Building Confidence in Young Athletes

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews John Poncy, a sports dad, youth

coach, and former soccer player for the Armed Forces National Team about

his role as sports parent to passionate young players. How much should he

push his kids? At what point are sports parents pushing too hard? Mental

game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides advice as part of Kids' Sports Psychology's Sports Parents' Coach program.

How can parents and coaches help kids develop character and confidence in

youth sports? Communication is key, says Michael Langlois, co-owner of

Prospect Communications, which helps parents, coaches and administrators

develop more effective communication approaches. The father of four grown

sons who played many sports, Langlois gives tips about what to say before a game, after a mistake, and more.

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Ray Lokar, a lead trainer for the

Positive Coaching Alliance who has coached youth sports for more than 30

years and is the director of basketball4all.net. He talks about the

importance of being big on the little things, rewarding effort and other

issues. Mental Game Coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary.

Published?:

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio releases the first in a new audio series

called "Sports Parents Coach," during which sports parents share their

kids' mental game challenges, and Dr. Patrick Cohn and Lisa Cohn offer

ideas for dealing with these challenges. The first interview is with

Jennifer, the mother of an 8-year-old who seeks help building her son's

confidence.

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews J. Parker Adair, a coach who

started a high school lacrosse program and has run programs for athletes

aged 3 to high school. He has taken his sports lessons to the business

world with his website CoachAdair.com. Our topic: building success through

goal-setting and accountability. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn

provides commentary.

How are kids' mental games affected when they feel too pressured to

perform? Lisa Cohn of Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Mike Green,

founder of thesportsfamilyclub.org, a seasoned youth sports coach and

sports dad to four athletes. Mental game expert Dr. Patrick Cohn provides

commentary.

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Jere Johnson, who runs an

elementary sports program for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in which kids play flag football and are only coached by High School athletes. He

describes the benefits of this unique program--including ensuring kids

avoid labeling themselves as "losers" or "winners." Mental game coach Dr.

Patrick Cohn provides commentary.

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Kim Cristofoli, a former college

gymnast and sports mom to three athletes, one of whom is a United States

Hockey League player. She’s the co-founder of yourchildathlete.com, a

freelance sportswriter and a Positive Coaching Alliance champion. Our

topic: Helping athletes envision who they want to be in sports--and how it

helps them succeed in sports. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides

commentary.

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Wes Sime Ph.d. , a sports

psychologist who has worked with Olympic athletes and coaches, and was a

professor of health and human performance at the University of Nebaraska.

He specializes in using biodfeedback and neurofeedback in sports. Our

topic: Helping sports Kkds boost their mental stamina using biofeedback and neurofeedback. Mental game coach Dr. Patrick Cohn provides commentary about how kids can use similar ideas--without the sensors--to improve their mental stamina.

Ultimate Sports Parent Radio interviews Bruce Tollner, a sports agent, dad and author of The C.H.I.L.D. Game Plan (www.childgameplan.com), about how parents can use sports to boost their kids’ creativity, self-esteem and leadership skills. He talks about some of his pro athlete clients—and how their parents provided unconditional support and helped them deal with adversity.