Coming Back After Injuries in Youth Sports One sports mom writes us to say her 12-year-old soccer player is too timid, backs off too often, dwells on her weaknesses, and performs better in practice than during games. Part of the problem, the sports mom says, is that her daughter is … Read Sport Psychology Tip
The Biggest Confidence Challenges for Young Athletes They immediately focus on the negative side of the feedback that coaches are trying to give them. That’s the word from Hal Wissel, a basketball coach who has worked for numerous NBA teams, is founder of Basketball World, and author of “Basketball: Steps … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Social Approval in Sports Kids Sports kids worry about what their friends will think when they lose a ball, commit a turnover, or goof up. And that’s just the beginning of young athletes’ worries. They worry about what coaches and friends will think when their parents yell on the sidelines. They … Read Sport Psychology Tip
External Distractions For Sports Kids When kids are distracted by the disagreements they have with their friends, opponents or coaches, they don’t perform well in sports. They don’t enjoy it as much or learn as much. If they’re thinking about fighting over a guy, or being angry with a friend, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
What to Do When Your Sports Kid is Bullied By Coach Holly didn’t realize until it was much too late that her swimmer son was being bullied by his coach… By the time Holly understood what was going on, her top-rated son quit his team and gave up his dream … Read Sport Psychology Tip
The Focused Sports Kid How often do coaches or parents say to their sports kids, “You need to focus! Get your head in the game!” All the time! The truth is, most sports kids get distracted. And when you hear the refrain, “Focus! Get your head in the game,” it’s … Read Sport Psychology Tip