boost their confidence and improve performance consistency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One last quote from a sports great:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Daniel Crosby said, <em>\u201cDreams are so important. You need to have big goals and expect a lot of yourself, but you have to enjoy the ride too,\u201d <\/em>echoing the message that without enjoying the process, athletes won\u2019t succeed in the long term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re athletes don&#8217;t embrace <strong>mental game<\/strong> coaching, you might share a quote from one of their idols.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What athletes don&#8217;t understand, they don&#8217;t embrace. <strong>Mental game<\/strong> coaching is an important part of every athlete&#8217;s performance improvement program. And at the same time, your athlete learn life skills that can be applied beyond sports.<\/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-to-explain-mental-training-to-teens\/\"><strong>How to Explain Mental Training to Teens<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-sport-kids-embrace-mental-training\/\"><strong>Helping Young Athletes Embrace Mental Training<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/mental-training-programs-for-young-athletes\/\"><strong>Mental Training Programs For Young Athletes<\/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=\"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>\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Athletes&#8217; Acceptance of Mental Training Often, young athletes don\u2019t understand the benefits of mental game training. They say they\u2019re already mentally strong. Or they\u2019re afraid that they\u2019ll have to sit on a couch and reveal their innermost vulnerabilities. Mostly, they don\u2019t understand what mental game training is&#8211;or its benefits. To &#8230; <a title=\"Why Young Athletes Avoid Mental Training\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-young-athletes-avoid-mental-training\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Why Young Athletes Avoid Mental Training\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5184,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,7,6],"tags":[257],"class_list":["post-5179","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-for-sports-parents","category-sports-psychology-for-kids","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-mental-training"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5179","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=5179"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5179\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5179"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5179"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5179"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}