Building Confidence in Young Athletes: Recent Episodes
Lisa Cohn
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio (www.youthsportspsychology.com), which aims to instill confidence and success in child and teen athletes, interviews coaches, parents, authors, professors and others about how to identify and overcome mental game challenges in sports. Hosted by Lisa Cohn. co-founder of the Ultimate Sports Parent and Kids' Sports Psychology.
Stress, comparisons and pressure can quietly undermine a child's love of sports unless parents learn to prepare for the emotional challenges that come with each stage of development, said Stephen Anderson, an athletic director, coach and founder of the Rising Athlete Project.
"I see parents reacting to things rather than proactively preparing for things," Anderson said.
Kids experience those challenges during key transitions such as moving to a middle school team or working with a new coach.
Send episode ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com with the subject line "podcast pitch."
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Learn about host Lisa Cohn's writing at LisaECohn.com
For many sports parents, the challenge of parenting an elite athlete isn't simply getting their child to practice. It's figuring out how to support a young athlete's dreams without sacrificing academics, family life or emotional well-being. Gosia Betancourt knows that balancing act firsthand.
Her 13-year-old son, Joshua, is already competing at the national level in diving. Recently, he won the USA Diving Western National Championships in his age division, outperforming older competitors by a significant margin. But behind the medals are years of disciplined training, difficult decisions, injuries and one important lesson: Success is about much more than talent. Along the way, his mom was a partner in his journey.
About the guest:
Gosia Betancourt, the mother of elite athlete Joshua, chose to educate her son through a private online high school,
Crimson Global Academy
Send podcast episode ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com with the email subject line "Podcast Pitch."
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Learn about host Lisa Cohn's writing at LisaECohn.com
Interested in a sponsored podcast? LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
The skill of being a leader is partly innate, but is mostly trainable, according to leadership coach Jonathan Cave, author of The Tree and the Mountain: Dare to Become.
To hone their leadership skills, sports kids should identify their unique talents and build leadership skills based on them, he said.
"You don't have to become another person to be a leader. It's about amplifying who you are and becoming more of that. People will gravitate toward you," he said.
About Jonathan Cave:
Cave is an executive coach and founder and CEO of MyPhyLedership. Visit him at JonathanCave.com
Send podcast episode ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Visit host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
Many recruiting services, profile websites and showcase camps profit by keeping families engaged and spending money rather than helping athletes achieve meaningful recruiting outcomes, said Reid Meyer, co-founder of A2A Academy and a former college baseball player.
To be successfully recruited, athletes need to be proactive, directly contacting coaches and focusing on finding colleges that fit their academic, athletic, financial and personal goals, he said.
To create a championship mindset, players, coaches and parents must all embrace a positive mindset, said Bill Hoopes, a national championship coach and director of Florida Premier Girls Fastpitch.
"You have to have accountability on all ends," he said. "If the coach is not doing their job and they're struggling to relay positive information, positive skill development and positive coaching, then the kid's going to have a deficiency." If the player isn't committed to being a champion, there will be a deficiency. If parents are pressuring their kids, all this can create a "non-positive" mindset, he said.
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Send episode ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Visit host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
Happiness for sports kids is more about contentment and balance, rather than constant pleasure, according to Jerry Weichman, a licensed clinical psychologist who helps young athletes with mental health challenges affecting confidence, motivation and performance.
""Happiness is more of a chemical reaction from your brain that comes from good things that are happening. But good things don't continually happen," Weichman said. "So what I'm usually pushing with the expectation for the kids is contentment. There's some type of balance, an acknowledgment of the positives and the negatives."
Send your questions via voice memo or email to Weichman at info@raisingfamiliespodcast.com. He and his co-host will read it and answer it on the podcast.
Visit Weichman at Raising Families Podcast Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts Visit LisaECohn.com to learn about host Lisa Cohn. Check out our youth sports blog at YouthSportsPsychology.com
Too often, sports kids see their identity as being athletes, said Tiffany Yvonne, founder of Playmaker Solutions, where she helps young athletes build emotional intelligence and confidence.
When their identity is all about sports, they can quickly lose confidence if they make mistakes or lose games.
"When you know who you are beyond the sport, then a bad game doesn't affect your self-worth," she said.
To answer the question, "Who are you?" they should focus on what they love--beyond just sports.
Visit Tiffany at Playmaker Solutions
Email host Lisa Cohn with podcast guest ideas: LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Subscribe to this podcast: Apple Podcasts
Learn about host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
Confidence in young athletes is a trainable outcome rooted in self-awareness, disciplined consistency, targeted subconscious programming (visualization with emotion) and supportive adult influences. Sports kids should combine clear goals, intentional mental practice and persistent physical work to become resilient and high-performing, said Chris Harris, a mindset and elite performance expert.
Learn more about Harris at ChrisHarris.com
Learn more about host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
When sports kids experience concussions, they don't just affect kids' brains, they affect their bodies and even their families, said Robert Baric, a chiropractor and member of the Brain Injury Association of North Carolina.
A concussion can change kids' heart output, sleep and hormonal balance, for example. And it can affect the family, or, as Baric says, create a "traumatic family injury."Parents may have to take time off work to care for the child or teen who experienced the concussion. Other children in the family don't get as much attention while the parents are focused on helping heal the brain injury.
He describes the effect of concussions on young athletes' confidence and explains what parents should do when their young athletes have concussions.
About the guest
Robert Baric is CEO of MyConcussionDr
Email LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com with episode ideas or comments.
Visit our blog
Visit host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
How can sports parents create well-rounded kids in youth sports, which can be hyper-specialized and intense?
David Murray's book, Soccer Dad, is the story of a "soccer-ignorant, sports-ambivalent writer who saw his daughter from the kiddie leagues through the travel-sports gauntlet to a coveted Division I scholarship. And then realized his work had only begun," says his book's Amazon description.
In this interview, he discusses the challenges of helping kids find a balanced life when they're immersed in the youth sports world.
He suggests:
--Introduce larger heroes (Muhammad Ali, Billie Jean King)
--Anchor the sport in values (teamwork, sisterhood, purpose)
--Seek meaning beyond scholarships
About the guest:
David Murray's daughter, Scout, "loved soccer from toddlerhood. Her drive and skill pulled the Murray family into the world of youth sports―one as culturally obsessive as it is economically exclusive, where each new achievement presents more challenges." Learn more on Amazon.
Visit LisaECohn.com to learn more about host Lisa Cohn.
Visit our youth sports psychology blog at YouthSportsPsychology.com
True leaders in sports don't need the spotlight. They earn trust through preparation, emotional control and how they show up every day—not by being the loudest voice, said Dan Gold, a sports dad, former surgeon and businessman and the author of Game Changers.
The foundation of quiet leadership is emotional regulation. When pressure rises, strong leaders stay steady rather than escalating emotionally, he said.
Guest:
Dan Gold, author of Game Changers
Send podcast episode ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Subscribe to and rate this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our blog at YouthSportsPsychology.com
Visit host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
High performance in sports doesn't necessarily translate into mental well-being, said Hania Taduran, a former Division I beach volleyball player and founder of the nonprofit Breaking Barriers, which aims to redefine the narrative about mental health in athletics.
During her college career at the University of the Pacific, especially during COVID isolation, she and her teammates experienced mental health challenges, including anxiety, depression, eating disorders and burnout. Fear of stigma, losing scholarships, or being seen as weak prevented many athletes from seeking help, said Taduran, who is 23.
Send ideas for podcast episodes to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Subscribe to and rate this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our blog at YouthSportsPsychology.com
Learn about host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
How are young athletes affected when their parents sink large amounts of money into youth sports and pile on expectations?
Harvey Araton was a sports columnist for The New York Times for 26 years, where he covered ten Olympics and countless NBA finals, World Series, Super Bowls and Final Fours. A sports parent, he's the author of The Goal of the Game, which was released in December. Araton warns sports parents about the pitfalls of spending too much money on youth sports--which creates pressure for sports kids. He also cautions parents to avoid heaping high expectations on sports kids, and tells stories about how he parented his own young athletes, in one case, encouraging a child to play on a select team, and in another case, discouraging it. Subscribe to and rate our Building Confidence in Young Athletes podcast on Apple Podcasts. Learn more about host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com. Send podcast guest ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Former professional golfer Jay Delsing, author of "You Wouldn't Believe Me If I Told You," describes how he pursued his sports dream and says young athletes should also aim high, even if the odds of success are low.
Growing up in a large, low-income, sports-oriented family, he was encouraged to believe he could achieve anything with hard work, he said. Although baseball was his first love, golf became his passion.
"I wasn't smart enough to really be afraid. I mean, (people) would tell me all these odds," Delsing said. "'Do you know that less than 1 % of everybody that plays golf can play on the PGA tour?' people would ask. And I'm like, no, I didn't know that. And I don't really care. Somebody's got to make up that 1%. Why can't it be me?"
Learn more about Delsing at Golf with Jay Delsing.
Send podcasst episode ideas: Contact Ultimate Sports Parent
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit host Lisa Cohn's parenting blog
Young athletes who forget skills, freeze up or make avoidable mistakes and who can't meet their practice performance during competitions are struggling with performance blocks.
These blocks can be caused by excessive pressure, anxiety, worry, perfectionism or identity issues and self-judgement, said Albert Bramante, a psychology professor and author of "Rise Above the Script."
To help kids overcome these performance blocks, parents can remind them that blocks do not reflect ability. "It's not their fault that this has happened. It's not an indication that you're a subpar athlete or subpar performer; it just means you have a lot of anxiety," he said.
Send podcast ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com with "podcast idea" in the subject line.
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Check out our youth sports psychology blog.
Visit host Lisa Cohn's writing website.
Andy Whittier knows how to cope with pressure.
He transitioned from playing college football to representing the U.S. in the skeleton sport, a solo, head-first sled race down an icy track at speeds of up to 89 mph.
At first, it was terrifying, he said. But with constant practice, he started making some "good, fast clean runs" and building confidence.
Athletes can build confidence gradually through experience, discipline and stacking small wins over time. Repetition and practice are key, he said.
Send episode ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Learn more about host and writer Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
Visit Andy Whittier at AndyWhittier.com
P.J. Glassey, personal trainer, "biohacker" at XGym.com, and author of Cracking Your Calorie Code, has identified 16 brain types that help determine how best to motivate athletes and boost their performance.
Developed over a 5-year period, his 20-question brain type test–which combines psychology and fitness– helps people get fit with less reliance on willpower.
Once Glassey identifies an athlete's brain type, he provides motivation and fitness "hacks," he said.
To send podcast episode ideas, contact Ultimate Sports Parent
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our youthsportspsychology blog
Visit host Lisa Cohn at LisaECohn.com
When sports kids face challenges such as injuries or mistakes, they're more likely to overcome them by being "all in"--committed to working hard and improving in their sport.
Chad Dunn, CEO of Move Performance Center and former BMX racer, asks kids facing adversity, "Do you really want to do this?" The right answer, he says, is "Coach, I'm all in."
A big challenge for sports kids is comparing themselves to others, especially when they focus too much on what other athletes are posting on social media, he says. His advice: Stop making comparisons.
Send podcast episode ideas to The Ultimate Sports Parent
Follow our LinkedIn Page
Follow us on Apple Podcasts
Check out our youth sports psychology blog
Parents are very emotional about their kids' youth sports experience, and they're pouring a lot of money into youth sports. Because of these factors, they may feel that coaches favor other players when their kids aren't getting the playing time they want, said Jen Fry, a TEDx speaker, owner of JenFryTalks and sports geographer, which means means she studies how geographical factors, like terrain, influence which sports are played in specific areas.
When are coaches playing favorites? How should coaches address kids' weaknesses? Does it make sense to favor young athletes who are coachable? Should parents talk to coaches about favoritism?
Send podcast episode ideas to The Ultimate Sports Parent
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our blog
Teen athletes experience anxiety when they can’t be in the moment, said Kate Kelley-Schneider, a psychotherapist and sports mindset coach at Pure Health Center and Pure Sports Mindset.
They are either stuck replaying a mistake over and over or looking to the future and worrying about the score.
“They'll check out of the game from a mental perspective. That then shows up physically," she said.
Contact us with podcast episode ideas
Subscribe and rate this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our youth sports psychogy blog
What if young athletes could practice visualization and then receive feedback in real time that improves their performance? Konstantin Sonkin, a neuroscientist and founder of i-Brain Tech, uses neuroscience-based technology to help athletes boost focus and decision-making.
Learn more about Dr. Sonkin at i-Brain.Tech
Submit podcast ideas here.
Subscribe and rate this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our youth sports psychology blog
Read Lisa Cohn's sports parenting articles
Elite athletes from across the world competed in the 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, and 14-year-old Ysabella won 8 medals in the junior division.
Her dad, Rex Cajanding, who was involved in her training, gives tips to sports parents about how to help kids attain success--without burning them out.
Submit podcast episode ideas: Contact us
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our blog
It's a myth that participating in youth sports will build character in youing athletes, say Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski, authors of "Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports."
The problem: There are too many variables in youth sports to conclude that participating will build character. Referees are inconsistent. Coaches don't all have the same values.
To build character, adults and mature young athletes need to identify and act on character-building moments, they say.
