Kids in Sports

The Benefits of a Growth Mindset in Youth Sports

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

A Conversation with Kelly Gray What’s a growth mindset in youth sports and how does it benefit young athletes? We explored that topic in a second podcast interview with Kelly Gray, a former professional soccer player who worked with youth sports organizations for many years. He’s founder of Kelly Gray … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Finding Balance To Reduce Sports Pressure

Reducing Pressure

How to Reduce Pressure in Youth Sports Have you ever heard your sports kids say, “Sports is my whole life,” or “I live for basketball,” or “Eat. Sleep, Play soccer.” Many athletes wrap their self-worth around sports. They surround themselves with like-minded teammates who are their main source of social … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Do Your Kids Feel like Sports is a Job?

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

Interview With Kelly Gray For kids who feel pressured by parents or others, youth sports can feel like a job they don’t enjoy. That’s the word from Kelly Gray, a former professional soccer player who has worked with youth sports organizations for many years. He’s founder of Kelly Gray Sports … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Keeping Athletes Involved During Isolation

Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast

“Life as a Team Sport” Campaign It’s still possible for kids to stay involved in sports during COVID-19 isolation, says Spencer Gordon, partnership manager for the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Portland. PCA, which aims to create better athletes and people, has launched a “Life as a Team Sport” campaign, which … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Do Your Young Athletes Feel Satisfied after a Game?

Coping With Mistakes

Learn to Play “Under The Circumstances” Do your kids feel devastated after a loss? Some kids don’t feel satisfied in sports unless they win. They need to understand that numerous factors are outside their control when it comes to winning. These include the weather, teammates’ decisions and calls from the … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Sports Kids Should Embrace the “If You Lose, Learn,” Attitude

Learning from Losing

How Young Athletes Can Learn From Failure Losses and failure can sink sports kids’ confidence–but they don’t have to. For many football players, failure means throwing an interception in the red zone or fumbling the ball and allowing the opposing team to score. Missing a tackle for a big yardage … Read Sport Psychology Tip