{"id":936,"date":"2011-01-12T17:24:59","date_gmt":"2011-01-12T17:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=936"},"modified":"2025-08-07T05:44:27","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T09:44:27","slug":"why-the-mental-game-is-as-important-as-talent-for-young-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-the-mental-game-is-as-important-as-talent-for-young-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"Why The Mental Game is as Important as Talent For Young Athletes"},"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\/2010\/12\/helping-young-athletes-overcome-fear-of-failure-4.jpg\" alt=\"Youth Sports Psychology\" class=\"wp-image-3798\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/helping-young-athletes-overcome-fear-of-failure-4.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/12\/helping-young-athletes-overcome-fear-of-failure-4-300x150.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=\"The_Importance_of_a_Good_Mental_Game\"><\/span>The Importance of a Good Mental Game<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\/why-the-mental-game-is-as-important-as-talent-for-young-athletes\/#The_Importance_of_a_Good_Mental_Game\" >The Importance of a Good Mental Game<\/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\/why-the-mental-game-is-as-important-as-talent-for-young-athletes\/#Mental_Game_and_Your_Kids\" >Mental Game and Your Kids<\/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\/why-the-mental-game-is-as-important-as-talent-for-young-athletes\/#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-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-the-mental-game-is-as-important-as-talent-for-young-athletes\/#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>Talent is over-rated in youth sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s the word from Kirk Mango, a youth sports coach, national champion, three-time All-American and Hall of Fame athlete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As a young athlete, Mango didn\u2019t stand out as being especially talented, he says. But he was passionate and <strong>committed<\/strong>\u2014two qualities that are more important than talent, he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If parents and kids assume talent is inborn, and that young athletes can\u2019t improve much beyond the limits of their talent, they\u2019re restricting themselves, Mango says. &#8220;<em>This lends itself to the idea that one has less control over how good they can get at something. It is an automatic excuse for failing,\u201d<\/em> he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Focusing<\/strong> on the <strong>mental game<\/strong>, on the other hand, is critical, says Mango. The <strong>mental game<\/strong> side is all about what the athlete believes, he says. <em>\u201cThis belief is what makes the biggest difference in how athletes act\u2026Attitude and belief about what one can accomplish are essential to any possibility of achieving anything.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here at Kids\u2019 Sports Psychology, we agree with Mango. Young athletes\u2019 <strong>mental games<\/strong> are just as important as their physical abilities. Without <strong>confidence,<\/strong> kids will not realize their full potential in sports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Mental_Game_and_Your_Kids\"><\/span>Mental Game and Your Kids<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>For you as sports parents, it\u2019s not always easy to convince kids that their <strong>mental game<\/strong> is important. You might begin by inviting them to listen to our interview with Mango! When kids invest in their <strong>mental game,<\/strong> he says, they take control of their sports <strong>destiny\u2014rather<\/strong> than assuming they can only go as far as their talent allows (link below).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition, you as sports parents and coaches can explain to young athletes the many benefits of <strong>sports psychology.<\/strong> With <strong>mental game training<\/strong>, athletes improve their consistence, boost their <strong>confidence,<\/strong> improve their <strong>focus<\/strong> and learn how to practice smarter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remind them that they\u2019re not broken or dysfunctional if they choose to embrace <strong>mental game training.<\/strong> Many pros rely on <strong>sports psychology<\/strong> to improve their <strong>confidence<\/strong> and performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Be sure to talk about <strong>mental game training<\/strong> as another form of training\u2014 like physical training. It helps athletes perform their best. How you present this information to your athletes influences how they think about it. For example, you wouldn\u2019t want to call them \u201chead cases\u201d who need their heads examined! That\u2019s not what <strong>mental training<\/strong> is about. It\u2019s about learning new skills that help athletes thrive in many different kinds of situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to learn more about how to help kids enjoy sports, boost their <strong>confidence <\/strong>and perform well? Here at Kids\u2019 Sports Psychology, we\u2019ve got the resources you need. For example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>An e-book for parents, \u201cHelping Young Athletes Embrace Mental Training.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An article, \u201cWhy Parents Need to Support Their Kids\u2019 Mental Game.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>An audio interview, \u201cCommunication to Build Kids\u2019 Confidence.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Plus, many more e-books (some written for young athletes, some for parents and coaches), videos, articles, question-and-answers, and our new Sports Parents\u2019 Coach interviews!<\/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\/the-link-between-sports-kids-mental-game-and-mental-health\/\"><strong>The Link Between Sports Kids\u2019 Mental Game and Mental Health<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-sports-kids-mental-game-affects-college-recruitment\/\"><strong>How Sports Kids\u2019 Mental Game Affects College Recruitment<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/this-pros-mental-game-helped-her-overcome-physical-limitations\/\"><strong>This Pro\u2019s Mental Game Helped Her Overcome Physical Limitations\u00a0<\/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>The Importance of a Good Mental Game Talent is over-rated in youth sports. That\u2019s the word from Kirk Mango, a youth sports coach, national champion, three-time All-American and Hall of Fame athlete. As a young athlete, Mango didn\u2019t stand out as being especially talented, he says. But he was passionate &#8230; <a title=\"Why The Mental Game is as Important as Talent For Young Athletes\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/why-the-mental-game-is-as-important-as-talent-for-young-athletes\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about Why The Mental Game is as Important as Talent For Young Athletes\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3797,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5,17,7,6],"tags":[118,172,192,251],"class_list":["post-936","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-kids-in-sports","category-sports-parenting","category-sports-psychology-for-kids","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-mental-game","tag-sport-psychology","tag-tallent","tag-youth-sports"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/936","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=936"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/936\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3797"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=936"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=936"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=936"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}