Submit ideas for podcast episodes: Contact Ultimate Sports Parent
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Forty-two percent of children report being bullied by coaches or physical education teachers. Common bullying programs don't work, said Tom Dahlborg, president and CEO of Dahlborg HealthCaring Leadership Group.
Bullying can make kids depressed, anxious and even suicidal.
Dahlborg is working to implement better anti-bullying programs, including creating a team culture that doesn't tolerate this behavior, establishing peer mentors and ensuring parents and adults are good role models.
Send us podcast episode ideas to Ultimate Sports Parent
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts.
Visit our youth sports psychology blog here.
When athletes' identities are wrapped up in sports, they can experience pressure and high expectations.
What's more, they might become disappointed if they go to college and are no longer the stars they were on their high school teams, said Zedralyn Butler, author of The Mental State of Sports and a former Division 1 basketball player. They can also be disappointed or depressed if they are injured or can no longer play sports.
One suggestion from Butler: Athletes should try to rediscover the parts of their personalities they left behind when they became immersed in sports.
Send us podcast ideas: Contact the Ultimate Sports Parent
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: The Ultimate Sports Parent podcast
Check out our blog: Sports Psychology Blog
Sports kids should push past challenges by focusing on incremental steps rather than the bigger end goal, said Dianette Wells, a world-class mountaineer, ultra-endurance athlete and author.
For example, to prepare for a hike in Malibu, Calif., she focused on improving her time by a minute each time she hiked.
“I just did it in incremental amounts so my mind could accept that and my body could deal with that. You don't necessarily have to look at the goal line, but just the little steps along the way that you can do to improve yourself,” she said.
Send podcast episode ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe on Apple Podccasts:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/blog
Young athletes realize a number of benefits when they embrace growth mindsets, said Iuri Melo, a youth sports coach, licensed clinical social worker and co-founder of SchoolPulise, which texts youth positive psychology statements to support their mental health.
These kids tend to be optimists who try harder, for longer periods of time and when things get difficult, he said.
Players with fixed mindsets tend to be negative, quit early and stop trying hard when they face challenges. But it's possible for kids to switch from having "fixed" mindsets to growth mindsets, with a little help, Melo said.
Send us podcast ideas to: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Follow us on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Research shows that girls' identities can get too wrapped up in sports, said Marlene Holmes, a mental health advocate, sports social worker and regional director at Netball America.
Girls also grapple with low self-confidence and challenges visualizing themselves as being successful and leaders in their community.
The Netball American program teaches middle school girls and boys netball as a vehicle for improving their communication and teamwork skills and boosting their self confidence.
Send podcast ideas to https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to the Ultimate Sports Parent podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Sabrina Yavil, sports mom to three boys and founder of Gryme, struggled with encouraging her kids to clean up after practices and games. What's more, the boys didn't seem to want to put time into practicing for games.
She began asking them to make their beds and put away their dishes in the morning and take showers after practices or games. She asked them to take more responsibility for getting their sports gear together before games.
The result, she said: As they became more disciplined and responsible, their confidence grew in and out of sports.
Send us podcast guest ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
The human brain tends to lean toward negativity.
It doesn't understand the difference between protecting us from a snake or lion and protecting us from emotional states, said Debbie O'Connell, president, Live Positive and Golf Positive.
She provides three tips to help sports kids overcome negativity, including changing their posture.
Contact us with podcast ideas: Email LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Please leave a review!
Visit our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Without grit and discipline, young athletes won't be successful, said Cary Knox, retired head coach and author of "I Believe," which explores the legacies of Illinois Sports Legends.
We live in a selfish society, and kids who lack discipline are being selfish because they're not good teammates, he said.
He provides examples of grit and discipline on one of his teams. The players struggled for two years, then made a comeback.
Send podcast episode ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Subscribe to this podcast and leave us a rating on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Check out our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Adolescent runners are still growing, and it's critical to support their growth with nutrition that supports their brain and bone health, said Michele Pettinger, author of The Young Runners' Guide to Nutrition.
She provides nutrition tips for parents of runners, and also touches on how runners struggle with body image challenges.
Send us podcast guest ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts and please leave a review!
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our kids' sports psychology blog:
https://www.kidssportspsychology.com/category/articles/
Young athletes often stop enjoying sports because they're perfectionists, compare themselves to others or "mind read," or make assumptions about what others are thinking, according to Jaclyn Ellis, a mental performance coach at Peak Performance Sports.
She explains how she helps sports kids overcome these challenges and begin enjoying sports more.
Send podcast ideas to Ultimate Sports Parent
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcast and please leave a rating:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
The emotional, social, physical and academic benefits of youth sports are well documented. But the rising costs of participating are undermining young athletes' access to sports and its benefits.
That's the message from Christy Keswick, president and co-founder of the nonprofit Good Sports. She shares the results of a Harris Poll that found 90% of sports parents polled understand the benefits of sports, but 75% are considering withdrawing their kids from sports because of high costs.
She explains what's driving up costs and how parents can work to provide less expensive programs in schools and recreational leagues.
Send podcast guest ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Susbscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: (and please leave a review): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Young athletes lack competitiveness in sports in part because they compare themselves to others, when they need to focus on their own strengths. They also overthink and focus on negative "what if" statements.
Georgia Miller, a mental performance coach with PeakSports.com, explains the mental game issues that contribute to lack of competitiveness and how to overcome the challenges.
Send us podcast guest ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Gifted kids often focus exclusively on sports and fail to make friends or participate in other activities, said Susan Williams, a clinical hypnotherapist at SportHypnotherapy.com.
Parents and coaches need to encourage them to try other activities and to develop a circle of supportive friends, she said. She uses hypnotherapy to put kids in a light trance that opens them to new possibilities.
Send us podcast guest ideas:https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
If people who lead in youth sports--coaches, captains, players and parents--are emotionally inteligent, they're more likely to help a team weather its ups and downs.
Caleb Chambliss, a licensed mental health counselor, leadership coach and athlete development specialist explains how emotional intelligence begins with self-awareness--a trait that helps both adults and players better understand their emotions and the emotions of others.
This trait allows captains and coaches help players be the best players possible.
It also helps the players. Once they recognize how they're feeling, they're better able to let go of fear of failure, play intuitively and take risks that lead to growth, he said.
Send us podcast episode and guest ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Negative thinking hurts sports kids' confidence and performance. But juggling, hypnosis and posting notes all over a sports kids' house can combat this way of thinking, said Ignacio Segovia, a hypnotherapist, psychologist and mental performance coach.
Juggling--or even tossing a ball from one hand to the other before a game--can interrupt negative thoughts by occupying the athlete's mind and senses, he said. With hypnosis, sports kids can substitute negative thoughts such as "I'm no good at sports" with positive thoughts. And when kids post notes all over their house with positive statements, kids' subconscious holds onto the positive thoughts. It's as if the house is talking to them, said Segovia.
Send us ideas for podcast interviews: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Young athletes should respond thoughtfully to setbacks, using visualization and breath control to ensure they don't react with emotion.
That's the message from Dayton Hansen, COO at ICL Academy, an online school that helps kids pursue passions such as sports.
When kids learn to respond this way to mistakes or other setbacks, they'll use this lesson in other areas of their lives, he said.
Send us ideas for podcast guests:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Check out our youth sports psychology blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Good coaches can motivate athletes to try their hardest. They can help kids move on from mistakes. They can even change kids' lives, said Dylan Meyer, 22, a former college athlete and founder of Legacy of Legends, which helps parents choose sports camps for their young athletes.
Send podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Viist our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Young athletes have very open minds, which is good and bad news in sports, says Susan Williams, a clinical hypnotherapist at SportHypnotherapy.com.
On the one hand, criticism from coaches and parents can affect them at the subconscious level, creating mental roadblocks.
But beccause kids' minds are so open. such challenges can be overcome with hypnotherapy, she said. When kids receive positive messages via hypnotherapy, it can "overwrite" the thoughts that are holding spports kids back.
Send us podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe and rate this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Cathy Spaas was a professional equestrian show jumper at a young age and suffered from pressure to perform.
At age 14, she was riding at international shows, but began to feel like she wasn't good enough, she said. She lost her confidence and passion for the sport.
Now, her goal at Your Success Trainer--Cathy Spaas is to ensure athletes don't have the same experience.
Send podcast guest ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Visit our blog: https://www.peaksports.com/sports-psychology-blog/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Young athletes who set high expectations often get frustrated when they don't meet their expectations.
Mike Mancini, a certified mental performance coach, explains why setting process goals is important and gives examples of these goals. The aim is for young athletes to stay grounded in the moment, and avoid focusing on stats, scores or wins.
Send podcast guest ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
As a former college athlete, youth sports coach and sports parent, Eric Collins says his biggest challenge is being a sports parent.
It's sometimes hard for him to let his son follow his own sports journey, he said.
One way to allow kids to embrace their own journey is to encourage them to communicate directly with coaches.
This gives them important skills that will serve them in other areas of their lives, he said.
Submit guest ideas for this podcast:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/
Competence, relatedness and autonomy are three characteristics that help sports kids feel intrinsically motivated, said Caleb Chambliss, a licensed mental health counselor, leadership coach and athlete development specialist.
With these three characteristics, young athletes are more likely to feel in control, and as a result, motivated, he said. When sports kids feel out of control, they become demotivated, apathetic and often drop out.
Send podcast guest ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Often, kids are reluctant to step up as leaders.
They may lack confidence or be afraid of being teased.
Krissy Webb, co-founder and executive director of Student ACES, provides leadership training that focuses on developing core values such as respect and responsibility. This also improves kids' mental health, she said.
Send podcast guest ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Because hockey can be an emotional game, youth who play hockey need to develop an emotional IQ.
That's the message from Luc Beausoleil and Jeff Jarvis, co-founder of Ventura Vikings, a program for young athletes interested in playing hockey in college and professionally.
The former professional hockey players give tips about how to help kids control their emotions and let go of games and mistakes. Creating a supportive team culture and strong relationships help kids meet these goal, they say.
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Submit podcast guest ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Visit our youth sports psychology blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
When sports kids are feeling burned out, they aren't as interested in going to practices or games. They don't get as excited about wins, says Andrew Simpson, chief vision officer for Player's Fitness and Performance.
But being burned out is a choice, he says. He helps kids understand their choices and suggests ways to avoid burnout--taking a day or a season off or switching to positions that suit them better, for example.
Perfectionists are most likely to burn out, says Simpson. Parents and coaches can help them by suggesting they avoid negative thinking and focus on what they do well.
Submit podcast ideas here: https://www.peaksports.com/contact-peak-performance-sports/
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Follow our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Parents of kids as young as 7 or 8 are asking for Ashley Eckermann's help. Most of them are grappling with fear of failure.
Eckermann, founder of Maximize the Mind Mental Performance Coaching, asks for lots of detail about kids' worries and goals so she can tailor her suggestions to each young athlete's situation. She also avoids using the term "be positive" because she thinks it creates high expectations in kids.
Submit podcast episode ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
It's possible to speed up young athletes' thinking and reaction time, says Dr. Ryan D'Arcy, a sports dad, professor and president of NeuroCatch, a medical device startup that evaluates cognitive function.
For example, he recently used red light therapy to speed up a football player's cognitive processing by 70 milliseconds.
Speeding up processing this way can help young athletes perform better and avoid concussions, he says.
He provides sports parents tips for optimizing kids' brain health.
Email Dr. D'Arcy at ryan@healthtechconnex.com
Send podcast ideas: LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
When kids make mistakes or are struggling during a game in youth sports, it's not easy to quickly switch to positive thinking.
Instead, young athletes should embrace neutral thinking first. This involves focusing on improving one skill. This gives kids something positive to focus on, rather than filling their minds with negative thoughts.
Send us podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Rather than telling sports kids how to play, parents and coaches should help kids develop their signature style, says Craig Lambert, former chief sports writer at Harvard Magazine.
Kids should begin with strategy, and build their game around that. Technique should follow, he said. Parents should let kids experiment and improvise to develop their own style. This will help them build confidence.
Send podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Carter Hogg, a 20-year-old college football player and inventor of a neck guard to help athletes avoid injuries, discusses the fear of getting injured and the challenges of coming back after an injury.
Send ideas for podcast interviews: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Read articles about youth sports psychology: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/about-the-authors/
Sports kids face a number of challenges when their identity is wrapped up in sports, said Dr. Becca Wallace, a clinical pediatric psychologist at Children's Hospital in New Orleans.
When they get overly involved in sports, their identity becomes closely tied to being athletes.
If they're injured or have to stop playing sports, it can be devastating for young athletes whose identity is too tied to sports, she said. She suggests that parents help young athletes create more balance in their lives.
Send us podcast ideas here: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Check out our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/about-the-authors/
There's so much goodness that can come from participating in youth sports, but ensuring kids experience that goodness requires teams to establish team cultures based on clear expectations of players, parents and coaches.
Team agreements and ethical coaching can help create the opportunity for sports kids to benefit from all that sports offers.
That's the word from Katie Steele and Dr. Tiffany Brown, co-founders of the nonprofit organization Athletes Mental Health Foundation.
Brown and Steele describe how coaches and leagues can forge team agreements and focus on ethical coaching.
