As a sports parent, you want your child to succeed in their athletic pursuits. However, the reality is that failure is an inevitable part of any athlete’s journey. How you, as a parent, help your child deal with failure can make a significant impact on their overall development as a young athlete. Tips to help your child cope with failure in sports Encourage a Growth Mindset: A growth mindset is the belief that abilities can be developed through hard work and dedication. Encourage your child to focus on the process of improvement rather than just the end result. Help them understand that fail ..read more

No equipment? No problem! One of the biggest misconceptions about exercising is that you NEED a gym. All you really need is a little space and some motivation. Bodyweight exercises can help increase muscle tone and strength, improve joint function, and increase your overall health and fitness. The biggest advantage to bodyweight exercises is convenience. In today’s world, we’re all so busy that it’s easy to lower your priorities on fitness. Typically, people want results quickly without having to sacrifice too much time to get them. With bodyweight exercises, there’s no longer an exc ..read more

It’s true what they say about being able to do anything you want as long as you set your mind to it. Sometimes, however, “setting your mind to it” means to admit that you could use some extra help. In the case of being a parent, particularly one to a youth athlete, it’s important to consider the long term benefits of hiring a private coach before jumping in. Is it going to be worth it? How long does your kid plan to play this sport? How is their mentality holding up when they struggle in competition? Do they have a real passion for the game, or are they just out there for fun? Each of these qu ..read more

My son has recently turned fifteen. He has been training with various teams at different levels from club to state to country over the last few years. It has been just over a year since he last received one-on-one training from a private coach. I decided to ask him about his experience and if private coaching had offered a real benefit to his game. Without hesitation he replied, “yes!” He said it was more than a singular benefit; it was the best and most practical training he had ever received.  He went onto explain the reasons why the private coaching was necessary for his skill developm ..read more

After many years of injury-free exercise, at least any injury that required any kind of long-term rehabilitation, I was injured in a fall in July of 2023. While out on my morning “ruck march,” I was attacked by a dog and knocked to the ground. I caught myself with my right hand and injured my wrist. My adrenaline was so high in the ER that I barely even noticed the injury to my wrist. I was more concerned about getting my tetanus shot updated and learning the dog’s rabies vaccine status. The next day, however, my wrist was bruised and become noticeably swollen. I figured a few days off of my u ..read more

The most important trait for coaches working with youth baseball players is patience. It is very easy for a coach to go in with high expectations or standards for their players and have the season play out completely different. Showing visible disappointment coaching youth athletes could be very demoralizing for them—particularly baseball players. In a game of failure, learning to overcome shortcomings is far more valuable than living up to expectations. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself as the coach to teach them every skill in one season. Rather, focus on figuring out what aspect of the ..read more

Being a former competitive athlete, I am grateful my parents had a healthy balance of knowing when to push me to be my best and when to turn the reins over to me and allow my own intrinsic motivation to be the fuel that drove my desire and passion. I can remember our conversations in the car ride home being brief and positive. Most of them simply involved me being asked how practice went and if I was still enjoying gymnastics. Our conversations after a competition weren’t much different. Those usually involved me being asked what I wanted to eat. By that time, everyone in the family was exhaus ..read more

Taking in the season from the bleachers can be an emotionally taxing experience. As a parent of a youth sports athlete, it is difficult to communicate emotions with your kid’s coach without crossing the line. It is far too often that parents intervene inappropriately and make a negative impact on their child’s experience. These instances also take a toll on the team environment as a whole. Below you will find helpful tips to better understand how you can build respect with your kid’s coach through healthy communication. Support your young athlete by establishing communication and respect with ..read more

While many people see the benefit of working out multiple times a week, few realize the benefit of consistent stretching. Stretching is the best thing you can do for your body before and after you work out. In addition, using a foam roller is a great way to further loosen up your muscles. Tight muscles and soreness are common the day after a workout, and that causes some athletes to break up their schedule for recovery. While full rest days are important, regular stretching will minimize the need to cut back on your routine. It’s important to stretch hamstrings and quads, but people often ove ..read more

Athletes have many questions about how to fuel for top performance. The Internet abounds with answers, but how do you know what’s valid? Here are some trustworthy answers, based on research presented at the American College of Sports Medicine’s Annual Meeting (May 2018; www.ACSM.org). FUELING DURING  Do elite athletes, such as professional soccer players, consume the recommended 30 to 60 g carb (120 to 240 calories) per hour during moderate/high intensity training? Likely not. A soccer study indicates the players barely consumed half that amount (17 g carb (~70 calories)/hour of mo ..read more