Resilience is an important trait for kids in sports. It helps them bounce back after losses, injuries and other types of adversity. Psychologist Kathryn Den Houter, author of Resilience: A Workbook: Powering Through Adversity to Find Happiness describes how parents can help kids be resilient and flexible. Dr. Den Houter is a former sports mom to a successful equestrian.

What's it like for a teen athlete to play sports, especially during the COVID-19 crisis? Deacon Clark is a high schooler who runs track and plays basketball. He discusses identity issues related to being an athlete, sports kids who aren't team players and what it was like feeling pressured to play basketball when he was injured. He described playing basketball in a school that didn't prepare well for COVID--and why he changed schools.

Why is it so important for young athletes to seek a balanced life, rather than focusing exclusively on sports? Hernan Chousa, a former tennis pro and sports dad to a Division 1 athlete, says that kids who lack balance will burn out more quickly and experience other challenges. Chousa will talk about parents in sports during a presentation at "The Winning Summit." https://2021.winningsummit.com/talks/parentshift/#

It’s important to build teams that focus on inclusion, which will boost all players’ confidence and success, says Nadine Haruni, a lawyer and author of “Freeda the Frog and Her New Blue Family.” She gives tips to help teams create inclusiveness and empathy for kids of color, as well as kids in non-traditional families. As a mother in a blended family with five kids, she speaks from experience.

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?