Sports are an amazing environment in which to raise children. The benefits they gain from athletic participation are many including physical (e.g., health, fitness, mastery), personal (e.g., passion, commitment, confidence, focus, emotions, discipline, resilience, life skills), and social (e.g., friends, teamwork, competition). Plus, sports are just plain fun. Over all, sports are a wonderful place to help raise children who are successful, happy, and capable.
Yet, there is also a dark side to today’s youth sports culture that can not only prevent young athletes from gaining the many benefits of sports participation, but also can actively inhibit their athletic and personal development and do actual physical and psychological harm to them. Burnout and injury, an overemphasis on results, loss of interest and motivation to participate, and competitive pressure and stress, all driven by the “youth sport-industrial complex” which is more focused on making money and fulfilling overzealous parents’ vicarious dreams, has made what was once fun and life enhancing now a costly burden for many young athletes.
Parents today do see the many advantages of sports participation for their children, as evidenced by the high rates of participation in many sports. At the same time, because of this unfortunate shift in the focus and purpose of youth sports in recent decades, parents can’t be sure that athletic involvement will be a positive and healthy experience for their children.
As a result, the role of parents in shaping their children’s sports participation has never been more important. As we have often seen in the news these days, some parents have fallen victim to the Siren’s call of our often-times toxic youth sports culture and their children suffer for it. Other parents want what’s best for their children, but simply lack the perspective, information, and tools needed to create a nourishing sports experience for their children.
That’s where Raising Young Athletes comes in. This new book by Dr. Jim Taylor, an internationally recognized authority on sport psychology, child development, and parenting, offers a deep and broad perspective on how to ensure that your children’s sports participation fosters nurturing experiences, encourages positive attitudes, promotes their most healthy development as they move toward adulthood, and helps them achieve their athletic goals. Whether your children play sports for “grins and giggles” or aspire to be professional or Olympic athletes, Raising Young Athletes can help you guide your children toward their sports participation being a essential and life-affirming part of their lives that prepares them to be victorious in sports and life.
Here’s what some sport parenting experts say:
“Dr. Jim Taylor is one of the top experts in the field of parenting high-level athletes, and his new book is a fantastic resource. If you want to help your athletes, of any age, attain success in sport and life, you need this book!” —John O’Sullivan, founder of Changing the Game Project and bestselling author
“Jim Taylor’s book has lots of insights for sports parents. His analysis of the current state of youth sports is spot on.” —Jim Thompson, founder and CEO of Positive Coaching Alliance and author of Elevating Your Game: Becoming a Triple-Impact Competitor
