5 habits that will guarantee your child has an awesome season

By Janis Meredith | Posted 11/1/2017

How’s your child’s youth sports season looking?

Is it looking grim because of weak team chemistry, a negative coach, or maybe your child isn’t playing the position they’d hoped? Perhaps your child is already coming home discouraged about the season.

What will it take for your child to turn a potentially bleak season around?

It will take a simple six-letter word: HABITS.

If your child is exercising these five habits, it will make a night and day difference in their outlook, and experience throughout the season. 

Habit #1

Be on time, better yet, be early. Getting there on time shows the coach your child is punctual, and arriving early shows that your child is eager to play.

Habit #2

Practice like it’s game time. If your child is lazy in practice, how is the coach supposed to know how they will perform in the game? 

My husband, who coached for nearly three decades, called those athletes "gamers", they practiced half-heartedly but turned it on in the game. That may work for LeBron James or Dwayne Wade, but it probably won’t work well for your child. Coaches need to see a 100% effort from your child, so they know how to position them in the game.

Habit #3

Find a focus for each practice. Your child may have a lot of skills to hone, but if they go into each practice with the intention of focusing on a specific skill, they will most likely see measurable progress. Help your child list the skills they'd like to improve such as; catching, tackling, blocking, and throwing? Then let them pick the one they want to focus on during practice that day. 

Habit #4

Find a victory every day; it is a natural outcome of Habit #3. When your child is focusing on a specific skill each practice, it’s easier to see the small victories. Help your child find a victory to celebrate every day in practice or in a game. It may be as little as remembering to high-five teammates, or as big as finally connecting with their receivers for a long touchdown pass.

Little victories are subtle, they do not jump out at you, and if you are focused on other things, chances are very high that you are missing some. Like the fact that your child is learning to take risks, or that they dove for the ball, even though they missed, is showing more fight. Maybe your child is showing leadership by being an encourager to his teammates.

This is one habit that really is a game changer for you and your child. It will make a positive difference in any season.

Habit #5

Say Thank You. Gratefulness is the antidote to youth sports negativity. Start by encouraging your child to thank their coach, the officials, and their teammates, for a good practice or game. 

A grateful heart results in a positive attitude, which can shape the whole season. Without a doubt, gratitude is the foundation of an unstoppable attitude.

Practiced regularly, these five habits will have a ripple effect, eventually touching every corner of your child’s youth sports experience in a positive way, and probably others on the team as well.

In fact, these habits are fridge worthy! Post them on the fridge as a reminder to your child and to you; watch how they work! 

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