TOM FARREY, Founder and Executive Director of the Aspen Institute’s Sports & Society Program We know that sports are hugely beneficial to children and young adults, from both a physical and mental standpoint. But sometimes, the sport systems that are in place don’t promote the healthiest practices for all athletes—and [...]
MICHELE LABOTZ, MD, FAAP Sports Medicine Physician, InterMed Sports Medicine Clinic Dealing with your period while balancing sports can be stressful and uncomfortable. But your period is a positive thing: It's an important marker of health, and there are ways to make this part of your life easier. Here, Dr. [...]
Betsy Butterick, Coach and Communication Specialist If you often find yourself having arguments with your athlete about things like getting to practice on time, an unfair coach or referee, or what your athlete could have done better after a bad game, there are some simple ways to improve your style [...]
As a coach, you play a large role in the creation of your team culture. While athletes make a difference, you are ultimately the leader who will set the tone for the team each season as athletes come and go. It's easy to fall into certain patterns and skip self-reflection, especially if [...]
Betsy Butterick, Coach and Communication Specialist Creating the team culture you want can be tricky: Every small action you take or conversation you have contributes to the culture as much as any result from a competition or the work you put in at practice. So how do you purposefully create [...]
Dr. Jessica Bartley, senior director of psychological services with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee Are you coming to the end of a chapter in your sporting career? Maybe you're a high school senior who isn't planning to continue with your sport in college. Perhaps you were injured and need [...]
Laura Lewis, PhDDirector of Science, USADA It’s no secret: We know that sleep is an athlete's superpower. Athletes who get enough sleep and have good sleep hygiene are able to recover faster, while those with poor sleep quality tend to be injured more and recover slower. So, is it important [...]
Laura Lewis, PhDDirector of Science, USADA Wearables are becoming more and more common amongst amateur and professional athletes, but should student-athletes be using these technologies? Dr. Laura Lewis is the Director of Science at the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) and her early research was done on cycling and power meters—devices [...]
Laura Lewis, PhDDirector of Science, USADA Should you be tracking your period with an app or trusting a wearable to let you know when it's about to start? Technology in sport has come a long way, and recently, great strides have been made in the women's health and technology space. [...]
Kevin Chapman, PHD Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Founder Kentucky Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders How often do you consider what you're thinking, or tune in to how you're talking to yourself? Everything in our lives, and in particular, our sport performance, can be affected by our internal dialogue. Here, TrueSport [...]
If your athlete has a bad competition, game, or practice, it can lead to a tense car ride home. Often, caregivers are well-meaning in their efforts to soothe grumpy athletes with advice and reassurances. Unfortunately, we often end up creating a more stressful, angst-filled situation in our attempts to help our athletes. [...]
Motivating athletes on your team is an important part of coaching. And providing motivation while protecting mental wellness can be challenging, especially for coaches who were made to believe in concepts like 'no pain, no gain' and a culture of punishment for failure. Kevin Chapman, PHD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Founder Kentucky [...]
MICHELE LABOTZ, MD, FAAP Sports Medicine Physician, InterMed Sports Medicine Clinic You may be wondering to yourself: "What possible benefit can I get by understanding how brain chemistry relates to sport?" It matters more than you might think. A better understanding of brain chemistry may actually lead to improved outcomes [...]
MICHELE LABOTZ, MD, FAAP Sports Medicine Physician, InterMed Sports Medicine Clinic If you're the caregiver to an athlete with a disability, it can be a daunting process to help them pursue the sports that they're interested in, and it may be tempting to shy away from putting youth with disabilities [...]
The term ‘equity’ has been used a lot in recent years when talking about diversity initiatives, but it’s not always clear what that actually means. And unfortunately, there are also misconceptions and assumptions around equity in sport that, as a caregiver of a young athlete, you should recognize and discontinue. Nadia [...]
Cross-culture communication is exactly what it sounds like: Being able to communicate in an honest, productive, healthy way with all the athletes on your team, regardless of their cultural, ethnic, or racial background, as well as gender, sexuality, or religion. Showing that you’re open and respectful of everyone’s backgrounds and beliefs can [...]
Nadia Kyba, MSW, President of Now What Facilitation Many of us want to directly intervene when we see an injustice or instance of bullying, but the sad reality is that it’s not always safe to do so. However, that doesn’t mean you should do nothing. There are many ways you [...]
Tammy Hanson, Director of Elite Education, USADA Most sport parents have heard their athletes talk about how much they need this or that supplement to perform better, stay healthier, or train harder. If your athlete is set on supplements, you can help them minimize the risks from those products by [...]
Tammy Hanson, Director of Elite Education, USADA Athletes often assume that anti-doping only becomes relevant to them once they’re over 18 or start playing at the professional level. The reality is that any athlete who is a member of a National Governing Body (NGB), such as USA Swimming or USA [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer You may have noticed electrolyte drinks and drink mixes popping up on social media, in articles, on podcasts, and in grocery stores in recent years. But does a young athlete really need to supplement their hydration with electrolytes? Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian [...]
While sport should be a safe place for athletes to grow and thrive, the devastating reality is that there are times when that’s not true. That is why it’s so important for the many adults who surround young athletes to understand what qualifies as misconduct, intervene when necessary, and report information to [...]
TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer If your athlete is struggling to fall asleep, stay asleep through the night, or is dealing with some mild feelings of anxiety, tweaking their nutrition habits can help. Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, offers a few simple [...]
Jennifer Royer, PhD Youth sport has many stakeholders, ranging from the athletes themselves to their caregivers, coaches, sports organizers, and communities. While all those roles come with their own challenges, the role of schools or communities in helping to develop healthy youth sports can be especially complex. A recent recommendations [...]
Athletes today have more inputs and reasons for being overwhelmed than ever before. Even in youth sport, the demands on their time are plentiful: travel teams, school teams, tournaments, required time in the gym for strength training, expectations of extra coaching in the offseason, and often, year-round play. Then, there are school [...]
As a coach, you play a large role in your athletes’ lives, and helping them set realistic, meaningful goals as a team and as individuals is one of the most important parts of a successful season. While athletes should feel ownership over both individual and team goals, you can help them optimize [...]