We work with more and more young athletes today than every before. More sports parents are involved in their kids’ sports performance.
And they are realizing the value of mental training too. They see their kids performing like stars in practice only to under perform in competition.
So a recent MGCP graduate asked my how to involve parents of athletes into mental coaching.
As a mental coach, you have to involve parents into the process. Why? Often they may be part of the problem…
Some sports parents of athletes might:
- Place high expectations on their kids
- Hurt kids’ confidence by focusing on mistakes
- Focus kids on the wrong stuff before and after games
- Brainwash young athletes into one primary goal: Scholarship
- Embarrass athletes when they act out on the sidelines
And the list goes on. As you can tell, these behaviors do not serve athletes when it comes to a strong mental game. Yes, parents can sabotage young athletes’ mental game without even knowing it.
This is why it’s important for you to involve parents in the loop. How can you do this?
Sports parents can be involved by:
- Sitting in on the sessions with young athletes
- Having separate meetings with the mental coach
- Reviewing mental edge workbooks or session summaries
- Reading material we provide specifically for sports parent
- Signing a code of conduct for sports parenting
And we find that most parents are very willing to be involved in the mental training process. Some parents insist on it because they know they are part of the problem!
Your success with mental training depends on a team approach. Involving the parents, coaches or instructors (if possible), and siblings will lead to better outcomes with your mental coaching.
We discuss all these issues and more in the MGCP certification course for coaches, life coaches, and mental coaches in training.
Mental Coach Certification Application
Here’s what Marc Anderson had to say about the MGCP course:
“I continue to experience marked success utilizing your various mental training publications and E-books, as well all your Athlete’s Mental Edge Workbooks to help my athletes reach their peak performance. One of my basketball players earned a Division I scholarship to play at the Citadel in the fall. He contributed much of his success to my mental training program.”
~Marc Anderson
Listen to his success story here: