Youth Sports

Navigating youth sports has become a full-time job for parents, driven by a mix of living vicariously through our children and chasing the dream of them reaching the “big stage.” But are we doing this for the right reasons? With the sports industry valued at $480 billion, it’s worth asking if our wallets—and our kids—are being exploited. Growing up in a small town, I was raised with values that emphasized hard work, teamwork, and personal growth—lessons that sports have instilled for generations. Yet today, parents will stop at nothing to push their child to the pinnacle of ...

The modern day youth sports environment has taken the enjoyment out of athletics for our children. Currently, 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by the age of 13, which has given rise to a generation of overweight, unhealthy young adults. There is a solution. John O'Sullivan shares the secrets of the coaches and parents who have not only raised elite athletes, but have done so by creating an environment that promotes positive core values and teaches life lessons instead of focusing on wins and losses.

Moses and Troy Horne here. Your mental-toughness guides! We know exactly how you feel. If you are reading this, you probably have a young athlete who struggles with in-game stress and maybe even sports performance anxiety. That is why this version was mostly written by Moses. As of the time of the writing of this book, Moses Horne is a 15-year-old elite athlete who can talk directly about the triumphs and struggles of working toward being mentally tough. This is the only book that I know of with input from an actual young athlete.

Joe Ehrmann's coaching philosophy was described by Jeffrey Marx in the best seller Season of Life, and since the publication of that book, thousands of coaches have looked to Joe for advice about putting his philosophy into practice. InSideOut Coaching provides the critical information and tools they've been waiting for - the information to help coaches everywhere create more meaningful experiences for themselves and to maximize their impact on the lives of the athletes they coach.

Today's youth-sports experience provokes countless questions for well-intentioned parents. How young should kids start playing sports? Should they specialize—and when? What should a parent do when their kid is not getting the playing time they think their child deserves? How do parents encourage children without overwhelming them? Raising Empowered Athletes has answers for every youth-sports situation with an overarching goal of not only helping parents raise strong athletes but also nurture great human beings who are empowered to succeed on and off the playing field.

Competition anxiety and overthinking putting a wrench in your athlete’s chase after victory? Learn ways to help them overcome mental hurdles and embrace true potential. Struggling to find a training plan that doesn’t leave a young competitor impatient? Certain they could make it into the record books if they could just discover their edge? Wishing for a peek inside the minds of greats like LeBron James, Simone Biles, and Lionel Messi? After working with over 5,000 athletes, coach and author Andrew J Simpson has identified exactly what makes a champion tick. And now he’s here to help ...

The 7-Day System That Transforms Young Athletes From Talented to Unstoppable. After years of competing in the high jump and serving as a naval officer, I came across something major: Physical talent alone rarely creates champions. The deciding factor lies in the battle inside their minds. Does your young athlete ever… Excel in practice but freeze during competition? Struggle with anxiety or nerves before big games? Lose confidence after a mistake instead of bouncing back? Get distracted easily and lose focus mid-play? You're not alone. These challenges haunt even the most physically ...

This is a must-listen, cautionary tale for any parents with kids in youth sports or any adult considering coaching children. We have a coaching crisis in this country. Because of the parents with unrealistic assessments of how much more important their kids are to their teams or just how good (or not) their children are, coaches are putting their personal and professional reputations on the line when they coach a team for these parents: And the risks are starting to outweigh the rewards.

In this candid and inspirational guide to young people, Brent Bass examines challenges and contradictions facing school age students (notably student-athletes). He offers middle and high schoolers (and parents) tools for learning about peer pressure, respecting authority, being coachable, risk-taking, keeping their word, managing time, first impressions, staying flexible, spirituality, focusing, and other winning life skills.

Unleash a resilient mind and unstoppable game in just weeks, even if balancing sports and life feels overwhelming. Are you struggling with performance anxiety? Do you grapple with self-doubt, making you question your skills during critical moments in sports? Are you in need of resilience to bounce back from setbacks like injuries or academic pressure? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re in the right place. Most young athletes and their supporting parents feel this way all too often. But those challenges can be transformed into strengths with the tested techniques ...

GameChanger: The Baseball Parent’s Ultimate Guide is a unique work created by baseball trainer Michael McCree to communicate the best ways baseball parents can raise and guide their aspiring ball players. This book is designed to help parents realize that they can acquire the knowledge it takes to make a meaningful impact in the ongoing development of their youth baseball player (ages 5-13), regardless of prior understanding of the game. The information presented in GameChanger: The Baseball Parent’s Ultimate Guide will transform the way parents think about issues pertaining to youth ...

The Unstoppable Athlete (Parent Edition) Competition anxiety and overthinking putting a wrench in your athlete’s chase after victory? Learn ways to help them overcome mental hurdles and embrace true potential. Struggling to find a training plan that doesn’t leave a young competitor impatient? Certain they could make it into the record books if they could just discover their edge? Wishing for a peek inside the minds of greats like LeBron James, Simone Biles, and Lionel Messi? After working with over 5,000 athletes, coach and author Andrew J Simpson has identified exactly what makes a ...

Inspiration for the film "THE MENTAL MASTERY OF HITTING IN BASEBALL", Mind of a Superior Hitter: The Art, Science, and Philosophy takes an in-depth look into the key aspects of becoming a great hitter from a psychological, emotional and strategic perspective. The book is designed to enhance the intelligence of hitters in both baseball and softball on a level that is unprecedented. It includes quotes and advice from some of the top hitting coaches in the world, former professional players and prominent minds that have contributed to today’s leading hitting ideologies. Throughout, players ...

As former little league, high school, collegiate and professional baseball players, we appreciate the time, effort and dedication from every parent that takes on the role of coach. We know how challenging coaching can be and we want to do everything we can to help educate them. Our vision was to create a step-by-step reference guide, for even the most inexperienced parents, to help them in every aspect of coaching. Our goal is to equip parents with all the tools necessary to become a first-time coach and get the absolute most out of their players. Building team chemistry, formulating drills...

In Every Moment Matters, renowned coach educator John O'Sullivan has collected hundreds of interviews with top coaches, sport scientists, psychologists, and athletes and distilled them into a blueprint for becoming a more effective and inspiring leader. Great coaches realize something that others do not: Every moment matters!

As the parent of two sons who went on to play baseball in college as well as a former head baseball coach at the NCAA level, I want to share alternatives with parents that will allow their children to avoid the anxiety and stress that many face within the overstructured and overorganized world of travel baseball. The hamster wheel of travel ball is a business model and not a baseball development model. For kids, baseball should be all about one thing—having fun! We play it as kids, watch and listen to it as adults, and pass down our love of it through generations.

Unlock your team's full athletic potential and build resilient, high-performing basketball players. Are you ready to transform your basketball team into a powerhouse of complete athletes? "Strength and Conditioning for Basketball: Injury Prevention and Peak Performance" is your definitive guide to developing a holistic physical program that goes far beyond basic drills. This isn't just about lifting weights; it's about optimizing movement, preventing injuries, and unleashing peak performance on the court. Seasoned coach Bryce Patton dives deep into the unique physical demands of basketball,...

Team USA goalkeeper Tim Howard was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome in sixth grade. He went on to become a national treasure after single-handedly keeping America competitive in the 2014 World Cup. Stephen Curry was told he was too small, too weak, and too slow to even receive a scholarship to play college basketball. He outworked everyone and went on to become MVP of the National Basketball Association. Jim Abbott was born without his right hand, yet he refused to be defined by what he lacked. He went on to pitch a no-hitter in the Major Leagues.

This book defines youth sports in America as between the ages of 6-13 years old. Youth sports in America is a highly competitive place where winning is usually valued over everything else. Unfortunately, you will find very few coaches and leagues where the focus is on developing more positive traits such as: fair play, a positive attitude, and valuing one’s potential. I have seen way too many examples of coaches and leagues who act like the world will end if their team does not win the game or match. This book will educate and provide you with suggestions on how to navigate the American ...

Inside this essential coaching blueprint, you'll discover a treasure trove of actionable strategies designed to ignite that winning fire in every player. Learn how to: Forge the bedrock of mental toughness: Implement a coach's blueprint for developing advanced cognitive appraisal, elite emotional regulation, unwavering behavioral persistence, and superior self-efficacy in your team. Cultivate an indomitable growth mindset: Equip your players to embrace challenges, learn from setbacks, and relentlessly pursue improvement. Master composure under pressure: Provide practical solutions to help ...