Young athletes who forget skills, freeze up or make avoidable mistakes and who can't meet their practice performance during competitions are struggling with performance blocks.

These blocks can be caused by excessive pressure, anxiety, worry, perfectionism or identity issues and self-judgement, said Albert Bramante, a psychology professor and author of "Rise Above the Script."

To help kids overcome these performance blocks, parents can remind them that blocks do not reflect ability. "It's not their fault that this has happened. It's not an indication that you're a subpar athlete or subpar performer; it just means you have a lot of anxiety," he said.

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Andy Whittier knows how to cope with pressure.

He transitioned from playing college football to representing the U.S. in the skeleton sport, a solo, head-first sled race down an icy track at speeds of up to 89 mph.

At first, it was terrifying, he said. But with constant practice, he started making some "good, fast clean runs" and building confidence.

Athletes can build confidence gradually through experience, discipline and stacking small wins over time. Repetition and practice are key, he said.

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P.J. Glassey, personal trainer, "biohacker" at XGym.com, and author of Cracking Your Calorie Code, has identified 16 brain types that help determine how best to motivate athletes and boost their performance.

Developed over a 5-year period, his 20-question brain type test–which combines psychology and fitness– helps people get fit with less reliance on willpower.

Once Glassey identifies an athlete's brain type, he provides motivation and fitness "hacks," he said.

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When sports kids face challenges such as injuries or mistakes, they're more likely to overcome them by being "all in"--committed to working hard and improving in their sport.

Chad Dunn, CEO of Move Performance Center and former BMX racer, asks kids facing adversity, "Do you really want to do this?" The right answer, he says, is "Coach, I'm all in."

A big challenge for sports kids is comparing themselves to others, especially when they focus too much on what other athletes are posting on social media, he says. His advice: Stop making comparisons.

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Parents are very emotional about their kids' youth sports experience, and they're pouring a lot of money into youth sports. Because of these factors, they may feel that coaches favor other players when their kids aren't getting the playing time they want, said Jen Fry, a TEDx speaker, owner of JenFryTalks and sports geographer, which means means she studies how geographical factors, like terrain, influence which sports are played in specific areas.

When are coaches playing favorites? How should coaches address kids' weaknesses? Does it make sense to favor young athletes who are coachable? Should parents talk to coaches about favoritism?

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Teen athletes experience anxiety when they can't be in the moment, said Kate Kelley-Schneider, a psychotherapist and sports mindset coach at Pure Health Center and Pure Sports Mindset.

They are either stuck replaying a mistake over and over or looking to the future and worrying about the score.

"They'll check out of the game from a mental perspective. That then shows up physically," she said.

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What if young athletes could practice visualization and then receive feedback in real time that improves their performance? Konstantin Sonkin, a neuroscientist and founder of i-Brain Tech, uses neuroscience-based technology to help athletes boost focus and decision-making.

Learn more about Dr. Sonkin at i-Brain.Tech

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Elite athletes from across the world competed in the 17th IDBF World Dragon Boat Racing Championships, and 14-year-old Ysabella won 8 medals in the junior division.

Her dad, Rex Cajanding, who was involved in her training, gives tips to sports parents about how to help kids attain success--without burning them out.

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It's a myth that participating in youth sports will build character in youing athletes, say Brian Smith and Ed Uszynski, authors of "Away Game: A Christian Parent's Guide to Navigating Youth Sports."

The problem: There are too many variables in youth sports to conclude that participating will build character. Referees are inconsistent. Coaches don't all have the same values.

To build character, adults and mature young athletes need to identify and act on character-building moments, they say.

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Forty-two percent of children report being bullied by coaches or physical education teachers. Common bullying programs don't work, said Tom Dahlborg, president and CEO of Dahlborg HealthCaring Leadership Group.

Bullying can make kids depressed, anxious and even suicidal.

Dahlborg is working to implement better anti-bullying programs, including creating a team culture that doesn't tolerate this behavior, establishing peer mentors and ensuring parents and adults are good role models.

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