Send podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Kids get emotional in street hockey. They might throw their hockey sticks because they missed a shot, for example. Coaches with the Charlotte Street Hockey League deal with such behavior by inviting kids to express their feelings, and then trying to help them find more appropriate ways to communicate. The coaches also focus on teamwork and equal playing time, all the while searching for teachable moments, said Josh Greco, the nonprofit organization's youth director.
For more information about the league, visit Joshuargreco.com.
To send us ideas for podcasts: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit out youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
The L.E.A.D. Center for Youth in Atlanta focuses on helping Black kids and teens learn skills that help them excel in life--and the program is working.
About 60% of Black students in Atlanta public schools graduate, said Kelli Stewart, co-founder of the program. Those who participate in the L.E.A.D. program have a 100% graduation rate.
Send podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Field Champion DeAndre Dukes recently led his players--from underserved communities in L.A.--to a baseball championship game by focusing on mental game skills, emotional intelligence and connection.
Coach Dukes' team played in the "World Series," and made it as far as the championship game, which took place in Florida at the Jackie Robinson Training Center.
Dukes concentrated on learning about the kids and their families, bonding with them and teaching them emotional intelligence skills.
Send us podcast guest ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Check out our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
When kids' sports culture is toxic--when coaches yell at and embarrass kids, for example, it can hurt kids' mental health and self esteem.
Hillary Cauthen, a sports psychologist and author of "Hello Trauma: Our Invisible Teammate" gives tips for helping kids cope with toxicity in youth sports. Kids can do deep breathing or take time for mindfulness exercises, she says.
Send podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Visit our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Kaig Lightner founded Portland Community Football Club 10 years ago, providing coach mentors, free uniforms and no-cost or low-cost opportunities for immigrants and others living in low-income communities.
The program focuses on creating a culture of connection, encouragement and trust. Player growth is more important than winning games.
Now the program has 235 players, 15 coaches and three staff members in Portland, Oregon, and Lightner has plans to expand to other areas of the country through its Liberate Sports program, which aims to remove the barriers that prevent low-income kids from participating in sports.
Learn more about the program: https://www.liberatesports.org/
Send ideas for podcast guests: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
With hula hoops, teddy bears and competitions, Rally Day Camps aims to ensure youth sports is fun for all ages.
Kevin Hoover, CEO of Rally Day Camps and a former baseball player at Fordham University, explains why having fun is critical to young athletes and discusses how sports fun translates into other areas of kids' lives.
He also describes how the camps reward kids who demonstrate strong mental game skills.
Send us ideas for podcast guests:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to the Ultimate Sports Parent podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Archery can provide many benefits to kids, including confidence, focus and a feeling of success.
Kids realize these benefits quickly because they often feel successful early into their training, said Tommy Floyd, president of the National Archery in the Schools Program. Floyd is a former school principal who says archery is an especially important way to engage kids who otherwise don't engage in school activities.
Send us ideas for podcasts: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Check out our Youth Sports Psychology Blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Kids' mental game is critical to youth sports--and improving mental health can boost kids' mental game and performance.
That's the word from Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundation (JED), which works in school sport programs and sports organizations to improve kids' mental health.
Send us podcast episode ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Kids and teens say they lack connections with adults in their schools, says Paul Caccamo, CEO and founder, Up2Us Sports, a coach training program. Youth coaches can fill in the gap and build resilience, improved focus and self-esteem in young athletes, he says. To meet that goal, Up2Us partners with schools and community groups, and works on the ground to entice kids to join teams. Send us podcast ideas:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our Youth Sports Psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/category/youth-sports-psychology-blog/
When kids skip breakfast, they have trouble focusing and underperform in sports, said Steph Magill, a registered dietitian and mother to two teen athletes.
Too often, young athletes don't eat enough because they have such busy schedules.
She gives suggestions for when and what to eat before games, and gives specific suggestions for meals and snacks.
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple: Ultimate Sports Parent on Apple Podcasts
When sports kids see other young athletes perform well in social media, they make comparisons, which can sink their confidence.
Often, a 10-second clip on a social media site involves many takes, and can be misleading. But sports kids often don't realize this and feel like they don't measure up, says John Willcom, a former Division 1 basketball player and author of Walk-On Warrior and No Fear in the Arena.
Young athletes should focus on their own strengths, he said.
Send ideas for podcast guests: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog:
https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
When athletes feel pressure, they naturally tend to panic, said Conor Hogan, author of The Gym Upstairs: The Neuroscience of Future Champions. If they understand some of the neuroscience of sports, they can calm themselves with techniques like visualization and meditation, he said.
Send us ideas for podcast guests: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
In high school, girls in sports drop out at higher rates than boys.
Kathryn Ackerman, a physician and dirctor of the Female Athlete Program in the sports medicine division of Boston's Children's Hospital says that girls in sports deal with numerous societal pressures. They feel like they should look feminine, should avoid acting "bossy" and should have certain body types--among other issues.
Girls and women also experience higher rates of concussions and ACL tears than male athletes, she said. Another challenge is a condition called "relative energy deficiency" caused in part by not eating enough.
Ackerman gives tips for parents of girls in sports and suggests parents visit The Female Athlete Program to learn more about the challenges female athletes face.
Send us ideas for podcast guests: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Sports kids coping with performance anxiety, low confidence and other mental game challenges can benefit from hypnotherapy, said Lark Ericson, a certified hypnotherapist and life coach.
During her sessions, she walks kids through possible games or competitions, raises their stress level, then helps them reduce stress on their own.
Her techniques are a much deeper dive than visualization, she said.
Send podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Empathy is a powerful confidence builder on youth sports teams, says Dr. Conor Hogan, author of The Gym Upstairs: The Neuroscience of Future Champions.
Empathy from coaches and teammates can help young athletes cope with pressure, he said. The athletes know that the team members will always support them.
When young athletes feel empathy from team members, they are less likely to get hung up in negative thinking, he said.
Send podcast guest ideas to: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Performance anxiety, mistakes and low confidence are some of the mental game struggles girls grapple with on Leah Jackson's high school volleyball team.
Jackson, an Ironman and marathon runner and a mental health and performance coach for Ward Melville High School, says that setting intentions is one way to address these challenges. In addition, she suggests that sports kids set short- and long-term goals and focus on the process--not the score or win.
Send us podcast guest ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Check out our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Karate is all about the mental game, says Master Rande Lawrence, head instructor at Lawrence World Class Karate in Fayatteville, N.Y. He helps Matthew Killian--a blind 23-year-old who has autism spectrum disorder--use his strong mental game in karate.
Killian won two gold medals at his first competition, April 30. Lawrence explains how he achieved this feat.
Submit guest ideas for this podcast: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
Subscribe on Apple podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Athletes need to park their egos at the door and embrace teamwork, says Syd Abernathy, a two-time All-American former Navy lacrosse player who was recently inducted into the Chesapeake Chapter of the U.S. Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
He explains why it's important to be a "serving leader" who has an open mindset.
Send podcast ideas to https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/contact-ultimate-sports-parent/
What's the downside of elite and travel teams for young athletes? These teams require parents to pay, and that creates a dicey relationship among parents, kids and coaches, says Hal Phillips, a former sports parent and youth sports coach, plus author of "Generation Zero: Founding Fathers, Hidden Histories and the Making of Soccer in America."
On pay to play teams, kids often don't know where they stand. That's because coaches don't want to lose the income from having kids on their teams so aren't always completely open about their abilities, he argues.
Send ideas for podcast interviews: Contact the Ultimate Sports Parent podcast
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts
Visit our blog: Youth Sports Psychology Blog at the Ultimate Sports Parent
Sports parents need to show their young athletes that they care about more than the win.
That's the word from Wayne LaMarre, clinical professor and director of the athletic training program at the University of New England. He's also on staff for the Women's National Ice Hockey team.
Often, the elite hockey players worry that they'll be replaced by someone waiting in the wings if they make mistakes or get injured. This causes anxiety and makes it difficult to form a cohensive team. LaMarre and his associates create an "oasis" for these players. "We care about the wins and losses but care more about you--your physical and mental health," he tells the players.
Sports parents also need to create an oasis and show they care. LaMarre gives tips for doing this.
Send us podcast ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Subscribe to this podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit our blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Sun Sachs can speak from experience about burnout in sports. The CEO and founder of Rewire Fitness--which helps athletes develop mental fitness--began bike racing as a young kid, and worked his way up to an elite level. At the age of 26, he quit, and couldn't look at a bike for more than eight years.
Now he helps other athletes focus on mental fitness. The Rewire Fitness platform is based on neuroscience and sports psychology.
Submit podcast guest suggestions here: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Visit us at https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/
Subscribe to this podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
For college recruiters, players' mental game is important. Recruiters learn about kids' mental game skills--or deficiencies--by talking to high school coaches, watching game videos and watching both parents and players at games.
Keirsten Sires, CEO and founder of 2aDays--which provides college coach ratings and experiences from athletes--gives tips about how young athletes can demonstrate that they have a solid mental game. She also warns parents about how their behavior can undermine a young athlete's ability to be recruited.
Send us ideas for guests at: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Read our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Lauren Cox was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at a young age, and she worried that her health condition would crush her dreams of becoming a high-level athlete.
But she didn't let diabetes undermine her dreams. She developed mental game skills that helped her thrive in basketball.
Her mental game tips can help most young athletes address challenges associated with adversity.
Be sure to send us podcast episode ideas: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Check out our youth sports psychology blog: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Here it is on Apple Podcasts:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
When sports kids experience overuse injuries, it often hurts their mental game, often leading to burnout.
Robert Weil, a sports podiatrist and host of the Sports Doctor Radio Show, says it's important for parents and coaches to understand the issues that lead to overuse injuries and burnout. Pressure to continue playing after an injury is one problem, he says.
Subscribe to this podcast on Apple Podcasts here: Ultimate Sports Parent podcast or wherever you get your podccasts.
Be sure to send us ideas for the podcast here: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/contact/
Learn more about youth sports psychology: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
It's easy to assume that young athletes are most interested in winning games and competitions. But that's not what the research says, according to Bill Eckstrom, CEO of Ecsell Sports and author of The Coaching Effect. In focus groups, athletic directors and coaches say that a positve sports experience is what kids desire most.
Learn more about us at http://www.YouthSportsPsychology.com
Subscribe to this podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
At age 19, Cliff Meidl survived an electric shock that prompted his doctors to say they needed to amputate both legs above the knees.
But his mother did some research and discovered Dr. Malcolm Lesavoy, a plastic surgeon and clinical professor of plastic surgery at UCLA School of Medicine. Lesavoy saved Meidl's legs, and then Meidl began the tough journey of learning how to walk again. In this episode, Meidl describes how he overcame feelings of shame, built his confidence and became an Olympic kayaker.
Subscribe to this podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597
Visit us at https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/
Send podcast ideas to LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
If young athletes embrace this 3-point pre-game plan, they'll experience more success--in and out of sports, says Jazlyn Pipkins, founder and owner of Jazletics LLC. She's a virtual peak performance mentality coach and former high school and college athlete.
The winning three tasks are meditation, visualization and affirmation. In this podcasta, Pipkins goes into detail about how athletes should complete these tasks--and the mistakes they often make doing it.
Visit us at https://YouthSportsPsychology.com for more about our mental game programs.
Be sure to subscribe to this podcast at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/building-confidence-in-young-athletes/id1602758597 or wherever you get your podcasts.
Feel free to send us podcast ideas at LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com
Young athletes often drop out of sports if they can't keep up with the status quo and pay for travel teams or expensive camps, clubs and training, says Joey Grant, former Division 1 football player and CEO of GMTM, a social network that aims to increase access to sports for people of all ages. He provides tips on how to keep kids in sports.
Subcribe on Apple Podcasts: Ultimate Sports Parent podcast
Visit our website: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/
Email LisaEllenCohn1@gmail.com with suggestions for guests on the podcast.
Visualization and deep breathing are critical mental game skills, says Dion von Moltke, former professional race car driver and co-foudner of Blayze, which connects amateur athletes one-on-one with professional athletes. He describes how mental game training gave his racing career a boost.
Young athletes are often not prepared for the transitions ahead of them, which may include moving from high school to college sports, playing Division 2 instead of Division 1, or being injured and not playing at all.
Justin Lott, CEO of VarCity, tells how to help young athletes prepare for these transitions, which can be devastating.
Many sports kids don't understand what mental game training involves, and resist it. They think it's some kind of therapy. Truth is, mental game training is education. It's all about teaching kids how to boost skills that benefit them in sports and life. Mental game expert Dr. Cohn explains how to help kids embrace this important type of training.
About 70% of kids drop out of sports by the age of 14, and of those, twice as many girls drop out than boys. That's the word from Nicole McCormack, general manager of brand solutions at TeamSnap, a technology platform for sports parents and coaches.
Why do girls drop out and what can parents and coaches do to keep them in sports?
Honest Game, a female-owned sports tech company, conducted research in 12 states to date and has found that about 50% of high schools in the states studied lack an educational pathway for students to play NCAA college sports. This issue disproportionally impacts kids at under-resourced schools, where as many as one in two athletes lack the courses required by the NCAA.
Joyce Anderson, co-founder and COO of Honest Game, explains how Honest Game can help ensure athletes complete the required courses.
As an attorney, Judie Saunders represents youth athletes in civil court, internal investigations, mediations and arbitrations.
