Helping Sports Kids Boost Their Focus An athlete’s most focused state is sometimes called “the zone.” When athletes are in the zone, they are totally involved in the game at hand, completely concentrated on what they are doing with no care or thought as to what else is going on … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Strategies to Help Sports Kids Overcome Failure Fear of failure affects sports children in all types of sports, but can be especially challenging in baseball, says Nova Newcomer, executive director, Friends of Baseball, in Portland, Oregon. “The tough challenge with baseball is it’s a failure-based sport,” says Newcomer, whose organization … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How Parents Can Help Sports Kids Stay Safe It’s hard to read the stories about members of the USA Gymnastics Team being harassed and abused by the team’s doctor. And it’s easy to worry about such dangers. Kids who are bullied, abused or harassed as sports kids can suffer throughout … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Identifying Focus Issues in Young Athletes A sports parent writes: “My child gets fouled a lot, when the referee fails to make a call, or when it builds through a game, he sometimes loses control. This is usually anger boiling over. Also, when an opposing player talks to him (taunts) … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Helping Young Athletes Overcome Negative Beliefs It’s common for young athletes to struggle with doubt and negative thoughts about their performance. They tell themselves that: This type of negative self-talk can be detrimental to your young athletes, and if it isn’t addressed, can lead to mental-game challenges. With each negative … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Helping Young Athletes Unlock Their Performance A sports parent asks: “I have a son who is a junior baseball player. To watch him warm up and practice, he looks the part and has already got some small college offers. He fits your description of a perfectionist and therefore lacks confidence. … Read Sport Psychology Tip