Teaching Young Athletes to Mentally Prepare
Hall of Fame player Hank Aaron, one of the best hitters in the history of baseball and a model of consistency, attributed much of his success to his mental preparation, both before and during a game.
Rather than focusing on mechanics, he believed that preparing mentally and doing his “homework” was what made him such a consistent hitter year after year.
“I think about how a guy mentally prepares himself to do battle, to go out and face the pitcher,” he said.
Today, the world’s top athletes use pregame routines to help create the proper mindset for competition and practice. Such routines instill confidence, focus and a success-minded mindset.
You can help your young athletes establish these all-important routines. Kids need to start preparing mentally days or weeks before competition by learning ways to boost their focus, confidence and composure.
In addition, each athlete needs a custom-designed routine.
A routine is something kids do over and over, sort of like getting up in the morning, getting dressed, eating breakfast, then brushing their teeth.
Related: Help Young Athletes Focus on The Process Before a Game
If they do it enough times, they don’t need to think hard about it and can keep their minds busy–away from distractions–focused on important things.
A swimmer might create this routine on the blocks:
- Forget about the last heat
- Adjust your goggles and bathing cap
- Loosen up your arms
- Stretch
- Create a plan for your race
- Visualize the start of the race
Your athletes can create routines based on their sport and their position.
Along with creating a pregame routine and plan, sports kids should boost their confidence by thinking about their positive traits… How hard they can work, what they excel at, how well they communicate or what great team players they are, for example.
Related Articles on Kids’ Mental Game:
- Mental Preparation For Young Athletes
- Pregame Mental Preparation For Kids
- Your Athletes’ Mental Preparation Prior to Competition
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We’re certain that, as a parent, you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life. And as a sports parent, you’d love for your children to reach their potential in sports. But encouraging your child to strive for greatness without pressuring them can be a challenge.
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