How to Develop Confidence in Sports Kids

Sports parents, and coaches alike, play an integral role in how your sports kids feel about the sports they play and their overall experiences.

Often sports parents, however, can unwittingly hurt their kids’ confidence by being overly enthusiastic.

For example, it makes many sports kids nervous or uncomfortable when their parents are too loud or enthusiastic from the sidelines.

These parents have the best of intentions and believe they’re helping their young athletes.

Kids can lose focus when these happens, which is why it’s sometimes important to back off and focus more on kids’ confidence.

Good sports parents communicate with their kids to uncover issues that may be affecting them.

For example, one sports kid told us that his entire extended family of 11 or 12 people come to his basketball games, and the resulting pressure hurts his confidence.

He doesn’t communicate this to them because he doesn’t want to hurt their feelings!

This kind of story is typical of sports children…

Their parents are trying to encourage them the best they know how, but unfortunately, kids feels pressured and under-perform.

So how do sports parents do a good job of cultivating kids’ confidence without unintentionally hurting it?

The first step is direct communication.

You need to know if any of your actions are making your young athletes feel or play tentatively.

Ask them if your behavior embarrass them, distracts them, or makes them feel anything other than focused and confident.

Often our young athletes will lie to protect your feelings, so even if they tell you they don’t mind your enthusiasm.

Keep a watchful eye out for how your athletes react to you on the sideline and try your best to not distract your kids by drawing too much attention to your behavior.

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Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World

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.

You can get expert mental coaching with us from anywhere. Meet with us via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or phone call. With today’s video technology, we are able to connect with athletes and coaches all over the globe.

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