Bullying by coaches, physical and verbal abuse and sexual abuse are some of the issues she addresses for her youth athlete clients. Racial slurs and body shaming are also issues she addresses.
Saunders, who serves as co-chair of Griesing Law’s confidential & sensitive investigations practice group, gives tips to parents about the legal avenues they can pursue for their sports kids. She stresses the need to remove kids from teams if they feel unsafe.
New concussion rules and regulations can build respect in young athletes for their opponents. In addition, the rules don’t hurt kids’ other mental game skills.
That’s the word from Thomas Heiden, who played college hockey at Notre Dame and has coached many different sports for a few decades. He’s also a trial lawyer with Latham and Watkins and has tried high-profile sports lawsuits, including a high school concussion class action lawsuit.
Kids are coming to Skyhawks Sports Academy camps with confidence challenges, says Sarah Kelley-Reid, a sports parent and the East Coast regional manager at Skyhawks Sports Academy, which provides skill-based sports experiences for kids 4-14.She describes how teaching life skills--including respect, teamwork and inclusion--helps builds sports kids' confidence.
Recruiters and coaches look for a number of mental game traits when they’re evaluating athletes, says David Kmiecik, senior recruiting manager for Next College Student Athlete (NCSA). He describes how recruiters identify these traits and answers the question: How can athletes (and their parents) look their best in front of recruiters and college coaches?
Perfectionist sports kids are among the people most likely to seek help from Audrey Grunst, LCSW, a mental performance coach, owner of Simple Bee Counseling and former mental performance coach for the Northwestern University women's volleyball team.
How do help perfectionists? Start by telling them you love them, no matter what!
Visit us at https://YouthSportsPsychology.com
Teams can keep score, even when players are young, and the players will still have fun and learn physical and mental game skills.
That's the message from former Walt Disney Studios executive Sasha Graham, a sports mom, former youth sports coach and author of "Whitney Wins Everything." They're more likely to be good team players and learn how to cope with losses and mistakes, she says.
Learn more at https:// https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Baseball can be a "self-esteem destroying sport" for kids because mistakes are a big part of th game, says Josh Thole, former catcher for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays.
But parents can help ensure the sport doesn't hurt their kids' self-esteem, he says. First of all, they shouldn't focus on mistakes, but instead, should concentrate on helping kids move passt mistakes, he says.
Visit https://YouthSportsPsychology.com
Find youth sports articles, podcasts and videos: https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/
Baseball can be a "self-esteem destroying sport" because mistakes are a big part of the game, says Josh Thole, former catcher for the New York Mets and Toronto Blue Jays.
But parents can help ensure the sport doesn't hurt their kids' self-esteem, he says. First of all, they shouldn't focus on mistakes, but instead, should concentrate on helping sports kids move past mistakes.
Pickleball is growing quickly as a youth sport, with many schools offering it for the first time.
The sport is easy to learn, doesn't require much equipment and is accessible to kids of all income levels. It offers the opportunity to build confidence and make new friends.
Stereotypes about girls in sports hurt girls' performance, dreams and confidence, says Donny DeDonatis III, CEO of the United States Specialty Sports Association, a former pro athlete and sports parent to twins in sports. He describes his worries about his own daughter, age 7, and what he's doing to ensure girls and women have equal opportunities in sports.
Visit http://YouthSportsPsychology.com
What are the habits of supportive sports parents? Sharkie Zartman, a colllege professor, UCLA and USA national team volleyball athlete, author, coach and radio host give tips for sports parents.
Learn more at https://youthsportspsychology.com
For information about our programs:https://www.peaksports.com/sports-psychology-blog/sport-psychology-books-cd-programs/
A study by the Aspen Institute and Utah State University--commissioned by TeamSnap--revealed what parents want most from youth sports and how the pandemic affected kids' ability to meet those goals.
TeamSnap's study showed that parents, most of all, want kids to have fun, said Peter Frintzilas, CEO of TeamSnap, a youth sports management app.
How can parents help kids whose confidence and performance were undermined by the pandemic?
Visit https://youthsportspsychology.com
Find our youth sports psychology programs at Our products page
Coming out of the pandemic creates a much-needed opportunity to re-design youth sports in a way that provides kids with more fun and human connection. That's the word from Meredith Whitley, PhD, associate professor in Adelphi's School of Health Sciences and co-editor of the Journal for Sport Development.
She gives tips for building connection and giving kids more control of their sports experience.
Learn more at The Ultimate Sports Parent
Find Whitley's work at Whitley's bio page at Adelphi
Comminicating and connecting with sports kids is an important part of being a sports parent. Harley Rotbart, pediatrician, sports parent and author of the bestselling "No Regrets Parenting" says it's important for parents to take advantage of the opportunities to connect with kids while helping them participate in youth sports. The car ride is one opportunity, he says.
Additional resources:
Visit our blog, https://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/ for more information.
Visit our website at YouthSportsPsychology
Communicating and connecting with sports kids is an important bonus of youth sports. Harley Rotbart, pediatrician, sports parent and author of the bestselling No Regrets Parenting says it’s important for parents to take advantage of the opportunities to connect with kids while helping them participate in youth sports. The car ride is one great opportunity, he says.
During this “unprecedented” pandemic, it’s also critical to help sports kids cope with the challenges of social distancing and political battles at home, in school and at sports over mask wearing and vaccinations, he says.
In their efforts to help sports kids develop a growth mindset, parents and coaches should keep in mind that giving too many sweeping compliments can get kids "stuck" thinking they don't need to grow in certain areas of sports, says Michaela Renee Johnson. She's a bestselling author and a top iTunes podcaster with her "But Why?" podcast, which encourages people to look at life with a growth mindset. She's also a licensed therapist.
We're moving this podcast, please subscribe to this link: https://the-ultimate-sports-parent.libsyn.com/ Soon you'll be able to find our podcast on any of your favorite platforms, but for now, while we're making the transition, please subscribe to the link above!
James Lowe, aka Coach Ballgame, combines his creative skills with his love of baseball to build in sports kids a love of the game. He creates "sandlots" that allow kids to play informally on empty fields and adds a theatrical touch to his coaching to ensure kids are having fun. One parent told him, "You've turned my kid from a gamer into a baseball player."
High-fiving young athletes while staying silent is a powerful way to get kids excited about their sport, says Jarrett Robertson, a former pro hockey player and author of "Make it a Great Day: How to Feel Awesome So That You Can Help Others." He shares his strategies for ensuring kids love their sport.
Often, girls and young women compare themselves to their teammates or opponents, which hurts their confidence in sports. Mothers also compare their daughters to others in their sport, creating additional challenges for the girls, says Breanne Smedley, a certified female athlete Confidence Coach who works to empower female athletes.
When parents and their young athletes gain some understanding of how the nervous system works, they can better cope with fight, flight and freeze reactions. Sports performance consultant Pomai Miyata explains that nervous energy can be helpful. But when kids freeze, their nervous system is working against them. She gives tips for helping kids who tend to freeze up.
Often, parents focus too much on ensuring their kids are having fun in youth sports, which results in kids dropping out if the experience isn't fun or entertaining, says Jonathan Edwards, Olympian, speaker, coach and author of "An Athlete's Guide to Winning in Sports and Life." But kids don't drop out of math or English when they're no longer fun. What should parents focus on instead?
Body image worries. Fears of excelling and being chosen to lead. These issues undermine girls’ experiences in sports. Girls and young women not only worry about how they look; they’re concerned that other girls will be angry with them for doing well and being chosen for leadership positions, says Breanne Smedley, a certified female athlete Confidence Coach, former college volleyball player, youth sports coach and founder of The Elite Competitor. Girls and young women also mirror their mothers’ confidence issues, she says.
Communicating feelings, deep breathing and exercise are just three activities that help boost resilience in sports kids, says Dr. Randall Bell, a former youth sports coach and sports parent, a socio-economist and author of "Post-Traumatic Thriving: The Art, Science, & Stories of Resilience." Coaches and parents can help kids bounce back after setbacks by encouraging them to talk about how they feel, helping them practice deep breathing and ensuring they get exercise. It's also important for coaches and parents to acknowledge kids' feelings and use positive language, he says. Coaches naturally help accomplish these goals by providing an outlet for exercise, holding team meetings and being good listeners, he says.
Parents need to remember that sports should be the kids' journey, not the parents', says Amy Oliphant, a former Division 1 tennis player and founder, Transcend Mental Training, which provides mental conditioning coaching. What other tips does the youth sports coach and mom to four athletes suggest? Kids should play multiple sports, rather than specializing early and should help young athletes focus on the process.
"Trust the training," says Mark Jeffery, a London-based former Army officer and Army tennis champion who is helping organize an online summit, "Winning Summit," which includes a Sept. 19 event for sports parents. https://earlybird.winningsummit.com/ Jeffery explains how sports kids can turn off their tendency to overthink and just go for it, or trust the training. His suggestions are based on his experiences as an Army officer in the UK.
When gymnast Simone Biles experienced the "twisties" during the 2021 Olympics and withdrew, was the move due to a mental toughness lapse or a mental health challenge? Lisa Cohn chats with her brother, mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn, about the incident. What can sports parents learn from Biles' experience? Did Biles let down her country or was she brave to express her fears and difficulties?
Chris Meyer coached his son's team for nine years, from kindergarten through 8th grade. In this interview, the author of "Four Months...and a Lifetime," explains how he focused on teaching the young athletes life lessons. He reveals what he learned from his players, and gives sports parents tips about ensuring their kids are happy and confident in sports.
Chris Meyer coached his son's team for nine years, from kindergarten through 8th grade. In this interview, the author of "Four Months...and a Lifetime," explains how he focused on teaching the young athletes life lessons. He reveals what he learned from his players, and gives sports parents tips about ensuring their kids are happy and confident in sports.
What does it mean when sports kids are "in" their hindbrain as opposed to their frontal lobe when practicing or competing? Pomai Miyata, a sports performance consultant, sports mom and founder of ICE Mental Game, explains that young athletes are more likely to perform intuitively, "just go for it" and get in the zone if they're in their hindbrain. She explains how parents can help their kids make the most of their hindbrains.
Sports kids may feel anxious about changing the routines they developed during the COVID pandemic, says Elizabeth Englander, a Ph.D psychologist, researcher, professor and author of "The Insanely Awesome Post-Pandemic Playbook." However, playing sports is a good way to transition to normal life, she says. She gives tips for helping sports kids make that transition.
Parents can connect with kids many ways when their kids are playing sports, says Dr. Harley Rotbart, pediatrician, sports parent and author of "No Regrets Living." One opportunity is helping them through losses or mistakes. Parents can teach kids to focus on being grateful for what they have, not on their losses. He also gives tips for focusing on growth, rather than winning.
Ryan Colby, a mental health specialist for athletes, is seeing a big jump in the number of kids experiencing anxiety and depression during the pandemic—and that includes sports kids who were already feeling pressure. “I’m seeing crazy spikes in anxiety and depression,” he says.
Kids can learn a number of “superpowers” by participating in sports--traits such as courage, resilience and character. That’s the message from Beth Brown, an educator with a Ph.D in sports psychology and the author of the children’s book series, “Adventures with Divot and Swish.” She’s also a former member of the University of Oklahoma basketball team as well as the conference champion women’s golf team.
Jack Canfield, co-creator of the "Chicken Soup for the Soul" series, peak performance expert and author of the new kids' book "I Can Believe in Myself" tells how to turn kids' "I can't" beliefs into "I can." He gives tips for helping kids step out of their comfort zone and explains how this helps them build confidence and learn life lessons. The father of four describes some of his experiences as a sports dad and coach.
Emotional contagion can run wild in youth sports teams, says Jess Woods, Ph.D, a sport and performance consultant, sports parent and youth sports coach. She explains how kids can "catch" emotions from parents, coaches and teammates, and how this can hurt--or help--a team's performance and perspective. She gives parents and coaches tips for helping kids avoid being negatively impacted by others' emotions in sports.
Resilience is an important trait for kids in sports. It helps them bounce back after losses, injuries and other types of adversity. Psychologist Kathryn Den Houter, author of Resilience: A Workbook: Powering Through Adversity to Find Happiness describes how parents can help kids be resilient and flexible. Dr. Den Houter is a former sports mom to a successful equestrian.
What's it like for a teen athlete to play sports, especially during the COVID-19 crisis? Deacon Clark is a high schooler who runs track and plays basketball. He discusses identity issues related to being an athlete, sports kids who aren't team players and what it was like feeling pressured to play basketball when he was injured. He described playing basketball in a school that didn't prepare well for COVID--and why he changed schools.
Why is it so important for young athletes to seek a balanced life, rather than focusing exclusively on sports? Hernan Chousa, a former tennis pro and sports dad to a Division 1 athlete, says that kids who lack balance will burn out more quickly and experience other challenges. Chousa will talk about parents in sports during a presentation at "The Winning Summit." https://2021.winningsummit.com/talks/parentshift/#
It’s important to build teams that focus on inclusion, which will boost all players’ confidence and success, says Nadine Haruni, a lawyer and author of “Freeda the Frog and Her New Blue Family.” She gives tips to help teams create inclusiveness and empathy for kids of color, as well as kids in non-traditional families. As a mother in a blended family with five kids, she speaks from experience.
For Cami Hawkins, CEO of Marathon Kids, which provides resources for schools to start running clubs, motivating kids is all about setting small goals and celebrating success. Hawkins describes how the organization’s coaches set goals that are specific to kids’ interests and abilities. They also celebrate participants’ successes
Kids and teens are getting sick from lack of exercise and outdoor play, says Dr. Dan O'Neill, an orthopedic surgeon, sports psychologist and author of "Survival of the Fit." Screen time and processed foods are the culprit. Twenty percent of kids are obese and many of them are suffering from ailments like diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol--adult illnesses.What can parents do to keep their kids healthy?
How does community help sports kids build confidence? V.J. Stanley, a coach, former teacher and author of numerous youth sports books explains how feeling supported by community boosts kids' confidence and performance. Equal playing time for kids 10 and under is just one way to build this community, he says. He also addresses the importance of trust, intuition and peace of mind in kids' sports.
Chasta Hamilton, author of "Trash the Trophies: How to Win Without Losing Your Soul" was seeing "red flags" In the dance scene, so decided to offer young dancers an alternative that feeds their souls. She instructs students to focus on the process, give back to their communities and embrace collaboration, among other issues. She tells Ultimate Sports Parent Radio how kids have grown from this program--and how kids in sports in general can benefit from this approach.
What's the link between having safe equipment--such as helmets--and feeling confident? Mike Oliver, executive director of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) says that kids are more likely to feel confident if their equipment is safe. But sometimes, expensive equipment will make them too cocky, and vulnerable to injuries.
Rebekah Roulier--director of The Champions Network and a former NCAA Division 1 student athlete who has a degree in counseling--explains how coaches can help sports kids with mental health challenges, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. She also addresses the mental health impacts of systemic racism in youth sports.
Christian Buck, author of The Sport of School and a performance coach who has worked with college teams at Brown, Harvard and Yale, talks about the importance of creating a vision and setting goals in youth sports--and how these ideas can help kids in school. He also provides tips for helping kids stay in engaged in sports during the COVID-19 crisis.
Kate T Parker. a professional photographer and New York Times bestselling author of The Heart of a Boy and Strong is the New Pretty talks about girls and body image. How can parents help girls worry less about how they look in sports? She also addresses what she sees as the top challenge for girls in sports: how their parents communicate with them. Parker is an ironman and former collegiate (and current rec) soccer player.
Christie Pearce Rampone, a two-time Women's World Cup champion, three-time Olympic gold medalist, and former captain of the US Women’s National Soccer Team teams up with sports neuropsychologist and brain health expert Dr. Kristine Keane to provide tips to sports parents. In this podcast episode, the pair, authors of “Be All In: Raising Kids for Success in Sports and Life,” address topics that include alleviating youth sports pressures, dealing with perfectionists, helping kids learn from mistakes and why to avoid specialization.
Brian Levenson, a mental performance coach and author of "Shift Your Mind," describes helpful mindsets in youth sports, including "uncomfortable in preparation, comfortable in performance" and "selfish in preparation, selfless in performance." His aim is to help athletes, teams and organizations unlock their potential by understanding and embracing these mindsets. The key is to focus on "strong skills," including communication, resilience and teamwork, he says.
Adelaide Goodeve began coaching athletes of all ages in a very roundabout way. When she was struggling with chronic fatigue syndrome, she learned how to retrain her brain, and in doing so, became a triathlete. Now Adelaide helps pro and amateur athletes cut minutes off their time by finding performance solutions using mindset strategies & neuro performance technology. With sports kids, she focuses on using visualization and other strategies to improve their confidence.
Amy Bass, author of "One Goal: A Coach, a Team and the Game That Brought a Divided Town Together,” relates how refugees from Somalia brought soccer to the town of Lewiston, Maine and changed it in remarkable ways. The soccer coach listened to the refugee community and showed empathy to make this transition happen, says Bass, a professor of sport studies at Manhattanville College. She touches on the importance of athletes serving as role models in troubling times.
How can parents and coaches help girls bullied in sports? Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Aureen Monteiro, author of the upcoming book "Rise Higher," which aims to empower women to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams. She gives tips for helping girls who are bullied, based in part on experience helping her daughter who plays sports in India.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio talks with Jeremy Bhandari, the 23-year-old author of "Trust The Grind," a new book about how world-class athletes got to the top. A former researcher for ESPN, Bhandari reveals what he discovered interviewing sixteen athletes and how his book applies to young athletes.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio once again interviews Kelly Gray, this time about the benefits of kids embracing a growth mindset in sports. He also provides parents tips about what they should be looking for while kids aren't playing sports during the COVID-19 crisis. Parents should be sure to focus on what kids are passionate about--and not what they've "had" to do in sports. Gray is a former professional soccer player who has worked for many years with youth sports organizations. He’s founder of Kelly Gray Sports and South Bay Football Club.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kelly Gray, a former professional soccer player who has many years experience working with youth sports organizations. He’s founder of Kelly Gray Sports and South Bay Football Club. His message: Kids shouldn't view youth sports as a job. They shouldn't be pressured by parents. He gives tips for ensuring young athletes have more fun and reap benefits long-term.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Brendan Kitson, co-founder of the City Schools Sports Association of New York City, a sports league in its first year serving the city's schools, primarily located in under-served areas. He describes the challenges of young athletes in these areas with fewer opportunities.
It’s still possible for kids to stay involved in sports during COVID-19 isolation, says Spencer Gordon, partnership manager for the Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Portland in this podcast episode. PCA, which aims to create better athletes and people, has launched a “Life as a Team Sport” campaign, which includes many online resources for helping young athletes tune up their mental game skills. It includes Zoom meetings and Facebook Live events that feature well-known athletes. Gordon gives parents tips for keeping kids engaged in sports while they're in isolation. He focuses on the potential to boost kids' mental games during this time period.
Jeff Long, founder of Healthy Kids Running Series and a former Division 1 runner, launches an online version of his program. Kids do races individually in safe places and share videos, statistics and photos online. He tells Ultimate Sports Parent Radio about the benefits of kids continuing to move during the COVID-19 crisis.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Brad Donohue, a psychology professor at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas and expert on sports psychology and wellness. He describes why athletes should break certain "mental game" guidelines and shares information about a study during which coaches and peers said a series of motivational phrases to athletes during practice.
In this Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interview, Christian Lavers, president, Elite Clubs National League (ECNL), says that for all athletes, confidence comes and goes. He gives tips about how young athletes can build up their confidence when it drops.
Mark Greenburg, a youth sports coach, former physical education teacher and author of "Elevated Leadership, a Pitch-By-Pitch Guide to Business, Life, and Baseball' describes how parents can help their kids develop emotional intelligence and empathy through sports. He gives tips for helping kids communicate with coaches.
Elizabeth Pecsok, a coach for Oregon Gymnastics Academy, says she coaches special needs kids by helping them overcome fears and feel successful.
The words parents and coaches choose when communicating with young athletes can boost kids’ confidence or deflate it, says Ganon Baker, a sports development coach who has worked with teams internationally and also played basketball in Iceland. He gives tips for communicating with sports kids.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Nancy Lough, professor at University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), who focuses on gender equity in sports, explains why more girls drop out of sports than boys. It's due, in part, to stereotypes about what boys and girls should be doing.She also describes how girls are becoming more actively involved in pushing for equal pay in professional sports.
Caroline Maguire, author of "Why Will No One Play with Me?" and a professional certified coach who has worked with Olympic and other athletes, gives tips for helping young athletes read others' cues. Being better able to respond to social cues improves players' experience, helps them avoid getting into trouble and allows them to listen to direction, she says. She addresses other mental game topics, including fear of failure and perfectionism.
The pressures of modern youth sports are creating stress related mental health issues in young athletes. But there’s a non-traditional way of addressing this stress. That’s what we learned during our interview with Bradley Donohue, a psychology professor at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), and director of The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS), a mental health program for athletes.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Alex Molden, former NFL player, motivational speaker, high school football coach and sports parent. He says the biggest challenge for parents is being patient and letting kids develop at their own pace.
Tricia Roos, Bishop Lynch High School’s head women’s volleyball coach, talks about how social media in youth sports affects communication--and what she does about it on her high school teams.
Brooks Elms, a youth sports coach and former Division 3 player for NYU, says he's spent countless hours thinking about whether winning is important in sports. He brings that background to his coaching, helping kids focus on staying in the moment. In this interview, he gives tips for coaching and communicating with kids.
Mohammed Almarzouq, 27, from Saudi Arabia, a recent ninja coach for kids at Skyhook Ninja Fitness, has appeared on American Ninja Warrior twice. The "Grownup Child" talks about the benefits of playfulness in sports, and how he encourages playfulness in youth sports. Follow him on instagram @grownupchild
Mary Nhin, co-author, along with her son, Kobe, of "How to Win Wimbledon in Pajamas," describes how learning about mental toughness helped her son overcome a cold streak in tennis. She provides mental toughness tips.
Richard Burke, a coach for numerous youth sports teams, explains how our "Ultimate Sports Parent" program helped a 10-year-old athlete address perfectionism in baseball.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kaig Lightner, founder of Portland Community Football Club, a soccer club that aims to provide low-income kids affordable access to sports. Team members, many of them hispanic, often must grapple with bullying from other teams, he says.
Bob Katz, a journalist, former sports dad and coach and author of the kids' book "EZ and the Intangibles," discusses why it's important for sports parents to drop the sports fan mindset when watching their kids perform.
New studies show that 14% of soccer and other players age 6-12 drop out of sports. Until now, the focus has been on older kids--the fact that more than 50% of kids drop out of sports by age 13. In this Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interview with Ben Benjamin Dudley, executive director of Positive Coaching Alliance, Portland, and Mark Lawton, a longtime coach and volunteer PCA impact coach, we learn what the problem is, and get suggestions for helping solve it. Visit https://devzone.positivecoach.org/ to get more tips from PCA.
Greg Winkler, longtime coach, and author of "Coaching a Season of Significance," describes what parents should say and do after a game. He gives tips about the best ways to communicate with young athletes.
Kimberly Lackey, founder of Empath Coaching, discusses how nutrition affects kids' mental game and performance in youth sports. She gives tips about nutrition choices before games and practice.
Part Two of our interview with Mark Lawton, a longtime teacher and coach who has taken teams to the championship level. How do kids react when they feel as if they're not being treated fairly? And what can coaches and parents do about it?
Mark Lawton, a longtime teacher and coach who has led many teams to championships, describes how to create a confidence-boosting team culture--and why it's important to kids' confidence.
Mark Lawton, a longtime teacher and coach who has led many teams to championships, says kids and parents with a strong sense of fairness often get upset by perceived issues of fairness. He provides tips for addressing fairness issues and ensuring kids stay confident in youth sports. He also addresses differences between boys and girls.
How can youth sports coaches be fair about giving kids playing time? How can they ensure kids feel as if they're being treated fairly? How are girls different than boys in how they view fairness? Mark Lawton, a longtime teacher and coach of numerous championship teams, gives tips about how coaches can be fair--and how this affects kids' mental game.
Failure is built into youth baseball, says Nova Newcomer, executive director of Friends of Baseball in Portland. She provides tips for helping young athletes let go of their fear of failure.
Chris Trieste, a veteran educator with extensive experience in coaching, teaching, and administration gives parents tips about how to protect sports kids from predators and bullies in light of the USA Gymnastics Team scandal.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Ted Theocheung, CEO of the Specialized Foundation, about recent studies that show how exercise boosts brain function, attention and concentration in kids with ADHD--and everyone else. The foundation has partnered with Stanford University to fund research to better understand the effects of exercise on brain function and cognition in children with ADHD. During the interview, the experts stress that exercise helps all kids with brain function and concentration.
Dr. Kate Lund, a psychologist, performance coach and author of "Bounce -- Help Your Child Build Resilience and Thrive in School, Sports and Life," explains the importance of resilience in kids' lives and gives tips for building resilience.
Jamy Bechler, a former college basketball coach and author of “The Leadership Playbook: Be Your Team’s Most Valuable Leader,” provides advice about how to build strong leaders in sports. And they don't have to be team captains!
Girls drop out of sports at a rate that's six times higher than boys, research shows. In this podcast, Lisa Cohn, host of Ultimate Sports Parent Radio, interviews Samantha Salvia, a World Champion Ultimate Frisbee player who leads Positive Coaching Alliance workshops for coaches, athletes, and sports parents in the San Francisco Bay Area, and Benjamin Dudley, sports dad, coach and executive director for the Portland Chapter of the Positive Coaching Alliance. They address why girls are dropping out and how the trend can be reversed.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews former NBA player Bob Bigalow, author of "Just Let the Kids Play," and "Youth Sports: Still Failing Our Kids," about the challenges in youth sports today. He and mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn discuss how parents can help kids feel happy and confident in youth sports, rather than being over-involved.
Often, sports kids lose confidence if they don’t do well during pregame warmups. This is especially true of perfectionists, who want to get everything just right all the time. In this interview with mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn, parents learn that sports kids don’t need to win pregame warmups—and how to deal with perfectionists who think they do need to win them.
