Building Confidence in Young Athletes

For Cami Hawkins, CEO of Marathon Kids, which provides resources for schools to start running clubs, motivating kids is all about setting small goals and celebrating success.

Hawkins describes how the organization’s coaches set goals that are specific to kids’ interests and abilities. They also celebrate participants’ successes

For Cami Hawkins, CEO of Marathon Kids, which provides resources for schools to start running clubs, motivating kids is all about setting small goals and celebrating success. Hawkins describes how the organization’s coaches set goals that are specific to kids’ interests and abilities. They also celebrate participants’ successes

For Cami Hawkins, CEO of Marathon Kids, which provides resources for schools to start running clubs, motivating kids is all about setting small goals and celebrating success. Hawkins describes how the organization’s coaches set goals that are specific to kids’ interests and abilities. They also celebrate participants’ successes

Kids and teens are getting sick from lack of exercise and outdoor play, says Dr. Dan O'Neill, an orthopedic surgeon, sports psychologist and author of "Survival of the Fit." Screen time and processed foods are the culprit. Twenty percent of kids are obese and many of them are suffering from ailments like diabetes, pre-diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol--adult illnesses.What can parents do to keep their kids healthy?

How does community help sports kids build confidence? V.J. Stanley, a coach, former teacher and author of numerous youth sports books explains how feeling supported by community boosts kids' confidence and performance. Equal playing time for kids 10 and under is just one way to build this community, he says. He also addresses the importance of trust, intuition and peace of mind in kids' sports.

Chasta Hamilton, author of "Trash the Trophies: How to Win Without Losing Your Soul" was seeing "red flags" In the dance scene, so decided to offer young dancers an alternative that feeds their souls. She instructs students to focus on the process, give back to their communities and embrace collaboration, among other issues. She tells Ultimate Sports Parent Radio how kids have grown from this program--and how kids in sports in general can benefit from this approach.

What's the link between having safe equipment--such as helmets--and feeling confident? Mike Oliver, executive director of the National Operating Committee on Standards for Athletic Equipment (NOCSAE) says that kids are more likely to feel confident if their equipment is safe. But sometimes, expensive equipment will make them too cocky, and vulnerable to injuries.

Rebekah Roulier--director of The Champions Network and a former NCAA Division 1 student athlete who has a degree in counseling--explains how coaches can help sports kids with mental health challenges, especially during the COVID-19 crisis. She also addresses the mental health impacts of systemic racism in youth sports.

Christian Buck, author of The Sport of School and a performance coach who has worked with college teams at Brown, Harvard and Yale, talks about the importance of creating a vision and setting goals in youth sports--and how these ideas can help kids in school. He also provides tips for helping kids stay in engaged in sports during the COVID-19 crisis.

Kate T Parker. a professional photographer and New York Times bestselling author of The Heart of a Boy and Strong is the New Pretty talks about girls and body image. How can parents help girls worry less about how they look in sports? She also addresses what she sees as the top challenge for girls in sports: how their parents communicate with them.

Parker is an ironman and former collegiate (and current rec) soccer player.