Regardless of how your young athlete plays, alway praise their effort – rather than just the result. And if they win a race, score the winning goal or are awarded Player of the Day, be sure to talk up the effort that went into their success – what they contributed to their team, and what their teammates did to help them score or win individual awards.
Likewise when things don’t go their way on the scoreboard, but they’ve tried their best – we must ensure to give that effort just as much praise. And most importantly, if they simply had an off-day, lets talk about what they can do next time to be better prepared and better still – give them your time to help them practice and improve.
And remember, don’t over hype the highs or dwell on the lows. Sport is never-ending roller coaster – just make sure they enjoy the ride.
