The Bullying Epidemic in Youth Sports Last week, CNN released a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll showing that slightly more than a third of teens personally have been subjected to bullying behavior. In the poll, more than two-thirds of teens said their friends had been bullied. Yet most adults believe bullying … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Encouraging Kids to Play Sports Just how can sports parents encourage kids to take part in sports and support them—without pressuring them? That’s a good question, and the answers are not so obvious. Read on to get tips from Olympic fencer Tim Morehouse, who says his parents knew just how … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Sports Kids Who Can’t Let Go of Mistakes In the popular book, “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” one of the main characters—a racecar driver—talks about the importance of “having no memory” while competing. “Memory is time folding back on itself. To remember is to disengage from the present,” … Read Sport Psychology Tip
The Pitfalls of High Expectations Just how many ways can young athletes sabotage their sports performance? In lots of ways, says Dr. Harold Shinitzky, a sports psychologist and author of “Your Mind: An Owner’s Manual for a Better Life.” “A lot of athletes, based on how they think of themselves, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Dealing With Favoritism in Youth Sports Sports parent Michael Sands is unhappy with what he calls favoritism at Beverly Hills High, where his son plays football. The coaches are all volunteers, but on weekends, they coach certain kids—for a fee. This puts the young athletes who get extra coaching on … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Sports Kids’ And Making Comparisons What do you do when your young athlete’s confidence sinks every time a talented friend or teammate excels in sports? This is a common problem for young athletes. Kids are social beings—and they tend to compare themselves to their friends. But in sports, this is … Read Sport Psychology Tip