One of the many outcomes of the COVID-19 pandemic was that young athletes had to become resilient. No matter how much we may want to shield children from the harsh realities of cancelled seasons, lockdowns, and quarantines, every child experienced some kind of loss or hardship during the pandemic. But board-certified family [...]
Helping your young athlete understand the difference between an uncomfortable situation and an unsafe situation can be incredibly difficult. "We have to protect our children from danger,” explains board-certified family physician and TrueSport Expert Deborah Gilboa, MD, but we shouldn’t necessarily protect them from discomfort. A specialist in youth development and resilience, Gilboa wants parents [...]
We all make assumptions throughout the day—it's part of human nature. But young athletes sometimes make judgements based on assumptions that may or may not be true, and these misguided assumptions can hurt a team's dynamic. The COVID-19 pandemic has also exacerbated assumption-making in every arena, and young people are particularly vulnerable [...]
Whether you're a child or an adult, a coach or a parent, a teammate or a team leader, difficult conversations are never easy. Having frank discussions that feel confrontational can be intimidating and emotionally taxing at any age, but fortunately, there are ways to improve your athlete's ability to handle difficult conversations [...]
As a coach for young athletes, whether they're in elementary school or high school, you're going to deal with the emotional rollercoasters that young people experience. A fight with a friend over the weekend can translate to feelings of despair on game day, and stress over a championship game can leave an [...]