{"id":61,"date":"2008-08-21T23:06:39","date_gmt":"2008-08-21T23:06:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=61"},"modified":"2025-08-11T04:40:41","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T08:40:41","slug":"how-to-motivate-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-motivate-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Motivate Your Young Athletes Without Pressuring Them"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization.jpg\" alt=\"The Power of Pregame Visualization\" class=\"wp-image-9060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Kids_Motivation_in_Sports\"><\/span>Kids&#8217; Motivation&nbsp;in Sports<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-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/#Kids_Motivation_in_Sports\" >Kids&#8217; Motivation&nbsp;in Sports<\/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-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/#How_do_you_get_them_excited_about_playing_sports\" >How do you get them excited about playing sports?<\/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-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/#Other_kids_play_sports_to_socialize\" >Other kids play sports to socialize.<\/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-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/#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-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-motivate-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/#Help_Young_Athletes_Boost_Confidence_in_Sports\" >Help Young Athletes Boost Confidence in Sports!<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Your sports kids may show a fair amount of talent, but are seemingly not interested in meeting their potential. Many sports parents want to know how to <strong>motivate<\/strong> their kids, yet not pressure them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You&#8217;re unsure how much time you should spend reminding your kids that they need to attend practice. You feel like you&#8217;re nagging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What&#8217;s the answer?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_do_you_get_them_excited_about_playing_sports\"><\/span>How do you get them excited about playing sports?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>How do you <strong>motivate<\/strong> talented kids who feel as if their coaches don&#8217;t appreciate what they have to contribute?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>These are all great questions&#8211;and ones we receive often from sports parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Parents should be concerned about their kids&#8217; <strong>motivation<\/strong> in sports. <strong>Motivation<\/strong> is one of the keys to <strong>success<\/strong> in any endeavor. Athletes can have all the physical talent in the world, but if they can&#8217;t act on it with enthusiasm, commitment and dedication, they won&#8217;t realize their <strong>full potential<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can learn how to improve your sports kids&#8217; <strong>motivation<\/strong>&#8211;without burdening them with <strong>pressure<\/strong> or high expectations! Sound impossible? Read on!<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We&#8217;ve just completed a brand new e-book, &#8220;<strong>How to Motivate Young Athletes<\/strong>,&#8221; that tells you just how to do this. More on that later&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>First of all, you may not know what <strong>motivation <\/strong>looks like in a young athlete. These sports kids love to practice and compete. They get a kick out of working on their weaknesses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Motivated kids<\/strong> get fired up about competition and expect a lot from themselves. They&#8217;re <strong>dedicated, committed<\/strong> and want to compete. What&#8217;s more, when things get tough, they keep on trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our top tips for raising <strong>motivated athletes<\/strong> are all about understanding why kids play sports to begin with&#8211;and finding the right sports team that meets these desires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, some kids are natural competitors. You need to ensure they are in a situation that allows them to compete. These kids will get bored if all they do is drills and work on technique.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Other_kids_play_sports_to_socialize\"><\/span>Other kids play sports to socialize.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>They need to have fun with their friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some kids simply love to learn. They need coaches who are focused on helping them improve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Other athletes enjoy the feeling of &#8220;flow&#8221; they get while playing sports. They like the sense of being totally immersed and &#8220;on.&#8221; Coaches who challenge kids and help them achieve their potential will allow these athletes to find that feeling of &#8220;flow.&#8221;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Our new ebook covers these tips&#8211;and many more. You have to be a member of Kids Sports Psychology to get our new e-book.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you join kidssportspsychology.com, not only will you receive our new e-book about how to motivate young athletes, you&#8217;ll have access to many others, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Ten Ways of Thinking That Hurt Kids&#8217; Confidence<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Teaching Athletes to Get in the Flow of Sports<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">How Young Athletes Can Think and Perform Like Pros by Using &#8220;Get Ready&#8221; Routines<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Mental Imagery: Using Your Imagination in Your &#8220;Get Ready&#8221; Routine<\/div>\n<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\n<div style=\"padding-left: 30px;\">Focus to The Max! How to Focus in Ways that Get You &#8220;In the Zone&#8221; and Improve Your Performance<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Again, to learn more about our Kids&#8217; Sports Psychology e-books written specifically for young athletes visit: Kids Sports Psychology Age-Specific E-books<\/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\/help-young-athletes-turn-criticism-into-motivation\/\"><strong>Help Young Athletes Turn Criticism into Motivation<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/motivational-phrases-during-warmup-help-young-athletes\/\"><strong>Motivational Phrases During Warmup Help Young Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/sports-parents-motivation-or-pressure\/\"><strong>Sports Parents: Motivation or Pressure<\/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_Young_Athletes_Boost_Confidence_in_Sports\"><\/span>Help Young Athletes Boost Confidence in Sports!<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ultimate-sports-parent-small.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/ultimate-sports-parent-small.jpg\" alt=\"The Ultimate Sports Parent\" class=\"wp-image-11157\" style=\"width:167px;height:auto\"\/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Every day, we receive letters from parents like you who want their children and teens to excel in sports. However, these parents can <strong>see fear, doubt, and frustration on the faces of their kids<\/strong> who struggle with the \u201cinner\u201d game of sports. But these parents have no idea how to help their kids <strong>overcome the worries, expectations and self-defeating thoughts<\/strong> that prevent their young athletes from feeling confident and successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can benefit from our 1<strong>5-plus years\u2019 of work in sports psychology and sports parenting research<\/strong>. Now, you can <strong>tap into our secrets to sports success<\/strong> through a cutting-edge, 14-day program that helps young athletes overcome the top \u201cmental game\u201d challenges that sports parents face\u2014and the top <strong>challenges young athletes face<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-fbab03ed\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-fa7bf2e7 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/ultimate-sports-parent-workbook-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-33bcee1d gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/products\/the-ultimate-sports-parent-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kids&#8217; Motivation&nbsp;in Sports Your sports kids may show a fair amount of talent, but are seemingly not interested in meeting their potential. Many sports parents want to know how to motivate their kids, yet not pressure them. You&#8217;re unsure how much time you should spend reminding your kids that they &#8230; <a title=\"How To Motivate Your Young Athletes Without Pressuring Them\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-to-motivate-your-young-athletes-without-pressuring-them\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How To Motivate Your Young Athletes Without Pressuring Them\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[19,17,6],"tags":[70,49,259,117],"class_list":["post-61","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pressure-in-sports","category-sports-parenting","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-motivation","tag-pressure","tag-sports-parenting","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\/61","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=61"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}