From Fragile to Fearless: How to Build Unbreakable Toughness in Youth Athletes
5 Proven Strategies for Coaches and Parents to Develop Mental Resilience and Grit in Youth Athletes
Are you tired of seeing your young athlete crumble under pressure? Do you want to help your child or player develop the mental toughness needed to succeed on and off the field? Look no further! In this week’s newsletter, we'll show you how to build unbreakable toughness in youth athletes. We've gathered insights from top experts in sports psychology and coaching to bring you five proven strategies that will help your child or player develop the grit, resilience, and mental fortitude needed to take their game to the next level. Whether you're a parent, coach, or young athlete looking to build mental toughness, this is a must-read newsletter for you.
Model a Growth Mindset
A growth mindset is the belief that one's abilities and intelligence can be developed through hard work, practice, and perseverance. In contrast, a fixed mindset is the belief that one's abilities and intelligence are fixed traits that cannot be changed. In order for our player’s to develop a growth mindset, we must model it for them on a consistent basis.
To model a growth mindset for their children, parents can:
Embrace challenges and encourage their child to view challenges as opportunities for growth and learning. Your son or daughter might have went 0-4 in their previous game…but did they hit the ball hard? Did they swing at good pitches? Stats (especially in baseball) rarely tell the full story.
Avoid using fixed mindset language such as "you're so smart" or "you're a natural athlete" and instead praise effort and persistence. When you see that your kid has worked hard outside of scheduled team practice (i.e. extra studying, hitting on their own, lifting) consistently, it’s important that you recognize that and reinforce that behavior.
Encourage your child to take risks and learn from failures. Encourage your kids to play aggressively, they make some mistakes but those are just opportunities to learn and grow. In baseball and in life, the results aren’t typically within our control, but our attitude and effort are always a choice.
Focus on the learning process rather than just the outcome. As players transition from middle school to high school ball, from JV to varsity, the only thing that changes is the speed of the game, everything gets faster. It’s a period of adjustment, recognize this fact, support them through it. Model patience.
Foster a love of learning by encouraging curiosity and exploration. If it’s within your budget take them to professional games. If you have a high schooler that wants to play at a particular school or level, go to one of their games so you and your son or daughter can observe the current players size, speed and strength of the players that play their position.
“Parents who communicate the importance of effort and perseverance, rather than innate ability, have children who are more likely to develop a growth mindset and see intelligence as malleable and subject to change”(Gunderson et al., 2013).
It’s important to keep in mind that this approach does not work for every kid. Specifically for those kids that already have high expectations for themselves and a consistent work ethic . The growth mindset approach in this instance can actually be a hinderance. For these youth athletes, a growth mindset approach can feel belittling to them.
Set Challenging Goals
If you read last weeks newsletter than you already know how this is done and how you can help. You can go back to last weeks article (highly encouraged) or read the brief summary below:
Summary: Setting challenging but achievable goals can help build toughness in young athletes by providing them with a sense of purpose and direction. Encourage your players to set goals that are specific, measurable, and challenging, and help them create a plan to achieve those goals. Celebrate their progress along the way and help them stay motivated and focused on their goals.
Emphasize Physical Conditioning (Personal Story)
Heading into middle school I had only played one sport and that was baseball. Hitting a baseball may be the hardest action to perform in sports but the sport itself is not nearly most physically demanding. I didn’t know what being “tough” was, my dad knew that, much to my dismay he signed me up for football heading into 6th grade. Back then you had to meet a certain weight criteria in order to play with your age group, I was 10 pounds over and had to lose that weight in a 2 week period.
Practices were tough. But the conditioning for the overweight kids that ensued after practice was like nothing I’d ever experienced. It started with a mile jog to the Walmart (in pads) that was just over the I-95 overpass next to our field. On the way back from the Walmart, we had to run up and down the hill that was connected to the overpass 10 times before we’d complete the jog back to the field. Everyday. For two weeks straight. I continued to play after that first year, not for the love of the sport but for the toughness it required.
