{"id":9090,"date":"2023-06-01T00:02:27","date_gmt":"2023-06-01T04:02:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=9090"},"modified":"2025-07-08T06:50:26","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T10:50:26","slug":"helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun\/","title":{"rendered":"Helping Young Athletes Have More Fun\u00a0"},"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\/06\/having-fun-with-sports.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/having-fun-with-sports.jpg\" alt=\"Athletes having fun\" class=\"wp-image-9092\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/having-fun-with-sports.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/having-fun-with-sports-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=\"Do_Your_Sports_Kids_Have_Fun_When_They_Compete\"><\/span>Do Your Sports Kids Have Fun When They Compete? <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\/helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun\/#Do_Your_Sports_Kids_Have_Fun_When_They_Compete\" >Do Your Sports Kids Have Fun When They Compete?<\/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\/helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun\/#Focus_on_Fun_First\" >Focus on Fun First<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun\/#%E2%80%9CAnd_this_time_Im_just_going_to_go_treat_it_like_any_other_contest_and_have_fun%E2%80%9D\" >\u201cAnd this time, I\u2019m just going to go treat it like any other contest and have fun.\u201d<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/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\/helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun\/#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\/helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun\/#The_Composed_Sports_Kid\" >The Composed Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Is sport <strong>enjoyable<\/strong> for them, or does it cause added stress in their lives?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You would think athletes have a deep passion and love for competing, but that\u2019s not always the case.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Many athletes admit that competing is not <strong>fun<\/strong>. High expectations and pressure can take the fun out of competing. Why do some athletes find competing no longer <strong>enjoyable<\/strong>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Think back to when your young athletes first started participating in sports. Practices were fun. Competitions were exciting. &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kids couldn\u2019t wait to get home from school so they could go to practice. They enjoyed being around their teammates. Probably, many of their teammates were close friends.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unfortunately, as some athletes grow older, something changes. Practices feel like an obligation. <strong>They fear failure<\/strong>. Everything is more serious. Kids feel they are constantly being judged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kids start to view wins, personal bests, trophies and accolades as the most important aspect of competition. When they focus on results, pressure and stress dominate their minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">High expectations can become unbearable, prompting thoughts like:<br>* \u201cIf I don\u2019t beat this person, I\u2019m a failure.\u201d<br>* \u201cIf I don\u2019t perform at a high level, I won\u2019t get a scholarship.\u201d<br>* \u201cIf I don\u2019t win, my parents will be angry.\u201d<br>* \u201cIf I make any mistakes, my teammates will get upset with me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">All these thoughts lead to higher expectations, more pressure to perform, greater fear of failing and less <strong>enjoyment<\/strong> of competing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Focus_on_Fun_First\"><\/span>Focus on Fun First<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s look at this issue through the lens of an Olympic athlete. Maddie Mastro is a 21-year-old snowboarder preparing for her second Olympics at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics, Mastro fell short of her goal of medaling, finishing 12th in the halfpipe. Mastro explained how pressure and high expectations affected her performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was 17, turning 18 at the last Olympics, so I was young. I\u2019ve had a lot of time to <strong>grow<\/strong> and <strong>learn<\/strong>,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m going to go into the next Olympics not worrying what people are going to think, not worrying about the expectations or the pressures, whether they\u2019re exterior or my own.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For the 2022 Olympic Games, Mastro has shifted her mindset. Mastro is primarily focused on having fun and executing her game plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m just going to prioritize having fun and landing tricks, which is something I wish I did more of in 2018, because I did let those expectations or pressures, kind of, eat away at me a little bit,\u201d she said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"%E2%80%9CAnd_this_time_Im_just_going_to_go_treat_it_like_any_other_contest_and_have_fun%E2%80%9D\"><\/span>\u201cAnd this time, I\u2019m just going to go treat it like any other contest and <strong>have fun<\/strong>.\u201d<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When kids focus too much on results and want them badly, they become anxious and underperform. They can avoid falling into that trap by choosing a different mindset.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Focusing on having <strong>fun<\/strong> and executing a game plan increase kids\u2019 chances of success. In addition, this will reignite the passion kids experienced when they were younger.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Shifting their mindset to a productive and positive perspective is a win-win proposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every day before kids train or compete, they should remind themselves of the reasons they started competing in the first place. They should write a list of the reasons they had <strong>fun<\/strong> as beginning athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kids should make these objectives\u2013what kids enjoyed about sports\u2013a priority when they compete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, young athletes need to release the high expectations they have\u2013or feel from others\u2013 such as the need to perform at their best all the time or be perfect. Expectations are the root of dissatisfaction when athletes don\u2019t meet them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Help young athletes uncover their \u201cshoulds\u201d or \u201cshouldn\u2019ts.\u201d&nbsp;\u201cI should not make mistakes,\u201d \u201cI should make coach happy,\u201d or \u201cI should always perform my best\u201d are examples of expectations kids should discard to have more fun.<\/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-sports-kids-grow-from-adversity\/\" title=\"Help Sports Kids Grow From Adversity\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-sports-must-be-fun-for-young-athletes\/\"><strong>Why Sports Must be Fun for Young Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/should-parents-only-focus-on-fun-in-youth-sports\/\"><strong>Should Parents Only Focus on Fun in Youth Sports?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/parents-are-your-athletes-having-fun\/\"><strong>Parents: Are Your Athletes Having Fun?<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" 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=\"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 class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&#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 class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><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>Do Your Sports Kids Have Fun When They Compete? Is sport enjoyable for them, or does it cause added stress in their lives? You would think athletes have a deep passion and love for competing, but that\u2019s not always the case. Many athletes admit that competing is not fun. High &#8230; <a title=\"Helping Young Athletes Have More Fun\u00a0\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/helping-young-athletes-have-more-fun\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Helping Young Athletes Have More Fun\u00a0\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9093,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[39,117],"class_list":["post-9090","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-kids-sports-psychology","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\/9090","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=9090"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9090\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9093"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9090"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9090"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9090"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}