Mental Coaching Essay

624 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: What are the importance of psychology in sporting activities

Mental Coaching: Sports Psychology Tips for Coaches and Parents Parents and coaches have a huge impact on young athletes and how they will engage in sports. Sports are not just good for the body, they are good for the mind too. When you are teaching a sport, it is important to concentrate not just on training the body, but on the mind as well. However, not everyone is knowledgeable about the ways to provide mental coaching to young athletes. One of the benefits of an athlete going into sports with a healthy mindset is that it will help them instill self-esteem, confidence, and will also help them reach their full potential and get the most of their skills. If you are knowledgeable about the “mental” side of sports, and understand the challenges and different strategies, you will be better equipped to instill confidence in athletes. If you want to help improve your athlete(s) mental game, check out some of the ways you can improve their …show more content…

Sports should be fun All in all, sports should be fun and not all about winning or being the best at something. Youth sports are a game, not a business. Sometimes the parents and coaches have the hardest time realizing this. Remember that the primary goal of youth sports should to be about staying fit, enjoying the healthy competition, and having fun. 2. Do Not Over-Emphasize Results, Concentrate on the Process Be cautious about your expectations and how you communicate this to athletes. Do not over emphasize results that are overly difficult for young athletes to achieve, instead focus on more manageable objectives or goals. This way their self-esteem and confidence will grow along with their skills, without the unneeded anxiety and pressure. 3. The Athlete is the One Playing, Not You Do not place any of your own agendas on your young athlete(s), since they are the ones playing the sport-not you. Young athletes can compete in sports for many reasons, but it’s their reason, so keep your own agenda to yourself and let them

Show More
Related

  • Coaching In Dr. Gawande's Story, Personal Best

    515 Words  | 2 Pages

    Coaching is an integral part of helping achieve one’s maximum abilities. Dr. Gawande (2013) explains that, “Coaches are not teachers, but they teach. They’re not your boss—in professional tennis, golf, and skating, the athlete hires and fires the coach—but they can be bossy” (p. 3). It is difficult to say what is the exact function of a coach, however, they help bring forth another point of view different from our own and they also help bring about the right mindset in order to subdue a weakness.

    Read More

  • Get Off That Couch And Play Competitive Sports

    1466 Words  | 3 Pages

    Athletes in times of difficulty can be important role models.” This shows that sports are in fact helpful because they can grow children into being important role models for the rest of society. Studies have shown time and time again that playing sports can be beneficial to children and we also believe this to be true. Many people still think that sports cause “too many injuries”, or coaches “are not fair enough”, but adolescents will experience these things all throughout their lives because injury can happen anywhere and they will not always be the best at what they are doing. Sports are beneficial to the youth because they can teach children and teens important life skills, help them maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle, all while improving their mental health.

    Read More

  • Youth Sports Injury

    588 Words  | 2 Pages

    Kids just want to have fun. In a bygone era, parents wanted kids to play sports for fun and camaraderie. However, a new attitude is developing among coaches and parents, which is mopping-up fun from youth sports. Now it's all about the team and the game. The team must win the game at any cost.

    Read More

  • College Vs. Pros: Athletes Should NOT Skip College

    1153 Words  | 3 Pages

    ... us how to value what we have and to show gratitude for being bless. After all, being an athlete is a blessing and if we put money aside it can be a very humbling experience. We should develop our faith in God and know that what is for Caesar will be for Caesar. As the saying goes in my language “what it is meant for you will be your no matter what” and there is northing man can do about it. What God has in plan for you, will truly become your in due time. These are the concepts we want our children to embrace. Patience is the opposite of chaos. The governing boards of these sports should make it a rule that apply to all athlete from all sport, to wait until after their college years before making the decision to become professional. We should be a society that promotes strong standards and up hold the values of good education. Knowledge is power not money.

    Read More

  • Performance Anxiety in Athletes

    564 Words  | 2 Pages

    The goal of every coach is to create an environment in which his athletes can flourish. Performance anxiety is a coach’s worst enemy simply because it can have a negative impact both mentally and physically on athletes. The mastery approach to coaching is a cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to promote a mastery-involving motivational climate (Smith, Smoll, Cumming, 2007). How a coach handles his athletes is essential for their confidence and ability to overcome any level of performance anxiety. Critical or punitive feedback from coaches can evoke high levels of negative affect in children who fear failure and disapproval, thereby contributing to a threatening athletic environment (Smith, Smoll, Cumming, 2007).

    Read More

  • Parental Violence and Youth Sports

    2163 Words  | 5 Pages

    Participating in a sport at an early age can be essential to the overall growth process during a child’s upbringing. Whether the participation is through some sort of organized league or just getting together amongst friends and playing, the lessons learned from this can help teach these kids and provide a positive message to them as they develop. There is a certain point, however, when organized sports can hinder progress, which is when adults get too involved and forget about the underlying reason to why they are helping. While adult involvement is necessary, adult involvement can sometimes send the wrong message to children when they try to make participation become more than just about fun and learning. According to Coakley (2009), “organized sports are worth the effort put forth by adults, as long as they do what is in the best interest of their children and put that thought ahead of their own agenda” (Coakley, p. 151). This is a valid argument because once adults put themselves in front of the children and their values, it needs to be re-evaluated as to why they first got involved in the beginning. Partaking in organized sport and activity from a young age can be beneficial to the overall development of children, as long as decisions actions are made in the best interest of the children and not stemming from ulterior motives of adults.

