For parents and coaches, the temptation to push an athlete to specialize in a single sport is tempting, even at a young age. Stories of athletes like Tiger Woods, who was intensely focused on golf since early childhood, give credence to the notion that the only way children will be successful in [...]
If you’ve ever wandered around in a sporting goods store or pharmacy, you’ve likely noticed an aisle largely dedicated to different wraps, braces, bandages, and tape designed to help an athlete recover from an injury or ease pain. But not all braces are created equal, and not every injury requires a brace. [...]
If your athlete has torn, ruptured, or otherwise injured a muscle, tendon, or ligament, they’re dealing with a soft tissue injury. These injuries can be frustrating, since the area that’s injured can look perfectly normal, but on the inside, the body is hard at work trying to heal. While your athlete is [...]
Overtraining is more common than you might expect in young athletes, especially athletes who are extremely focused on one sport and/or committed to multiple teams. Caught early, overtraining can be addressed effectively. Left too long, it can lead to burnout, injury, and other long-term consequences that require prolonged periods of recovery. Michele [...]
Although two-a-day practices remain a standard in many clubs and high school sports, they have been discontinued by a number of college and professional sports programs because the downsides often outweigh the benefits. Pair practices with school, games, extracurricular activities, work, and social obligations, and it’s amazing that any high school athlete [...]
Is your athlete juggling a summer job, training camps, off-season competitions, summer classes, volunteer hours, and maybe some down time with friends? It’s easy for young athletes to end up over-extended in the summer, and while a packed schedule isn’t necessarily a bad thing, not every athlete is equipped to handle such [...]
When it comes to helping young athletes develop positive body image, coaches and parents are constantly struggling. Fortunately, there are a few simple things to keep in mind when it comes to fostering healthy body image in athletes and following these rules of thumb can help you navigate the murky waters of [...]
There are so many different cooking oils on the market, and it can be difficult to know which oil is the healthiest to use when cooking or baking for your young athletes. A high-quality oil can provide vital nutrition, and here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in [...]
It can be difficult to know what to do—and what not to do—to best help athletes with issues around body image. This is especially true when even seemingly innocuous comments can lead to issues with negative body image. Here, TrueSport Expert and licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Streno is sharing what you [...]
If you’re having a hard time adopting a positive body image, you’re not alone. It can be hard for student-athletes to find the balance between striving for progress in their sport and accepting and appreciating their bodies just as they are. Taking a few seconds to appreciate what your body can do [...]
Having a tough talk with your coach doesn't have to be a stressful, scary thing. Whether you want advice on how to get more playing time or you're having a hard time with a teammate, these conversations might feel like a train wreck in the making, but they can go smoothly with [...]
Alkaline water, mineral water, carbonated water, coconut water: There are so many different water options available that it can feel a bit overwhelming at the grocery store. Which one will serve your athlete best, or is plain old tap water the optimal solution? Here, TrueSport Expert Stephanie Miezin, MS, RD, CSSD, explains [...]
For young athletes, breakfast is an important meal, but it’s also the most likely to get skipped in order to finish that homework assignment or catch the bus. And as a busy parent, you may simply find yourself struggling to make a healthy breakfast for your athlete as you rush to get [...]
Hot weather is coming, and that means your athletes are at a higher risk of becoming dehydrated during practices and games. And even mild dehydration can impact athletic performance, as well as an athlete’s general health. Losing just two percent of an athlete’s bodyweight through sweat loss can change how an athlete [...]
As an athlete, sports nutrition and hydration can get incredibly confusing. Are you supposed to be drinking plain water, or sipping a sports drink, or chugging a protein shake? Do you really need electrolytes…and if so, which electrolytes matter most? Unfortunately, the answers to sports nutrition questions tend to be nuanced, and [...]
As with volunteer umpires and referees, volunteer coaches are a critical part of keeping youth teams intact and giving kids the opportunity to play. Unfortunately, because of poor treatment of these volunteers, many end up quitting. In fact, in the U.S. in recent years, whole seasons have been put in jeopardy because of a [...]
Kevin Chapman, PhD Mental wellness can be difficult for parents, coaches, and other guardians to cope with when it comes to young athletes. Is a bad grade on a test just because an athlete didn’t study, or is it a sign of something deeper? Is an athlete who’s been tired [...]
Kevin Chapman, PhD If you’re an athlete’s parent or guardian, you likely feel the same pre-competition nerves and jitters that your athlete does. You may notice that in the minute before the competition starts, your heart beats just a bit faster, or you struggle to sleep soundly the night before [...]
Unfortunately, young athletes may find themselves on the sidelines for days, weeks, or even full seasons after concussions. These injuries can be frustrating since there’s no simple rehabilitation timeline, and as the brain heals, the body might feel ready for sport when the brain is not. As a parent or coach, you [...]
Maybe you’ve heard your coach tell you to ‘walk it off’ or ’shake it off’ when something went wrong during a game, or you lost a critical competition. While that advice is usually coming from a well-intentioned place, unfortunately, it makes many athletes feel like it’s not right to feel sad, mad, [...]
Coaching isn’t easy…there is pressure from parents, administrators, and athletes – all with different agenda and needs. These days, helping athletes through mental health struggles and tough times can also be part of your role as a coach. But your mental health matters too. Now more than ever, it’s easy to end up [...]
Bringing up topics like race, gender, sexuality, religion, or class can be intimidating and uncomfortable as a coach. But in many cases, staying silent on those topics can alienate athletes on your team, and make them feel as though they aren’t being understood. These conversations can be difficult, but they’re critical. TrueSport [...]
It can be hard to make meals that are healthy and satisfying for athletes with certain food restrictions. But with a bit of prep and pre-planning, you can easily have snacks and meals on hand that are soy, dairy, and gluten-free. TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and the owner of [...]
Assumptions and biases are unfortunately impossible to avoid entirely—and to say that you don’t have any around race, gender, sexuality, class, religion, disability, or any other identities, makes it impossible for you to grow as a person. As a coach, your teams almost certainly contain a diverse multitude of athletes with different [...]
Being an ally for your teammates doesn’t just mean posting on social media in support of a cause. It means standing up for them in tough situations, even when it’s uncomfortable. In sport and in school, this can be difficult. It can feel unpopular. But it’s the right thing to do. Here, [...]