In this Ultimate Sports Radio podcast episode, mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn discusses how the pregame jitters can help kids focus better and boost their energy just before a game. However, sometimes those butterflies and sweaty palms are more than just jitters; they2019re actually performance anxiety.Visit www.Ultimatesportsparent.com and stay tuned for our new 10-Minute Pregame Prep program
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Bob Jordan, a youth sports coach of 35 years who in the 1960s asked the mothers of his football players to learn how to play the sport. What did they learn? Learn more about Jordan and his books for moms by listening!
Sports kids need to walk away from games with renewed confidence—or at least with their confidence intact. In the third of our series of podcasts about post-game tips for sports parents, that’s the idea we want parents and coaches to embrace.
In the second of our "Post-Game Tips for Sports Parents" audios, Dr. Patrick Cohn, mental game expert, gives sports parents tips about how to communicate with kids after a game. A few tips: Don't dwell on their mistakes and look for learning opportunities.
In this Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interview, mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn identifies some of the challenges sports parents face after a game. This is first in a series of post-game tips with Lisa Cohn and Patrick Cohn.
What can sports kids learn from underdog Roberta Vinci beating Serena Williams in the US Open semi-finals? A lot. In this podcast, mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn identifies the mental game issues--especially expectations and perfectionism--that came into play during the semi-finals.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jason Kreidman, founder of Dudes to Dads, which provides advice and support to new fathers. He is also a former high school and college athlete who spent most of his waking hours as a child immersed in youth sports, an experience that was both positive and negative. He gives tips for new sports dads.
In this Ultimate Sports Parent Radio episode, Brian Brunkow, author of "Zero Offseason: Divorce & Sports Parenting" gives divorced parents tips about sports parenting. The bottom line: Keep your kids' best interests in mind.
In a Yahoo! Parenting article, we (Lisa and Patrick Cohn), identified six common sports parent sins. In this podcast, we discuss those sins, often committed by well-meaning sports parents. You can read the article here: https://www.yahoo.com/parenting/6-surprising-sports-parent-sins-12225094020 2.html
How can coaches build trust in young athletes and why is trust so important? Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Thom Schauerman, varsity soccer coach and middle school volleyball coach at The Shipley School. Coaches can't impart life lessons in sports kids unless they have first earned kids' trust, he says. He shares innovative ideas for building a tight-knit team and trust.
Megan Bartlett, Chief Program Officer for Up2Us, talks about how her program uses sports to integrate behavioral development into youth sports. The training teaches youth coaches how to build life skills.
Too often, kids look for praise from others to boost their confidence. In this interview with mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn, he speaks directly to young athletes about how they should be responsible for their own confidence.
In Part 2 of this series created specifically for young athletes, mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn explains how and why high expectations hurt sports kids' confidence. Learn more at www.YouthSportsPsychology.com
In the first of a series of podcasts in which mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn speaks directly to young athletes about mental game issues, he tells kids how to think about warm ups. They're not meant to be a competition to win.
Kirk Mango is a former Division I National Champion, 3-Time All-American, 3-Time Hall of Fame Athlete, and was selected in 2009 as #8 on Northern Illinois University's Top 50 Huskies of All-Time list. In high school, however, his coach told him he wouldn't make it. Mango, who says he was a mediocre gymnast at the time, set his sights on become a state champion--in 10 months. What choices did Mango make, what mental mindset did he embrace to make it to the top--and even publish a book, "Becoming a True Champion?"
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Joan Steidinger, author of "Sisterhood in Sports: How Female Athletes Collaborate and Compete," about why girls take part in sports, what they want to get out of it, and how parents can support them.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Cris Dobrosielski, an author, motivational speaker, fitness expert and longtime youth sports coach about a new George Washington University study that identifies the four keys to keeping kids in youth sports.
How can sports kids overcome challenges like perfectionism? How can they think in ways that help them feel like they're breaking through barriers to confidence and performance?Gene Jones, a former athlete, sports coach, and former sports commentator explains how breakthrough thinking can help young athletes.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dr. Christopher Stankovich, Ph.D., a professional athletic counselor, about how more and more kids are prescribed medications for mental health issues and how the medications affects kids' mental game. Stankovich, who believes the medications are over-prescribed, says that, among other things, the meds hurt undermine kids' creativity and spontaneity--essential traits in youth sports and life.
Kids with anxiety often experience higher levels of anxiety in high-pressure sports situations.Dr. Jeremy Pettit, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology in the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University, gives tips for helping these kids.
How can sports kids who've just joined a team prove to the coach and team mates that they can make an impact? In this interview, Audrey, mother of Bjorn, explains how her son joined a AAA team and lost confidence when the coach didn't play him enough and the kids didn't pass to him. But all that changed.
How can sports kids who've just joined a team prove to the coach and team mates that they can make an impact? In this interview, Audrey, mother of Bjorn, explains how her son joined a AAA team and lost confidence when the coach didn't play him enough and the kids didn't pass to him. But all that changed.
How do you shift the expectations of sports kids, especially in urban areas, who don't expect much from themselves? In this fascinating interview with Ultimate Sports Parent Radio, Eric DeMeulenaere, a Clark University professor and former soccer coach and author of "Reflections From the Field,” tells how. He also identifies traits of the best coaches.
Too often, sports kids come to practice and go through the motions, says Bobby Kipper, a former college coach and co-author of a new book, "Performance Driven Thinking." He gives tips for inspiring, motivating and focusing young athletes using "performance driven thinking."
How do you motivate young athletes? Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Steven Frierman, a professor at Hofstra University and a former coach who advises coaches and athletes about the mental game.
VJ Stanley, a retired college hockey coach and youth sports coach of 30 years who wants to change sports and bring back healthy fun for children, gives detailed and fun tips for introducing young kids to sports.
Brad Jubin, co-founder of "A Team That Always Plays for Each Other." discusses the value of ensuring sports kids' Number One Priority is supporting each other.
How does all the news about steroid use in sports hurt young athletes? Kirk Mango, national champion, Hall of Famer, and author of 201CBecoming A True Champion," says that this is a big distraction for young athletes. He explains what kids should be focusing on.
Kevin MacCauley, founder of BookACoach, describes how youth coaches can hurt or boost kids' confidence in sports. His company provides private, one-on-one coaching nationwide.
Daniel St.Andre, president of the Town and Country Lacrosse Assoc., gives tips for dealing with kids who play positions that require them to focus intensely. These kids often get upset or angry if they make mistakes.
Courtney Johnson, a silver Olympic medialist water polo player who is now a sports parent gives mental game tips for parents, based on her experience with her own children. She covers perfectionism, fear of failure and other topics.
Jack Malley, sports dad, coach, and author of “Meet the Lunatics who Run Your Kids’ Sports Leagues," addresses the pitfalls of early specialization and offers sports parents tips. When does it make sense to specialize early?
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Troy Drayton, coordinator of youth programs for the Miami Dolphins, who says distractions are a top mental game challenge for kids. He offers tips for both young athletes and their parents, saying sometimes parents pressure their sports kids too much.
Dr. Joan Steidenger, a licensed clinical and sports psychologist who works with athletes at all levels and a certified consultant to the Association of Applied Sports Psychology, discusses the challenges female teen athletes face and how parents should address them. Many female teens drop out, she says.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kirk Mango, a three-time Hall of Fame Athlete, National Champion, and author of “Becoming A True Champion.” Sports kids too often think, "I want it now." But becoming a true champion, he says, requires commitment and responsibility. He explains how parents can help impart these values and improve kids' experiences.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Danny Cullinane, a coach and a sports parent who lectures in sports development. He says pressure is the Number One mental game challenge sports kids face in the UK, and discusses how those involved in sports development help kids thrive. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Brian Swarz, a coach, ref and umpire gives tips for parents about how to best build confidence during games. Patrick Cohn, a mental game expert, provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Steve Siebold, a former professional athlete (top 500 tennis player), a mental toughness coach to professional and amateur athletes, and the author of "177 Mental Toughness Secrets of The World Class" about what builds confidence in sports kids.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kristin Carroll, vice president of corporate and consumer marketing for Active Network, about a recent survey that provides details about what motivates kids to participate in sports. Some interesting surprises!
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kristin Carroll, vice president of corporate and consumer marketing for Active Network about a recent survey that provides details about what motivates kids to participate in sports--and what doesn't. Some surprising conclusions!
How can you teach your kids to be winning losers? Lots of ways, says Frank J. Sileo, PhD, a psychologist with more than 16 years’ experience working with kids and families and the author of Sally Sore Loser: A Story about Winning and Losing. He gives tips about how to help sports kids make the most of losing.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Gary Avischious, founder and head coach of CoachingSchool.org about how he integrates the science of play into his practices and how it boosts his young athletes' performance. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Hal Wissel, a basketball coach who has worked for numerous NBA teams, is founder of Basketball World, and author of Basketball: Steps to Success, about how to build confidence in young athletes. His tips--for basketball shooters--apply to all sports kids.
Ultimate Sports Parent interviews Dr. Robert Goldman, a Psy.D. psychologist, criminal defense attorney and author of "No Room for Vengeance," about his unique strategy for ending bullying. We need to teach our children how to resolve conflicts in a more transformative manner, and he tells how to do this.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews holly, the sports mom to a high school''+ swimmer who abandoned his dream of being an Olympic swimmer because he was bullied by a coach. The family took on the system and changed USA Swimming's code of Conduct to address bullying.
Lisa Cohn of Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn about why it's so important for young athletes to learn how to hone their focus. He explains how destructive distractions can be, and tells how the new program, "The Focused Sports Kid," helps parents and coaches teach kids how and what to focus on in sports, and how to refocus when they're distracted. For more information, visit http://www.youthsportspsychology.com/youth_sports_psychology_blog/?p=1575
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews sports mom Kim, who successfully took our advice and found ways to communicate with a coach about how he hurt her son by humiliating and yelling at him. When the coach changed his behavior, Kim's son broke team records. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Anthony Ross, an Australian sport psychologist and former All-American tennis player, and director of SportParentSupport.com, who shares his research about how parents' childhood memories of sports can affect their behavior as sports parents. He provides tips for helping sports parents get a handle on their emotions and improve their kids' experience.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Joe Dinoffer, president of Oncourt Offcourt and sports dad to a tennis player who suffered an injury that took her out of tennis when she was a top player. When this happened, she was being homeschooled and her parents had bought a bigger house to accomodate her sports career. Should parents plan for such injuries? What can parents do when injuried derail sports kids?
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Gary Simmons, author of "Gymbag Wisdom," and a sports performance specialist. He says that the best athletes who come to him had lots of unstructured play. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Tony Acosta, who coaches 10- 11-year-olds in Australian rules football, about how he used Kids' Sports Psychology resources to beat a formidable opponent and win a championship.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Brenda, the mom to a skater who admits she struggles with nervousness, high expectations and perfectionism while watching her daughter skate. Her daughter tells her this undermines her skating. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides coaching to improve Brenda's sports parenting.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio gets tips from Barbara Hopewell, sports mom to Summer Sanders, a swimmer who won four medals at the 1992 Olympic games. Summer wrote a book about her parents called “Champion are Raised, Not Born: How My Parents Made Me a Success." Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Lumuli Kyumba, a high school track and field coach who says her young athletes often perform better in practice than during competition. She gives tips for helping them trust their instincts and improve their performance during competition.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Twan Russell, a former Miami Dolphins player and current Director of Youth Programs for the Dolphins. He talked about how pre-game jitters help sports kids--and why pre-game fear hurts them. He says that a top issue for young football players is maintaining composure.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kirk Mango, a coach, National Champion, 3-Time All-American, and Hall of Fame Athlete and writer working on a book, “Becoming A True Champion." Our topic: Determination and how it affects kids in sports, especially when they face adversity. Providing commentary is Dr. Patrick Cohn, mental game expert.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Andrea Leib, a former teacher who is founder of stayontrack.net, which is an online school for athletes who need to homeschool due to demanding travel and practice schedules. Does homeschooling provide a relief for these kids or does it add pressure? Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Christopher Hickey, executive director of the National Council for Accreditation of Coaching Education, about how parents can deal with difficult or bully coaches. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
What’s best for sports kids as they aim for college teams? Ultimate Sports Parent Radio's Lisa Cohn talks to Joe Rice, a coach for 20 years with a website called kudda.com. The parent of two college players, he says why aiming solely for Division 1 sports is not a good idea. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Rob Barber, president of USAthletic Baseball, which provides baseball training programs. Barber, who has coached a number of baseball players who went on to become major league players, talks about helping kids commit to developing as players. That includes ensuring they don't blame others for setbacks. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kirk Mango, a coach, national champion, 3-Time All-American, Hall of Fame Athlete and writer working on a book, “Becoming A True Champion” about why talent is over-rated. He talks about why hard work, commitment and strong mental game skills are just as, if not more important, than talent in youth sports.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Steve, a sports dad and hockey coach. He tells stories about racial bullying and its effect on kids in sports, giving an example of one young athlete who dropped out of sports. Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary and advice.
