Sports Kids Who Worry About Injuries
It’s no surprise that kids worry about getting injured in youth sports. But did you know that such worries undermine kids’ confidence, performance and enjoyment of sports?
We recently chatted with Marcie Fyock, an instructor for George Mason University’s athletic training education program about this topic.
First of all, kids see their friends injured and start worrying it will happen to them, she says.
And kids who are injured often have a hard time committing to what they need to do for rehabilitation, she says. Of course, injured kids also worry that they’ll get injured again.
What’s more, they worry that they’ll never play again, and will lose their position, she says.
All this worry affects kids’ confidence. And that hurts their enjoyment and performance.
When kids worry, they often play it safe. They may play to avoid injury, which means they’re not giving it their all, they’re not taking risks, and they’re not enjoying themselves!
Fyock says that first of all, kids need to wear helmets to protect themselves in the sports that require helmets. But parents need to make sure the helmets fit properly and are used properly. If they’re broken, they need to be fixed.
“Helmets are vital,” she says.
What’s more, in sports like football, kids need to understand that shoulder pads can help absorb hits and protect the head, along with helmets.
“Lots of times parents think helmets protect kids from concussion, but they won’t always,” she says.
Shoes are also critical, she says. Make sure kids wear shoes that fit properly.
What’s more, kids will be-and feel-safer if they eat and sleep well and focus (without obsessing) on being fit.
With the right protective gear, and the proper amount of sleep and fitness, kids are less likely to get injured. And that means they’ll feel more confident, will enjoy sports more, and will perform better.
Want to learn more about how to stop kids from worrying and boost their confidence?
First of all, exclusive members of Kids’ Sports Psychology can listen to our interview with Fyock here:
Related Articles on Youth Sports:
- How This Sport Builds Confidence and Focus in Kids
- How Social Media Hurts Sports Kids’ Confidence
- Addressing Anxiety, Mistakes and Low Confidence in Youth Sports
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