Ensuring Sports Kids Are Focused
Too often, sports kids simply go through the motions in youth sports, says Bobby Kipper, a former college coach and co-author of the book, “Performance Driven Thinking.”
“The kids are there physically, but their minds are not there,” he says. “They’re not giving their all.” Too often, their minds are occupied with their other activities, including video games and surfing the web, he says.
Kipper says that if kids are going to play, they need to focus on performing well.
One important lesson from Kipper:
Kids need to focus on the small wins. “We live in a society that tells kids they need to win the championship,” he says. “But we need to let kids know that the small wins are important.“
For example, Kipper once began coaching at a small prep school that had suffered a lot of losses. Many of the players acted like they didn’t even want to play. He says he convinced them that celebrating small wins was important. They celebrated winning the first game, then the second game, and ultimately, ended up with a winning season.
Another aspect of performance driven thinking focuses on helping kids focus on their own skill level-not on that of their opponents. Even if sports kids play against really tough opponents, it’s important to focus on ensuring that they do their very best-even if they lose.
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Related Articles on Youth Sports:
- How to Help Sports Kids Stay Focused During Games
- Tips To Keep Young Athletes Focused When They’re Distracted During Holidays
- Tips for Playing Under Pressure
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