As part of Kids' Sports Psychology's Sports Parents' Coach audio series, Lisa Cohn and Dr. Patrick Cohn give advice to Jennifer, the mother of an 11-year-old baseball player who is a perfectionist. Jennifer says that her son is afraid of failing and tends to stay in his own "comfort zone," without trying new things or taking risks.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dave Dupont, a former sports parent and coach who is now CEO of TeamSnap, a web-based service that helps teams manage players, games and team payments. Our topic: How to be a committed sports parent who also strikes the balance between being over-involved and under-involved? What's best for sports kids? Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Monika Schloder, a sports consultant who was trained in sports pedagogy, and is the recipient of 14 international coaching and teaching awards and was Alberta 2008 Coach of the year. She discusses how sports kids are affected by their parents' and coaches' body language. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
As part of our Sports Parents' Coach series, Ultimate Sports Parent interviews John, the father of an 11-year-old soccer play who is a perfectionist and tends to criticize his teammates. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn and Lisa Cohn provide ideas and tips.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews John Poncy, a sports dad, youth coach, and former soccer player for the Armed Forces National Team about his role as sports parent to passionate young players. How much should he push his kids? At what point are sports parents pushing too hard? Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides advice as part of Kids' Sports Psychology's Sports Parents' Coach program.
How can parents and coaches help kids develop character and confidence in youth sports? Communication is key, says Michael Langlois, co-owner of Prospect Communications, which helps parents, coaches and administrators develop more effective communication approaches. The father of four grown sons who played many sports, Langlois gives tips about what to say before a game, after a mistake, and more.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Ray Lokar, a lead trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance who has coached youth sports for more than 30 years and is the director of basketball4all.net. He talks about the importance of being big on the little things, rewarding effort and other issues. Mental Game Coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary. Published?:
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio releases the first in a new audio series called "Sports Parents Coach," during which sports parents share their kids' mental game challenges, and Dr. Patrick Cohn and Lisa Cohn offer ideas for dealing with these challenges. The first interview is with Jennifer, the mother of an 8-year-old who seeks help building her son's confidence.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews J. Parker Adair, a coach who started a high school lacrosse program and has run programs for athletes aged 3 to high school. He has taken his sports lessons to the business world with his website CoachAdair.com. Our topic: building success through goal-setting and accountability. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
How are kids' mental games affected when they feel too pressured to perform? Lisa Cohn of Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Mike Green, founder of thesportsfamilyclub.org, a seasoned youth sports coach and sports dad to four athletes. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jere Johnson, who runs an elementary sports program for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in which kids play flag football and are only coached by High School athletes. He describes the benefits of this unique program--including ensuring kids avoid labeling themselves as "losers" or "winners." Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kim Cristofoli, a former college gymnast and sports mom to three athletes, one of whom is a United States Hockey League player. She’s the co-founder of yourchildathlete.com, a freelance sportswriter and a Positive Coaching Alliance champion. Our topic: Helping athletes envision who they want to be in sports--and how it helps them succeed in sports. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Wes Sime Ph.d. , a sports psychologist who has worked with Olympic athletes and coaches, and was a professor of health and human performance at the University of Nebaraska. He specializes in using biodfeedback and neurofeedback in sports. Our topic: Helping sports Kkds boost their mental stamina using biofeedback and neurofeedback. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary about how kids can use similar ideas--without the sensors--to improve their mental stamina.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Bruce Tollner, a sports agent, dad and author of The C.H.I.L.D. Game Plan (www.childgameplan.com), about how parents can use sports to boost their kids’ creativity, self-esteem and leadership skills. He talks about some of his pro athlete clients—and how their parents provided unconditional support and helped them deal with adversity.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kurt Stahura, associate professor in the Department of Recreation and Sport Management at the William F. Harrah College of Hotel Administration, who has a degree in sport sociology. He says parents and coaches should work together to set goals for sports kids. But what if the coaches don't do this? What should parents do? Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Billy Zufall, director of coaching for the boys’ and girls’ teams for Highland High School and Medina County Coach of the year for three years, about how his school focuses on helping kids transfer the skills they learn in sports to other areas of their lives.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Bruce Kracke, a sports dad, coach and certified trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance about why sports kids should be "doers" who make mistakes, and why this helps them grow as athletes. He explains how to create a culture that encourages kids to grow. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dave Giffels, a coach and sports parent and the author of "Like Brothers," about why parents lose perspective in sports, how it affects kids, and how to focus on what's best for young athletes. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kymber Veautour, a Top Warner cheer coach and member of the Weplay coaches’ committee about what coaches and parents can do when kids don't believe in themselves--and sabotage their performance. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides tips and commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews baseball coach Scott Kaminsky about how kids play tentatively and act scared after getting hit by a baseball or otherwise hurt. He and mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn give tips for helping kids start playing fearlessly again after getting hurt.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dr. Cory Bank, a sports psychologist and psychology professor, about the classic conflicts he sees in his practice between sports kids and their parents. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kirk Mango, a Former Division 1 gymnast, a high school teacher and youth coach for 17 years, about the problems with an “outside-in” mindset—when kids place a high priority on external rewards rather than playing for the love of the game. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Tim Morehouse, an Olympic fencer who competed in last summer's games. He talks about the importance of helping sports kids find their passion, and how his parents helped shape his career. He gives tips for ensuring parents support kids' interests. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kathy Toon, an award-winning former college coach at UC Berkeley and the author of “Get Your Game Face On.” She has a master’s in sport psychology and is a trainer for the Positive Coaching Alliance. She explains how parents can boost their kids’ mental game on the sidelines with techniques like "targeted cheering." Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Stephen Sideroff, Ph.D.., an expert in peak performance in sports and an assistant at the UCLA School of Medicine. The optimal mental state for young athletes is focused and relaxed. Sideroff and mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn tell parents and coaches how to help kids achieve this state and get in the "zone."
Lisa Cohn of Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dr. Robert Gotlin, Director of Sports Rehab at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York, a little league coach and author of "Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids," about the positive and negative effects of the media on kids in sports. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Lisa Cohn continues our series on bullies in youth sports. She interviews Timothy A. Dimoff, Founder and President of SACS Consulting & Investigative Services, Inc., an expert on violent behavior and author of the book, "Life Rage." The youth sports coach explains why coaches bully young athletes and what parents should do about it. Get our new anti-bullying program by visiting www.youthsportspsychology.com
Adolescent and Child Psychiatrist Dr. Anandhi Narasimhan, who has a private practice in Los Angeles, explains why bullying is bad for kids and why parents and coaches need to take action. Get our new anti-bullying program by visiting www.youthsportspsychology.com.
Lisa Cohn continues her series on bullying in sports, interviewing Andi McCormack , Founder of Penny Lane Dance Academy in Los Angeles. As a dancer, McCormack performed around the world and was also a member of Giant/Warner Records pop group I*5. She explains why young dancers bully and how dance studios can stop bullying in their studios.
Award-winning parenting writer Lisa Cohn continues her series on bullying, interviewing Paul Coughlin, a sports dad, youth coach and anti-bullying expert who tells how his son quit sports after being bullied--and what he did about it. Visit www.youthsportspsychology.com to learn about our anti-bullying program and to listen to the entire interview.
Award-winning parenting writer Lisa Cohn interviews C. Roger Rees, professor in the Department of Health Studies, Physical Education, and Human Performance Science at Adelphi University, about how common hazing--a form of bullying--is in youth sports and what forms it takes. Visit www.youthsportspsychology.com to learn about our anti-bullying program.
Award-winning parenting writer Lisa Cohn interviews Mark Hamilton, a professor of philosophy who teaches college courses in sports ethics at Ashland University. The former college player, former college coach, youth sports coach and sports parent says bullying in sports is often subtle and not noticed by parents and coaches.
Dr. Carl Pickhardt, a psychologist and author of "Why Good Kids Act Cruel," explains why sports kids bully and how youth sports coaches impact bullying. To learn about our new anti-bullying program, visit www.youthsportspsychology.com
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Brian Sanders, president and CEO of I9 Sports, a fast-growing franchise that provides youth sports opportunities with a twist: I9's teams give equal playing time and allow kids to try out a number of different positions. This philosophy boosts kids' self-esteem, Sanders says. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio Interviews H. Rothenberg, who has run a basketball program for 20 years and is owner of Triple C Camp, about what parents should say and do after practices and games. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jim Massaro, youth sports coach and owner of Advanced Body Personal and Athletic Training Center, Nyack, NY, about how parents can help the younger siblings of talented athletes cope with high expectations and pressure in sports. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dr. Harold Shinitzky, a sports psychologist who works with athletes of all ages and is co-author of the book, "Your Mind: An Owner's Manual for a Better Life." Out topic: The many ways sports kids can sabotage their own performance. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Douglas Donaldson, president of PlaySportsTV, a youth sports coaching and instructional website, about how parents' expectations affect sports kids' attitude and passion. He also addresses the effect of closely following team statistics.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Gary Kramer, founder of Inner-Sports, an innovator in behavioral evaluation and coaching, about how to help sports kids deal with losses. Are kids too competitive when they throw a bat after striking out?
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dan Collins, co-founder and assistant coach of the Chesapeake Fencing Club in Baltimore City, MD, and a ccompetitive fencer since 1986. He talks about the roles of strategy and instinct in the sport, and explains why fencing is viewed as "physical chess." Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews sports parent Michael Sands about favoritism at Beverly Hills High, where some football players get extra coaching. He says this hurts the confidence of the other players. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary. Published?:
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews youth sports coach James Jackson about how to give kids age 5-12 constructive criticism in sports. He also addresses how kids give up when they’re down and how they look for acceptance from peers. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary and tips for sports parents.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Stephen Balzac, a former nationally ranked fencer and president of 7 Steps Ahead, about how young athletes can use mental imagery to improve their sports experience. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Mari, a sports mom to two kayakers who compete at the national level. She says she's their personal trainer, nutritionist, sports psychologist and much more. She asks if she's over-involved in their sports life. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn and Lisa Cohn listen to her story and answer her question.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Joe Bouffard, director of the Youth Football Coaches Association, about how his association teaches coaches to deal with anger in youth sports. He and mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn discuss how high expecations from parents and young athletes can lead to frustration and anger.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Paul Caccamo, the Harvard-educated executive director of Up2Us, a national coalition of community sports programs that teaches young athletes life lessons. He cites research about the many benefits of taking part in youth sports. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Stephen Balzac, a professor of psychology and former nationally ranked fencer who’s daughter is a fencer. Along with mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn, he discusses how to boost kids’ confidence by focusing on success. (12:30 minutes)
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews John Engh, COO of the National Alliance for Youth Sports (NAYS), about the confidence-building benefits of coaches’ communicating with young athletes outside of practice. Engh describes NAYS’ new ShapeStuff program, an online program that allows coaches to create skill-building exercises for their players to use between practices. Engh, host Lisa Cohn and mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn discuss how parents can best help young athletes take advantage of such programs.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Tamar Chansky, child psychologist and author of, “Freeing Your Child From Negative Thinking.” She discusses how to help sports kids be resilient and bounce back from disappointment. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary. (11:47 minutes)
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Debbie Mandel, a stress management expert who’s the author of “Addicted to Stress” about how parents can manage stress in youth sports and help kids feel confident in stressful situations. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary. (12 minutes)
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Tommy Weber, a former professional baseball player who has coached Division 1 players for 24 years and is now also coaching kids 7-18. Parents are too involved in their kids' sports experience, he says. He suggests parents provide a more "organic" experience for their kids. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary. (11 minutes)
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jane, a sports mom and tennis pro, along with her Division 1 tennis player. He describes his drive to be perfect--and how it hurt his game in the past. With a little mental game help, he overcame this challenge, Jane says. She tells how. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary. 13:08.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jim Thompson, founder of the Positive Coaching Alliance and a spokesman for Liberty Mutual's Responsible Sports program about Responsible Sports program tools parents and coaches can use to help kids learn life lessons from sports. For example, he suggests that teams develop rituals to help kids let go of mistakes and move forward. He also describes ways team mates can support each other emotionally. 21:52 minutes.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Scott Smith, an internationally ranked U.S. figure skater and the second alternate for the last Olympic games in Italy. He describes the mental game strategies he uses to return to skating after injuries. During the 2009 U.S. Figure Skating Championships a back injury the day of the event prevented him from competing. He shares his parents' role in helping him overcome adversity and succeed in figure skating.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jim Thompson, spokesman for Liberty Mutual Responsible Sports and founder of The Positive Coaching Alliance about his experience using mental game techniques while coaching high school girls' basketball. He guided his team through both group and individualized visualizations, which increased his players' confidence. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Avi Stopper, founder and president of CaptainU, a website designed to teach high school athletes and their parents how to successfully negotiate the college recruiting process. It's critical to interact positively with college coaches on and off the field, he says.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dr. Cory Bank, an athlete-turned-psychologist whose practice focuses on sports psychology. He explains how to identify anxiety in young athletes and how to deal with it. It's important for parents to look past their own athletic hopes for their children and observe their kids objectively in order to identify anxiety.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Robert Gotlin, director of orthopedic and sports rehab for Beth Israel Medical Center's Continuing Center for Health and Healing, and author of the book, "Dr. Rob's Guide to Raising Fit Kids." He discusses how coaches, parents and peers impose on kids conflicting expectations. This reduces kids' ability to enjoy sports. They're more likely to have fun during free play, under little pressure, he says. He also addresses ways to help kids get over mental injuries caused after a traumatic physical sports injury.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jason Kelly, founder of the Redding Vipers Baseball Club, about how kids can both work hard and have fun at the same time. Put kids in a position to learn by asking them questions and getting them to understand what their bodies are doing, he says.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Mike Popovec, president and CEO of Recruit U, a company that helps high school athletes market themselves to colleges. He discusses the intense pressure many aspiring college athletes feel in order to impress recruiters on the one day they show up to the game. High school athletes can make opportunities for themselves by taking an active role in their recruitment by calling coaches, seeking out scholarships, and appealing to colleges by expanding their resume to include interests outside their sport, he says.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Tom Farrey, ESPN reporter and author of the book "Game On: The All-American Race to Make Champions of Our Children." Farrey based his book on visits to youth sports teams around the country. He talks about how far parents will go to create child athlete entertainers. He offers solutions to the problems created by today's win at all cost mentality.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews John Woods, a partner with Speed To Win, about parents' role in performance training. He argues that parents often don't understand the difference between fitness and performance training and that the benefits of performance training last a lifetime in kids' muscle memory.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Tommy Weber, a former pro baseball player who has coached Div. 1 teams for 22 years, about the value of unstructured play: how it enhances creativity and passion for the game--and how this affects sports kids' mental game.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio Interviews Stephen Raghoobarsingh, Author of the new book, "The New Game Plan: Using Sports to Raise Healthy, Happy, and Successful Kids." He discusses how the "winning it at all costs" mindset in sports often leads to negative character traits off the playing field. We need to change our perception of success and use sports as a vehicle to develop character traits that can be beneficial and rewarding in all aspects of life, he says. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Video interviews Ryan, a division1 wrestler, about his parents' influence on him throughout his life.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Sean Brawley, a former top-150 world tennis pro and an expert in the "inner game" coaching philosophy. He discusses the inner game of sports parenting, which emphasizes open communication – how to talk so kids will listen and how to listen so kids will talk. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Steve Horan, founder of sportsparent.net and an expert in community health improvement. He asks the question: With the numbers of kids involved in youth sports – 30 to 40 million at any given time – what are we as parents and coaches trying to accomplish and what is the educational purpose of sports? He explains how the end product of youth sports is to enhance life skills in order to help young athletes become happy and successful adults. Youth sports can teach skills in five areas of youth development: how to be mentally and physically healthy, how to have an ethical and competitive character, how to be a self-initiator, how to be part of a team, and finally how to lead.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio Interviews Michael Sachs, Professor of Kinesiology at Temple University and author of the book, “The Total Sports Experience for Kids: A Parents’ Guide to Success in Youth Sports.” He discusses the importance of how parents and coaches define success in young athletes. As opposed to defining success on winning and losing, he argues that putting forth 100% effort and having fun are the most critical aspects to success for young athletes. It is the responsibility of the coaches and parents to create a positive environment that encourages kids to participate, push themselves, and have fun in order to optimize the sports experience.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Fred Engh, founder and CEO of the National Alliance for Youth Sports, and author of the book, "Why Johnny Hates Sports". He discusses how youth sports programs remain largely unchecked, with no certification programs, coaches training, or established parent codes of conduct. He argues that the purpose of youth sports is not to win or make the all-star team, but to teach kids valuable life lessons of honesty, good-sportsmanship, and fair play for ethical and social development. His organization is reaching out to local youth sports facilities in order to develop fair leagues, good coaches, and supportive parents that give kids what they are looking for most: to have fun.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dan Doyle, founder and executive director of the Institute for International Sport and the co-author of the Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting about how to develop a sports parenting philosophy. He talks about how parents can help kids develop self-reliance and self-respect, when to call the coach—and when not to call the coach. He explains the difference between being involved in sports and over-involved. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn offers commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Michael Wood, chief fitness officer at KoKo Fitness and father of 7th Grade Juliea, who is a starter for her high school basketball team. Wood talks about his daughter’s mental game challenges and strengths. Mental Game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn talks about classic challenges for kids who play “up.”
