Building Confidence in Young Athletes

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'

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

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, 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://podc

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 rece

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

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.

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 o

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

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.c

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 gam