If Young Athletes Work Together, They Will Grow Together V.J. Stanley, a coach, former teacher and author of three youth sports books, believes that building community is the most important goal for coaches and parents who want to boost their kids’ confidence and happiness in sports. Equal play for kids … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Is Your Athlete a Gamer, Choker or Steady Eddie? Some kids perform better in competition than in practice. Some struggle with maintaining their focus during practice because it lacks the excitement of a match or game. And some excel in practice, but underperform during competitions or matches. These athletes often … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Boost Young Athletes’ Communication and Cooperation Chasta Hamilton, author of “Trash The Trophies: How To Win Without Losing Your Soul,” was seeing red flags in her dance studio. The owner and artistic director of Stage Door Dance Productions thought that the often expensive “pay to play” dance scene was creating … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Keep Confidence Up, Even in a Pandemic When kids’ sports schedules are interrupted or stopped altogether–which is true for many young athletes right now, due to the pandemic–they can feel anxious. Injuries, illnesses, inclement weather, facility shutdowns and vacations are some of the other circumstances that can disrupt athletes’ training … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Positive Actions Empower Young Athletes What kinds of adversity have your sports kids encountered? Perhaps they have experienced an injury or long-term sickness. Maybe they were cut from a team or benched by their coach. They could have bombed a big competition or missed the playoffs. They could also experience … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How Young Athletes can Feel and Play Safe on the Field When kids feel as if their equipment is safe, they likely feel more confident. However, Mike Oliver, executive director of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment, says that with expensive equipment, such as helmets, kids can … Read Sport Psychology Tip