I hated every minute of it. It made me uncomfortable, it challenged me physically, mentally and emotionally daily. But, I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything. It instilled a toughness and confidence in me that baseball couldn’t. It helped me understand that the mind will attempt to quit well before the body will.
How does this apply to youth athletes in today’s day and age?
I’m not saying that your child needs to go tryout for the high school football team in the fall. But it’s important to have a consistent, structured workout regiment in place that focuses on progressive overload. This builds toughness through a gradual challenge to the body. As your athletes see the numbers on their lifts/exercises go up…so does their confidence. Plus, they are building a healthy habit that will benefit them for the rest of their lives.
What is Progressive Overload?
Progressive overload is a principle in weightlifting that refers to gradually increasing the demands placed on the body during exercise over time. This can be achieved by increasing the weight lifted, the number of repetitions performed, or the number of sets completed. By continually challenging the body in this way, athletes can gradually build strength, endurance, and muscle mass, and improve their overall fitness and athletic performance. The key is to make gradual increases in the workload over time, rather than trying to lift the heaviest weights or perform the most repetitions right from the start.
It doesn’t have to be complicated! If you need help setting this up, please send me an email (brad@nitty-grittytraining.com) and I will help you and your athlete get started (I am a Certified Personal Trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine).
Practice Mental Toughness Through Mindfulness
In recent years, mindfulness has gained popularity as a tool for promoting mental health and well-being. However, its benefits extend beyond stress reduction and relaxation; mindfulness can also help youth athletes build mental toughness. By learning to focus their attention and regulate their emotions, athletes can develop greater resilience, confidence, and perseverance on the field.
Mindfulness involves paying attention to the present moment, without judgment or distraction. In sports, this means being fully present in the game, without getting caught up in past mistakes or future worries. By staying focused on the present, athletes can make better decisions, react more quickly to changing conditions, and maintain their composure under pressure. Additionally, mindfulness can help athletes manage their emotions and reactions, preventing negative thoughts or feelings from interfering with their performance.
Incorporating mindfulness into your child's training regimen doesn't have to be complicated or time-consuming. It can be as simple as taking a few deep breaths before a game or practice, or practicing visualization exercises to help them stay focused and relaxed. Over time, these practices can help your child develop greater mental toughness, enabling them to perform at their best on the field and overcome challenges with greater ease. So, consider introducing your child to mindfulness practices, and watch as they develop greater resilience, focus, and mental toughness both on and off the field.
Be a Good Teammate at All Times
When your child is playing a team sport such as baseball, it’s important that they understand that it is not all about them as individuals. On the first day of practice every year, when it’s time to take the tarps off the field or set up for batting practice I always watch to see who is helping and who is watching. As a coach, I aim to treat everyone fairly. But the players that are the first to do the dirty, less glamorous work are the first that I go above and beyond for. Athletes, especially at the youth level need to learn the importance of selflessness and sacrifice.
When athletes learn to prioritize the needs of the team above their own desires or ego, they develop a greater sense of perspective and maturity, which can serve them well both on and off the field.
Secondly, practicing selflessness can help youth athletes build stronger relationships with their teammates, coaches, and others in their sports community. When athletes show a willingness to support and help others, they're more likely to receive support and encouragement in return. This can create a sense of unity and camaraderie within the team, which can be crucial for staying motivated and overcoming obstacles.
Finally, practicing selflessness can help youth athletes develop important life skills like communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. These skills are valuable not just in sports, but in many other areas of life, including school, work, and personal relationships. By practicing selflessness in the context of their sport, athletes can develop greater confidence and competence in these areas, which can serve them well on and off the field.
Summing It Up
Building toughness and focus in youth athletes requires a multi-faceted approach that includes physical conditioning, mental training, teamwork, and selflessness. As parents and coaches, we have a unique opportunity to help our young athletes develop these skills and traits, both on and off the field. Consider enrolling your child in our baseball lessons and personal training program to help them take their skills to the next level. Our experienced coaches are dedicated to helping young athletes build the skills and mindset they need to achieve their goals and succeed in baseball and beyond. Contact us today to learn more!
Email: brad@nitty-grittytrining.com
Phone: 561-319-9204 (Call or Text)
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