    Read More

  • Sports Specialization

    1826 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sports are a popular pastime among all ages and types of people. People not only participate in them for fun, but also for money, physical fitness, rush of competition, and for many other personal reasons. Playing sports is especially common among young people in schools. Athletics are great and enjoyable for many reasons, but there can be a point where sports participation can go too far and become negative for children and adults. Sports specialization for young people is an increasing trend that results in sports having a negative impact on individuals and society.

    Read More

  • Coaching Philosophy

    1210 Words  | 3 Pages

    The journal article, “What does sport mean to you? Fun and other preferences for adolescents’ sport participation” claims that fun, social aspects, masculinity, and identity are the main reasons youth participate in sports (Skille and Østera˚ s, 360). Oftentimes, athletes forget they are on the same team, and they start to form cliques or groups based around who has the best bench press or 40 meter dash time. As a result, teammates start to compete with each other instead of working towards the same goal. For instance, one coaching journal article claims that “moral reasoning” in youth is determined through “collective norms” or group behaviors that the coach has a hand in influencing (Shields, LaVoi, Bredemeier, Power, 748-749). A proper coaching environment should therefore revolve around a fun, supportive, and collective environment where success is encouraged through the full support of the team. This support can further be developed through proper positive mindfulness and code of conduct guidelines set forth by the coach; for instance, hazing should be discouraged and proper communication and helpfulness among teammates should be

    Read More

  • Sports

    520 Words  | 2 Pages

    develop a positive view of both themselves and their athletic skills. As long as children feel that

    Read More

  • Parental Pressure on Children Playing Organized Sports

    1014 Words  | 3 Pages

    With more and more children participating in some sort of organized sport than ever before, there is a constant concern regarding the pressures kids are brought into to excel. Emotionally over-involved parents often think that it is their responsibility to persuade, push, or support the children's fantasies or sporting objectives, even if the kids themselves do not share the same aspirations as his/her parents. Part of growing up is learning what interests you the most. It's how one becomes familiar with who they really are and what they enjoy doing in life. Unfortunately, for many young children, his/her parents seem to take his/her own lives into their own hands. Most parents want their kids to grow up to be "superstars", make it big after the college scenario, and perhaps go on to play professionally or succeed in the Olympics. We all know that there are the few that make it professionally, and having your parent paint a picture for you as you're barely going into grade school is unethical. Yet for the unfortunate, these kids are helpless to the pressure that is put on them at such a young age. Take Todd Marinovich, for example. For the child's entire life he was exercised, fed, schooled, and drilled with his fathers' one g...

    Read More

  • Self Confidence In Sports Essay

    843 Words  | 2 Pages

    Firstly, it is vital to note that anxiety, motivation, and concentration tremendously influence people's self-confidence and their performance at the long-run (Damon & Raedeke, P 188). Higher self-confidence reduces anxiety. The vice versa is also true. This is based on the fact that optimally confident sports people experience fewer doubts on self. Their worries reduce and give room for concentration in their activities. Additionally, motivated athletes are in a better position to strive towards achieving their goal. Motivation enables sports people to combat negativity and low self-esteem as they focus more on their goals other than obstacles. Therefore, it is fundamental to note that coaches and sports people must collaborate in finding any mechanisms that could stimulate and uphold self-esteem since it is, directly and indirectly, impactful to their

    Read More

  • Sports Psychology Essay

    1053 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sports psychology continues to evolve in order to ensure that comprehensive and evidence-based psychological services are available for athletes and teams. Giving athletes an understanding of their psychological functioning, and building the ability to implement a range of psychological strategies in competition enables athletes to both execute their skills and thrive under pressure as they strive to reach their performance potential.

    Read More

  • Coaching Style Essay

    791 Words  | 2 Pages

    In today’s society being a coach can be extremely complicated especially compared to earlier years. Coaching requires not only many technical and personal skills but also has to include positive psychology that will affect all athletes regardless of gender, age, and race. After reading various articles this leads me to the question, what is a coach? How do coaches differ from one another? In addition are we forgetting the importance of not only coaching but the sports psychology aspect of coaching overall? Regardless of what you may have read or heard I believe not only do all coaches have their own coaching style but every coaching technique and style is different. Coaching styles and positive psychology are two techniques that can provide

    Read More

  • A Reflection on Coaching

    1129 Words  | 3 Pages

    The coach becomes a motivator and a facilitator of growth or athletic skills. This growth will ultimately lead to the attainment of individual and group goals. For the sports team, the coach will lead its members’ growth in developing training, providing encouragement, and monitoring their progress. The player will become more skillful in the game. More skillful players win. Sport coaches will assess their players’ overall strengths and weaknesses by placing the player in a position which accentuates their positive attributes, in an attempt to overcome any negative aspects.

    Read More

  • Talent Identification

    1220 Words  | 3 Pages

    Millions of children worldwide participate in a multitude of sports, either in school or outside of school. As they grow older, they get better, but some of them stop playing. We have discussed that the best and sometimes oldest of the kids (in their age groups) are given more chances and more opportunities, as well as better coaching. This results in them gaining more experience and practice. Ultimately, some of them end up being national or world-class athletes competing and representing their country. In order for that to happen, they have to be recognized as talented and be presented with a chance to become great.

    Read More

More about Mental Coaching Essay

Open Document