Over-Coaching Young Athletes
Many parents we talk to are guilty of this mental game no-no before their athletes enter competition…
Over-coaching your young athletes.
When you over-coach kids just before a game, you fill their heads with information they really don’t need at that moment.
Just before a game, kids are already thinking too much all on their own. They need to trust what they’ve learned, and just perform intuitively.
So, if you’re lecturing your young athletes at breakfast about their golf swing or their body position while shooting a free-throw shot, you’re not helping them prepare mentally for their game.
You’re giving them the wrong message.
You’re telling them they can’t trust what they’ve learned from coaches, and play intuitively.
What’s more, you’re pressuring your young athletes with your own expectations for their performance, which generally does not build their confidence.
Here at Kids’ Sports Psychology, we’re doing a series about how to prepare kids mentally before competition. In the fourth article in our series, we address the problems with over-coaching. Exclusive members of Kids’ Sports Psychology can access it here:
Kids’ Sports Psychology
At Kids’ Sports Psychology, we’ve got loads of resources for you, in addition to our new series: articles, videos, audio interviews, Question-And-Answers and more!
Related Articles on Youth Sports:
- Why Over-Coaching Athletes Before Games Hurts
- How Yelling From The Sidelines Distracts Athletes
- How Sports Parents Can Help Kids Before Games
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Every day, we receive letters from parents like you who want their children and teens to excel in sports. However, these parents can see fear, doubt, and frustration on the faces of their kids who struggle with the “inner” game of sports. But these parents have no idea how to help their kids overcome the worries, expectations and self-defeating thoughts that prevent their young athletes from feeling confident and successful.
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