For Parents
Eliminating Anxiety
Spoiler alert: it's impossible. If your goal is to eliminate anxiety or "block out" the bad thoughts, whether they are distracting or negative in nature, you're playing a losing game. This can be hard to accept for many athletes...
Cognitive Tool to Deal with Criticism
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla presents a perfect example of how to deal with criticism that stems from a classic tool in working on your mental game, reframing, when discussing the unfair criticism that Jayson Tatum receives.
Impostor Syndrome: Signs, Consequences, and How to Combat it
Imposter syndrome, characterized by perfectionism, worrying about failure, comparing yourself to others, and feeling like your achievements are due to luck, can be normal in small doses.
Why Do Athletes Drop Out Of Sports So Frequently?
Dropout rates are increasing amongst athletes in team sports. While there may be some explanations that are less worrying, like kids wanting to try new hobbies as they go through adolescence, others are more under the control of parents, coaches, and even the athletes themselves.
Emotional Intelligence: The RULER Approach
Why is emotional intelligence important for athletes? It leads to emotional regulation. We all know an athlete who is able to more efficiently emotionally regulate themselves are poised to perform better. Here is how you get started...
The Comparison Game
It’s human nature to compare yourself to others, particularly those in a better position than you are. Without awareness of this mental performance pitfall, it can lead you down a track that undermines your performance, mood, and ability to reach your potential.
John Wooden’s 8 Rules for Success
John Wooden retired becoming the winningest coach in NCAA Men’s College Basketball history, having won 10 NCAA national championships from 1948 till 1975. He coached arguably the two best players in men’s college basketball history...
Giving kids more of what they want in sports.
Do you know what your kid’s favorite food is? Do you know what irritates them? Do you know what they feel self-conscious about? Do you know what their favorite sport is? Do you know why they play?
Three ways watching a random sport can help you be a better (and much more relaxed) sports parent
When I went to see team handball at the Rio Olympics (a sport I knew next to nothing about), I expected I’d learn something about the sport. I expected I would feel the Olympic spirit. I did not expect to get a lesson in sports parenting.
Is it worth it? My thoughts on youth sports.
I started to wonder if it was all worth it. I thought about how many evenings were spent racing around from one practice to the next (forget about family dinners!).
On Broccoli and Basketball: 4 ways to inspire kids to do something that's "good" for them
Some kids love playing sports. Some kids love eating veggies. What do we do about the ones that don’t? Should we bribe them (money, treats, screen time)? Should we threaten them?
Quitting time? Knowing when kids should walk away from their sport
Quitting has such a stigma around it. We want our kids to be able to weather the inevitable ups and downs of life, without just running away when things get hard.