Sports Kids And Comfort Zones Sports mom Jennifer says her 11-year-old baseball player hates making mistakes, doesn’t want to disappoint people, and likes to stay in his comfort zone. His coaches have only kind words for the boy and don’t seem to recognize his challenges. Why? Because he’s a classic … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Sports Parents Mental Coaching Jennifer sought our help with some tough challenges about her son, who just started playing tackle football: “He lacks confidence because he’s the smallest on the team. He doesn’t respond appropriately to criticism. His confidence sinks when he feels as if he’s not playing “perfectly.” We … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Dealing With Perfectionism in Sports Kids Just how frustrating is it for parents when a child isn’t having fun in sports because he’s a perfectionist? A reader tells us: “Practically all of the emails I have received from you (about perfectionism) could have been written about my son….” “He is … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Bringing Practice Confidence to Games in Youth Sports A sports parent tells us her son really shines on the field during practice. “He’s way beyond all the other boys in terms of technical and tactical skills during practice.” However, here’s the “but…” And it’s a big one. During a game, … Read Sport Psychology Tip
Confidence And Kids’ Sports Psychology Jane’s 10-year-old son was a talented golfer who fell apart during competitions. Like many perfectionists, he had high expectations and became easily frustrated if he didn’t meet them. How did this young athlete transform his mental game and performance in short six months, even winning … Read Sport Psychology Tip
How Expectations Create Pressure in Sports Kids Youth coach Doug Donaldson says he knows intuitively when one of his young athletes feels pressured by a parent’s expectations. And he also knows the problems such well-meaning expectations can create in young athletes. For example, one of his player’s mothers wants the child … Read Sport Psychology Tip