In this week's vlog segment, I turn our attention to what parents can do to support the healthy development of their children as athletes and as young people. I focus on the essential topic of how to build self-esteem in your young athletes. Self-esteem involves how children come to view themselves and whether they feel [...]
With the fall sports season upon us, now is a great time for athletes in all sports to get their minds in great shape, coaches to sharpen their skills, and parents to be the best sports parents they can be. Good news; I can help! I'm pleased to announce the launch of my updated and [...]
As many of you know, I've been blogging for almost 10 years during which time I've published more than 600 articles on my own web site as well as on HuffPost.com, PsychologyToday.com, and many others. It has been both a pleasure and a privilege to share my ideas with millions of people and it is [...]
If you haven't seen it, Time magazine's cover story, for which I was interviewed, offers a scathing indictment of what I call the "youth sports industrial complex" and how what used to be about fun is now a $15 billion business. Every parent of a young athlete should read the article, reflect on their own [...]
If you’re a committed athlete, I’m sure you watch your favorite professional or Olympic athletes compete, whether LeBron, Serena, Tom, or Simone. Or you watch videos of them training on YouTube. Or you hear an interview with them in which they talk about their efforts, challenges, and successes. Or you read their autobiography. How do [...]
The father of a client just sent me this blog post from Siri Lindley, a former world triathlon champion. It exemplifies how complete dedication to athletic greatness can be both a essential boon to success and a cross to bear. It also provides an important juxtaposition between attempting to control and prepare for everything that [...]
Just read a really compelling article providing more reasons why young athletes who specialize too early, contrary to popular belief held by parents, actually decrease their chances of finding success later on in a sport. Two main reasons: sports become a grind rather than a joy and the increased incidence of serious injury. Great advice [...]
Whenever I speak to athletes and coaches, I ask them how important the mind is to athletic success. With few exceptions, the response is that the mind is as or more important than the physical and technical side of sport. I am obviously biased given what I do for a living, so I won’t take [...]
Skiracing.com recently published an article about a segment of RedBull TV that explores whether great performers are born or made. The 50-minute show, titled The Prodigies, focuses on Mikaela Shiffrin, the Olympic ski racing champion, and Lang Lang, considered the finest classical pianist in the world. In my view, the segment is biased toward the 'great [...]
I was just sent this article by former world-class runner, Lauren Fleshman. It is truly a must-read for every parent of a young female athlete and young female athletes themselves. The article explores the physical, psychological, emotional, and performance challenges of girls reaching puberty and becoming women. It is both revealing and poignant (brought tears to my [...]
