How (Not) to Raise a Narcissist
We are raising narcissists, or so a new study reports. The study, authored by Brad J. Bushman, PhD, professor of communication and psychology at the Ohio State University, asked 565 children aged 7 to 11 years – the years when kids start to compare themselves with other children – and their parents about self-esteem, parental warmth, […]
Early Sports Specialization: Safe, Sorry or Simply Unable to Say No?
“At what age should they specialize?” Shelby asked me at the book signing. She had her two boys in tow. Her daughter was away on a weekend retreat, so she found herself with a freer schedule than usual. The son in question was a second grader who had been offered a spot on the travel soccer team, but […]
Physical Literacy, the Long Term Investment We Make in Our Kids
Kids are expensive these days, aren’t they? Toys, games, school supplies, activities, classes, technology and fashion. We want to give our children the best of things, but replacing the $100 graphing calculator three times because they can’t find the last one or buying them 3 pairs of Uggs so they’ll have colors for each outfit […]
Playing Up: Is it Safe? Is it Wise? Is it Best?
Cat was her name; she was the ringer on my daughter’s U9 travel team. It was the spring season and they had been a miserable failure (in soccer terms) in the fall. When Cat joined the team mid-year, things had started looking up. This girl was small but fast. And was she ever good. She […]
Survival Training for the Winter Ice Breaker Tournament
We’ve nearly survived the snow and ice, now how about the Icebreaker? The tournament, I mean. Can you believe spring soccer is just around the bend? This year the weather has prevented most teams from doing a lot of preseason preparation. What will this mean when the team takes the field in March? Is there […]
How to Put the SHOW in Showcase
Showcase…just the word puts you on guard. You’re the center of things. On the big field, the feature field, the stadium field, the special turf. Coaches come from far and wide to watch you play. You know who they are, even behind their shades, because they are standing there with their clipboards and game sheets, […]
Play, the Great Leveler
Remember the carefree days of unencumbered play? When we gathered a group of friends, boys and girls, older and younger, and set out for the open field, or the hillside, or the climbing tree? There was not one right way to run or jump or roll or climb. We each just did it in our […]
Is Comparison Stealing the Potential from Our Kids?
There’s so much pressure to be the star player out there. The best, the most, the fastest, the biggest, the strongest. While encouraging kids to reach their potential is important – and what parents, coaches and teachers have done since the beginning of time – I think we may have lost our way a bit […]
If Coach is in Charge of Player Development, Who is in Charge of Coach Development?
We pour, time, energy, heart and money into developing our kids, but what about their coach? In my last post I suggested beginning with the end in mind so you know the way to the finish line for your athlete. Expect a good coach to clearly define the steps to progress your child and what achievement looks […]
To Set a Successful Course, Flip Your Perspective
How can we train to finish well? To meet our goal, achieve success, and win the prize? Yes, strength, speed, fitness and avoiding injury are all important along the way. But how do I know the way? How do I get from here (where I am dissatisfied with how I look, feel, perform) to there (where […]