Dr. John Ratey of Harvard Medical School has done pioneering work on how physical exercise helps children (and adults) learn. In this video he explains how exercise can boost learning, help mitigate behavioral problems, and aid in the management of ADHD. He also gives examples of how schools are integrating physical activity into the school day, and talks specifically about the relationship between sports participation and academic performance.
In Part 2 of his series on Mental Skills Training, Dr. Ken Ravizza talks about what to do when adversity hits. Use his advice to help your athletes develop 'something to go to' when they hit rough patches in sports - and in life!
Bob Bigelow reminds us about the importance of development stages in the evolution of young athletes. Because of differences in developmental rates, the elementary or middle school sports 'superstar' might become an average high school player, and the struggling freshman might become all-state. This dynamic becomes a sobering caution when Bob reminds us of the dramatic youth sports dropout rate beginning at around age 13. How many late bloomers are we losing because they become 'early exiters' from youth sports? And what does this say about the structure of our youth sports programs?
(Bob Bigelow is former professional athlete and now a leading expert in organized youth sports with thousands of hours invested in research, writing, and speaking on youth sports.(Learn more about Bob and his work here).
Dr. Ken Ravizza is a professor of Applied Sport Psychology at the California State University at Fullerton, and one of the top Peak Performance Consultants in the world today. In Part 1 of his series on Mental Skills, Dr. Ravizza discusses the idea of achieving peak sport performance through mental training. He reminds us that peak performance - what athletes call 'being in the zone' - is a relatively rare occurence for most. The real challenge is helping athletes learn how to get the most out of their performance when they are NOT in the zone. Dr. Ravizza has some creative ideas for doing just that.
Bob Bigelow is former professional athlete and now a leading expert in organized youth sports with thousands of hours invested in research, writing, and speaking on youth sports. In less than three minutes Bob gets to the heart of what is wrong with American youth sports - and how to get started in restoring youth sports to its proper mission of positive youth development. Recommended for every coach, parent, and sports director. (Learn more about Bob and his work here).
Before a big game, this youth football coach reminds his players to focus on the elements they can control. Watch this coach put Coaching For Mastery to practice. Notice how he mentions all three ELM Tree principles - efforts, learning and mistakes. From Liberty Mutual's Responsible Sports Project.
"If you're developing kids the right way you're going to win." This statement from Coach Mike Krzyzewski, Duke University's Hall of Fame basketball coach, affirms one of the core principles of the Elevation Model of Athletic Development featured here on PositiveSports.net.
This video produced by the Institute for International Sport dates back to 1989, yet twenty years later the message of keeping youth sports in perspective through focusing on positive youth development is more relevant than ever.
This introductory video brings notice to the Sportsmanship I.Q. test that is provided through STAR Sportsmanship, a project of Learning Through Sports Inc., which is focused on sportsmanship, character education, critical thinking skills, steroid and drug education.
STAR Sportsmanship's website features many articles relating to the success of the STAR Sportsmanship educational program in school settings, as well as a national movement towards more emphasis on sportsmanship in youth sports.
According to the Mayo Clinic, MRSA infection is caused by Staphylococcus aureus bacteria — often called "staph." MRSA stands for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. It's a strain of staph that's resistant to the broad-spectrum antibiotics commonly used to treat it. MRSA is increasingly occuring amongst athletes, and it can cause severe discomfort, illness, or even death. Early detection and treatment is the key to stopping MRSA in your athletic program.
This video from the Mecklenburg County Department of Health (via Youtube) outlines practical steps which coaches, parents, and athletes can take to prevent and control MRSA.
In this video from the WIN Forum in Washington state, sports nutritionists from the University of Washington shows how smart nutrition can help improve performance. It also shows how milk is a positive sports drink alternative. An excellent video for coaches and parents who would like to teach their athletes how to eat properly for athletic performance and as part of a healthy lifestyle.