Building Confidence in Young Athletes

In their efforts to help sports kids develop a growth mindset, parents and coaches should keep in mind that giving too many compliments can get kids "stuck" thinking they don't need to grow in certain areas, says Michaela Renee Johnson, 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 to this link: https://the-ultimate-sports-parent.libsyn.com/ We don't want to lose you, please subscribe to the libsyn.com link above. Soon, you'll be able to find us on most podcast platforms, just search for The Ultimate Sports Parent on your favorite platform.

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.