Building Confidence in Young Athletes

Why Young Kids are Dropping Out of Sports

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.

How Parents Should Communicate with Young Athletes

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.

How Nutrition Affects the Mental Game in Youth Sports

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.

Helping Sports Kids Who Focus on Fairness

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?

Building Confidence with a Positive Team Culturs

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.