Sport Maxx Club » Confidence

Trying Out A New Sport

admin — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:20:35 +0000

John Kortex asked:

Is there a sport that you have always wanted to try out but just haven’t had the opportunity? Perhaps there was a sport that you really wanted to play but weren’t sure that you’d be good at? What are you waiting for, get out there and start playing! When we are young we often shy away from the sports that we don’t think we’ll be good at. Luckily, it’s never too late to try out a new sport. Who knows, when you try the sport that you’ve been waiting to try, you just might be really great at it.

When you consider trying a new sport you need to think about how much time you’ll be able to dedicate to the sport. Should you play on your own for a while until you gain the confidence to play with others? Do you want to be involved in a fun league or a competitive league? How often can you really fit this new sport into your life? When you answer all these questions you’ll be ready to play and you can find the place and the time to do it.

If you’ve really never played any sports before and you are ready to try something new, you’ll want to get with your doctor to discuss your overall health. Every time you are going to really change up what you are doing physically you’ll want to meet with your doctor to discuss your exercise regime so that you are adding sports to your life in the best way possible. Your doctor can make sure that your body is ready for such a sport, and also give you pointers if you are incorporating the sport to lose weight and get in shape as well as for fun.

Fun leagues are often the best way to get into a new sport. These leagues usually are not very competitive at all, so there is no pressure to get really good right away. You can learn the sport, practice with people who will be able to give you pointers, and sort of work your way into a comfortable place. Once you get comfortable with the sport, you might want to think about joining a more competitive league. Or, stick with the fun leagues to just have fun, and keep moving while playing your new sport.

Trying out a new sport can be a bit scary, but it should also be exciting. Don’t worry if you aren’t all star material when you first start playing, just be proud of yourself for getting out there and finally attempting what you’ve always been afraid to do! Playing sports is a great form of exercise and can boost your confidence in many areas of your life. Go out and attempt the sport that you’ve always wanted to play, you just might find that you are really good at it, it’s fun, and you’ll meet some great friends along the way, too.

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When are Sports Parents Too Involved?

admin — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 05:31:26 +0000

Dr. Patrick Cohn And Lisa Cohn asked:

One sports parent began training his son at the age of four to become a pro football player. The dad quit his job to facilitate his son’s coaching. The boy is now 12 and spends 10 hours per day training with his father.

When is a sports parent too involved?

Above all, sports parents need to keep in mind the importance of helping their young athletes lead balanced lives. Do they have the time to play with friends and pursue other interests? Or are their identities only defined by their role as athletes? You don’t want your kids to judge their self-worth solely on whether they score points or play on winning teams.

It’s also important to let the child lead you. You don’t want your child to play sports to fulfill your dreams. When kids play only to satisfy their parents, they often feel pressured. It’s difficult to play freely and intuitively. What’s more, they generally drop out of sports, and then miss all its great social, emotional and physical benefits!

We’re not saying you shouldn’t be involved at all in your child’s sports experience. It’s all about striking a balance. Once your child decides to play sports, you’ve got an important role to play as sports parents.

You should take charge of finding an appropriate coach and team for your child. It’s a good idea to support the coach and team as much as possible by bringing snacks or organizing the parents.

What’s more, you should learn all about “mental game” strategies that will help your child boost confidence and happiness in sports. Some of these strategies include:

• Setting manageable goals instead of communicating high expectations

• Focusing your child’s attention on the process of execution in the here and now instead of worrying about results, rankings, and statistics

• Helping kids take responsibility for their confidence instead of leaving confidence up to chance—and how well they play at the beginning of a game

• Helping kids learn how to let go of mistakes

• Encouraging young athletes to stay composed during crunch time so they can contribute to the team instead of tightening up and playing scared

• Encouraging kids to play freely and intuitively rather than playing scared and being afraid of making mistakes.

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Ensuring Young Athletes Don’t Drop Out of Sports

admin — Sat, 09 May 2009 17:22:55 +0000

Dr. Patrick Cohn And Lisa Cohn asked:

Did you know that 75% of all young athletes drop out of sports by the time they are 13? They drop out because taking part in youth sports is no longer enjoyable for them.

What factors might prompt young athletes to drop out? First of all, they might be playing for the wrong reasons—because a parent or coach wants them to play. Ultimately, playing to make someone else happy doesn’t make the athlete happy.

Second, they may feel too much pressure to perform. When kids feel too much pressure, they often under-perform. Their confidence and happiness may sink.

Third, peers, parents and coaches may expect too much of young athletes—especially talented athletes. High expectations can undermine athletes’ confidence and happiness.

To ensure your young athletes continue to enjoy sports, make sure they’re playing because they want to play – for their own reasons. Provide many opportunities to compete in sports, but let your young athletes lead you. If all they want to do is play recreationally, let them do just that.

Don’t push them to try out for higher levels of competition if they’re mostly interested in playing for fun with friends. If you push them, your efforts may backfire and your kids may drop out of sports. Kids sometimes thrive when they can develop confidence at lower levels and progress at their own pace to high levels of competition.

In addition, don’t focus too much on winning. Winning may be fun for parents. But it’s not always what’s most fun for kids. Keep the long-term benefits of sports participation in mind. By taking part in athletics, kids learn important life skills such as sportsmanship, teamwork, and coping with adversity. They also stay fit and healthy.

Check your own motivations. Do you want your kids to play sports to win scholarships or to succeed in ways that you failed to succeed? Don’t assume your athletes have the same goals or motivations that you have about sports.

Be a good cheerleader. Be positive and supportive of your young athletes’ team and coaches. Find ways to help out the team. You can be a team parent or sign up to bring snacks, for example. While you’re being supportive, be sure to keep your own coaching to a minimum. Leave the coaching to the coach.

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