Helping Sports Kids Focus
There are so many ways sports kids get distracted when they’re playing sports or performing.
For example, they might worry about what their friends, parents, or coaches are thinking of them.
Worrying about what others think is a huge distraction. Think about it. When kids are focused on such worries, how can they concentrate on using their hard-earned skills to make that shot, block that offensive player or communicate well with teammates?
The trick here is to teach kids to first identify that they’re distracted by such worries, and help them focus on mini-goals—small, achievable goals that keep their mind focused on the game.
For example, they might concentrate on making good shots at the goal.
Here’s another one: Kids get distracted by unexpected events, such as rain, snow, puddles, bees and barking dogs.
Again, they stop focusing on the game, and their mind wanders….
Next thing you know, their game suffers and their confidence sinks.
In this case, kids need to be mentally prepared for such surprises. They need to know how to continue focusing, even when they’re taken off guard.
Young athletes can learn the Three R’s of refocusing.
They need to Recognize if they’re off-task, Regroup by telling themselves to stop and prepare to refocus, and finally, they need to Refocus by pointing their attention back to executing their skills.
Many parents and sports kids don’t understand that they can actually hone their focusing skills. And when they hone their skills, they learn not only how to avoid distractions, but how to get into “the zone” and play with extreme confidence!
Help your sports kids boost their focus, improve their confidence, and get in the zone!
Related Articles on Youth Sports:
- How Athletes Can Stay in the Moment and Improve Focus
- Tips To Keep Young Athletes Focused When They’re Distracted During Holidays
- Helping Young Athletes Stay Confident and Composed After Setbacks
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Help Your Young Athletes Improve Focus In Sports!
Are your young athletes easily distracted by people shouting on the sidelines? Do they obsess over their mistakes? Do they worry about what people think of them?
These issues will cause their concentration and performance to suffer!The Focused Sports Kid helps kids overcome distractions that can hurt their performance in sports.
The Focused Sports Kid program is actually two programs: one for sports parents/coaches that provides mental game tips especially designed for parents and coaches, and for young athletes, ages 8 to 12, that will walk them through 7 simple lessons in mental focus in sports.