Youth Sports Psychology Articles

Helping Kids See the Good and Bad of Perfectionism in Sports

Perfectionists in Youth Sports

How Perfectionism Can Lead to Fear of Failure A sports parent writes: “My child is a 9-year old figure skater. She is very passionate with her sport but sometimes she tend to get very frustrated when she performs poorly in her program. Also, when she is performing well, her coach … Read Sport Psychology Tip

Fear of Failure and Youth Sports

Overcoming Fear of Failure

How to Unlock Athletes’ Minds from Avoiding Mistakes A young athlete asks: “I’m a 14-year old basketball player. I keep holding back on the court because I’m afraid to mess up. What should I do?” Fear of failure is one of the most common issues in youth sports. Your children … Read Sport Psychology Tip

The Challenges with Being Your Kid’s Coach and Parent

Coaching-Your-Young-Athlete

Setting Team Goals as a Parent-Coach A sports parent asks: “As a parent and a coach, how should I handle performing both duties simultaneously to help all the kids as much as possible?” Being a coach and parent can breed many issues that you need to be aware of from … Read Sport Psychology Tip

How Parents Can Encourage Kids Without Pressure

Encouraging Sports Kids

How to Avoid Pressuring Young Athletes A sports parent asks: “When should children be encouraged to push through the hard times and when is it okay for them to just take a break?” At a certain point in your children’s athletic careers, all parents must ask themselves this question… If … Read Sport Psychology Tip