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Joe Bouffard, active director of Youth Football USA, about the benefits of trained youth coaches. He says that it's hard, especially in football, to find coaches who can teach the technical sport. He also stresses the importance of finding coaches who have a teaching philosophy and want to instill in young athletes a love and passion for sports. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Larry Lauer, Ph.D., director of coaching education and development for the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports, about how parents can strike a balance between motivating their kids in sports and pressuring them. His comments are based on a study funded by the US Tennis Society that applies to parents and kids in all sports, he says. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Simon Mulverhill, executive director of Kids Sports Network--which provides certification programs for volunteer coaches—about how parents can best prepare themselves to coach young athletes. He explains why volunteer coaches should understand their reasons for coaching, how they can boost their knowledge of specific sports, the importance of teaching life skills--and why volunteer coaches may need insurance. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews David Jacobson, marketing communications manager for the Positive Coaching Alliance, about the Alliance’s new National Conversation on Coaching effort. How are people responding to tough questions about coaching? What are people writing in about? What’s on the minds of sports parents today? Providing commentary is mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jerry Reeder, national program consultant for the American Sport Education Program about how kids can focus on being athletes first and on winning second. He stresses that it’s important for parents to understand this philosophy. He describes how he asks athletes to establish performance goals rather than focusing on outcomes and gives examples of other ways to de-emphasize winning.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Bill Mumford, former director of tennis for the U.S. Tennis Association's National Tennis Center, about how to help youth tennis players improve their mental games. He stresses a play-based approach. Beginners should be exposed immediately--but gently--to play and competition so they can begin dealing with the mental pressures right away, he says.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Rob Gelphman, a baseball coach and former director of marketing for National Youth Sports. He provides tips for boosting kids’ confidence by complimenting them for doing the little things—like backing up the base. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn talks about the significance of rewarding such positive behavior and helping kids focus on what’s important.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interview Adam, the father of a 10-year wrestler who tries too hard to be perfect, then hesitates and over-thinks instead of following his instincts. Sports psychology expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides tips for sports parents with kids who have trouble playing instinctively. He talks about the importance of knowing what to say to kids before and after games, and how to provide positive feedback.
Ultimate Sports Parent interviews Les Harrison, founder of Showtime Athletics, Portland, Ore. and a popular basketball coach, about how to help young athletes--especially perfectionists--focus on the process of playing instead of the score.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews George Klein, a coach with the Positive Coaching Alliance and president of Putnam Youth Basketball in Portland, Ore. about why parents shouldn’t coach from the sidelines. Sports psychology expert Dr. Patrick Cohn explains why parents can instill a fear of failure in their young athletes by coaching from the sidelines.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews John, the father of a 6.5-year-old athlete who plays less creatively, intuitively and freely during games. Sports psychology expert Dr. Patrick Cohn answers these questions: Why doesn’t the boy perform as well during games? What’s causing him to tighten up and play below his abilities? Why is it so important for kids to trust in the skills they learn in practice and play freely during games? And how can parents help athletes like this young boy have fun and loosen up during games?
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Brooke de Lench, founder of momsteam.com and author of "Home Team Advantage: The Critical Role of Mothers in Youth Sports," about how moms can use their communication and networking skills to address common challenges in youth sports today. Mothers can help kids have more fun, feel more relaxed and avoid psychological and physical injuries. Leading mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn explains why it's so important for kids to have fun and why parents need to communicate well with coaches.
Ultimate Sports Parent interviews popular basketball and soccer coach Tony Morones about how parents should give feedback to youth sports coaches--especially when they're upset or frustrated. He tells when and how to approach coaches.
Ultimate Sports Parent interviews Lela, a sports mom with a high school, Olympic-caliber athlete who ranks nationally in his track event. Her problem: She lives in a small town where the track coach--who has a son on the track team--tries to undermine her son's efforts to train for the Olympics. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn gives tips for helping athletes tune out jealousy and focus on their dreams.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Marty Schupak, longtime coach and president of Youth Sports Club, about how coaches can run lively practices that build kids’ confidence. He and mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn talk about the value of creative and engaging practices. Schupak provides creative ideas for building confidence in less skilled or experienced players. He explains how coaches can mix "skill" drills with “fun” drills that keep the kids engaged. Dr. Cohn explains the difference between athletes’ "practice confidence" and "competitive confidence."
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews David Jacobson of the Positive Coaching Alliance about how youth sports coaches can re-define “winning” in ways that benefit young athletes. He explains why it’s important to focus less on scoring and winning. In addition, he tells how coaches can turn mistakes into learning opportunities. Leading mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn tells why focusing too much on scoring and winning can hurt young athletes’ performance and confidence.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Mike, the sports dad of an 11-year-old who plays baseball, soccer and basketball. Mike’s son is often singled out by his baseball coach—and teammates—when he makes a mistake. "Mental game" coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary. How can parents help young athletes cope with criticism? When and how should they talk to coaches about their style? What to do when your young athlete worries about what other kids are thinking?
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews sportsmom Genma Stringer Holmes about her three active athletes—and the importance of encouraging them to find balance in their lives. Dr. Patrick Cohn explains what happens when kids’ identities are too tied up in sports. He also addresses the dangers of specializing in one sport. Cohn and Holmes provide ideas for encouraging balance.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dr. John McCarthy, director of Boston University’s Institute for Athletic Coach Education, about the important role coaches serve in the lives of today’s youth. He describes the qualities of good coaches and explains how coaches and parents can help athletes take responsibility for their own learning. He tells why parents need to be more proactive in today’s youth sports scene. Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary about kids’ “mental game.”
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Dr. Robert Troutwine, founder of Troutwine and Assoc., an industrial psychologist who helps evaluate NFL players. He explains why young athletes should have "highlight reels" in their minds before they play. He also addresses the need for teams to build trust and confidence. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Genma Holmes, a sports mom to three athletes. One of her biggest challenges has been dealing with coaches who are too focused on winning and who undermine athletes' confidence. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides advice about how to talk to coaches, how to look for "fear of failure" in young athletes, and why parents should talk to coaches about their philosophy before the season starts.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Tom Morin, former personal coach to Olympic swimmer Matt Biondi and author of "No More Broken Eggs." He talks about why young athletes in the U.S. fail to reach their full potential. He explains why parents shouldn't compare their kids to other athletes and how they should build kids' confidence and help develop athletes who are open to feedback. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews David Jacobson of the Positive Coaching Alliance about how parents and coaches can "fill a young athlete's emotional tank" by giving truthful praises. He explains when it makes sense to provide constructive criticism. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn talks about the importance of listening to sports kids, especially during the drive home after a game.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Chris, a sports mom whose 8-year-old son is a talented young hockey goalie. He plays goalie so well that his team really depends on him. But lately, these expectations have led him to make excuses for not playing. What should a sports parent do in this situation? Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides tips.
How can parents help their young athletes set goals in sports? At what age should parents tackle this topic with their kids? What should they do to ensure kids follow through with their goals? Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Coach Dony Wilcher, program director, Showtime Athletics, and mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn about this topic.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Missy Clark, head trainer and owner of North Run Show Stables, Warren, Vermont, about the pressures and dangers her young athletes face. Clark, who trains some of the nation’s top young riders, describes one top performer who excelled at the sport’s “mental game.” Leading sports psychology expert Patrick Cohn explains why some kids excel during games or competitions.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Loren Seagrave, co-founder of Velocity Sports Performance--and a well-known speed and sports performance coach--about the factors that undermine kids’ confidence in sports. Coach Seagrave, who has worked with Olympic and World Championship medalists and Collegiate All-Americans, focuses on the role coaches and parents play in boosting kids' confidence. Leading “mental game” coach Dr. Patrick Cohn explains the difference between “practice” self-confidence and “performance” self-confidence.
Why and how do parents un-do a coach's lessons during the drive home from a game? How do parents undermine teamwork during the drive home? Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Brian Gardner, successful youth hockey coach and Program Coordinator of Student Involvement, Maryville University of Saint Louis. Gardner explains how well-meaning parents make these mistakes. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn tells parents what's best for young athletes during the drive home.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews mental game coach Patrick Cohn, Ph.D. and Wendy Bruce Martin, a former gymnast and 1992 Olympic Bronze Medal winner about how, as a teen, she dealt with others' jealousy of her success. Now a sports mom, Wendy also tells how she deals with others' jealousy of her own talented sports kids, who are also gymnasts.
Sports mom Julia Dreyer and mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn tell why young athletes should not focus on their competitors' strengths before and during competitions. They explain what kids should focus on, instead.
What should parents do if their child's or teen's coach favors certain players? In this episode of Ultimate Sports Parent Radio, mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn and Dony Wilcher, program director for Showtime Athletics, give helpful tips.
What should a parent or coach do when a young athlete worries too much about what the coach thinks of him or her? Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn, basketball coach Dony Wilcher (program director for Showtime Athletics) and sports parent Brad Tibbett about this common problem. Cohn and Wilcher provide tips.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews leading "mental game" coach Dr. Patrick Cohn, along with Coach Les Harrison, founder of Showtime Athletics, about how playing time affects confidence in young athletes--and what parents should do if their athlete isn't getting enough playing time.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews coach Dony Wilcher, program coordinator for Showtime Athletics, and "mental game coach" Dr. Patrick Cohn about fear of failure in teen and child athletes--and what coaches and parents can do about it.
Ultimate Sports Parent Radio (www.youthsportspsychology .com), which aims to instill confidence and success in child and teen athletes, interviews sports parents, youth coaches, trainers and others about sports parenting. Leading sports psychology expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides tips for sports parents and coaches about how they can help young athletes boost their "mental game" in sports.