Limiting Youth Sport Specialization
Many youth athletes are diligently dedicated to playing the sports they love. At first glance, this seems like a good thing, but many youth athletes and sport families are unknowingly jeopardizing the child’s health and safety by specializing in one sport too early and year-round.
More than a Film Project
Where Our Children Play: The Challenge of Youth Sports is a documentary film in development about the need to change the culture of youth sports by bringing the focus back to the kids. Kids are overwhelmed by the pressure of pleasing their parents or performing for their coaches. Too often they stop playing for themselves.
NWSL Stars on Crafting and Competing with Confidence
Two of the biggest kicks in NCAA women’s soccer history have been delivered by the lethal left foot of Kelsey Turnbow. And she banked on the self-confidence that she began crafting during her youth athletic journey to help make them happen. In the 2020 national championship game, it was Santa Clara’s Turnbow who struck with a dazzling goal in the waning minutes to even the score at 1–1 against Florida State.
When the D-1 Offer Turns Sour
Here at MVP Parent, we encounter examples every day of how crucial family support is to the success of student athletes. Helping them achieve personal goals within their sports of choice is, of course, a priority, but also providing the essential building blocks of personal growth, balance, and values that will serve them well later in life, whether that life includes the continuing pursuit of athletic achievement or not.
Is FOMO Ruining Youth Sports?
I remember the day I coached my son TJ’s first soccer game. He was only five, and I was so proud, so excited, and couldn’t wait for him to play the game I loved. There was one problem. He didn’t want to play. When the game was about to start, he said, “Dad I don’t want to play today.” I was OK with it and the game went on. That week he went to practice, had lots of fun, and I thought all was right in the world.
Choosing Confidence
What if having confidence was a choice and you could always choose it? While it doesn’t always feel like it, confidence is ultimately a choice. It often seems like confidence is out of our hands. I’ve lost my confidence. I just don’t have it. I wasn’t feeling it today. It can appear as if confidence is a thing that happens to us or that we magically find on a good day.