As seen inMy Daughter Quit Sports, and This Is What Youth Sports Parents Need To KnowBy Asia MapeMy daughter quit sports, and this is what youth sports parents need to know. This is my oldest daughter, Piper, and yes, I got her permission to write this. She’s a water polo player. Well – she used to be. She dreamed of playing for the Olympic team, went to water polo summer camps, made the Olympic Development team, and spent a week at the Olympic training camp in Colorado; she even filmed a TV show with Cam Newton about her dream of playing in the Olympics. She said she wanted to play in...…As seen inMy Daughter Quit Sports, and This Is What Youth Sports Parents Need To KnowBy Asia MapeMy daughter quit sports, and this is what youth sports parents need to know. This is my oldest daughter, Piper, and yes, I got her permission to write this. She’s a water polo player. Well – she used to be. She dreamed of playing for the Olympic team, went to water polo summer camps, made the Olympic Development team, and spent a week at the Olympic training camp in Colorado; she even filmed a TV show with Cam Newton about her dream of playing in the Olympics. She said she wanted to play in...WW…

As seen inHow To Set Boundaries When You And Your Child Love The Same SportSo, I received this DM last week from Kristi. I don’t have a ton of personal experience to draw on to answer this question. My family referred to me as the ‘fun sucker’ as I could turn a fun day at the park into a basketball lesson faster than you can say ‘follow through.’ Needless to say, none of my girls pursued my sport.  So I asked a few of my go-to experts—sports psychologist Dr. Sam Maniar from Center for Peak Performance. Dr. Sam has extensive experience helping athletes, executives, and...…As seen inHow To Set Boundaries When You And Your Child Love The Same SportSo, I received this DM last week from Kristi. I don’t have a ton of personal experience to draw on to answer this question. My family referred to me as the ‘fun sucker’ as I could turn a fun day at the park into a basketball lesson faster than you can say ‘follow through.’ Needless to say, none of my girls pursued my sport.  So I asked a few of my go-to experts—sports psychologist Dr. Sam Maniar from Center for Peak Performance. Dr. Sam has extensive experience helping athletes, executives, and...WW…

As seen inInspiring Passion in Youth Athletes: What Every Parent Should Know. Parents often ask if there’s anything they can do to help their athlete become more passionate. The answer is complicated; I will explain more later. But the good news is that you don’t have to be passionate to be good at something and enjoy it.Passion is a deep, enduring love, often characterized by an unwavering commitment to training, a fierce desire to excel, and a resilient spirit in the face of adversity. Athletes with a high level of passion typically derive immense satisfaction and fulfillment from their...…As seen inInspiring Passion in Youth Athletes: What Every Parent Should Know. Parents often ask if there’s anything they can do to help their athlete become more passionate. The answer is complicated; I will explain more later. But the good news is that you don’t have to be passionate to be good at something and enjoy it.Passion is a deep, enduring love, often characterized by an unwavering commitment to training, a fierce desire to excel, and a resilient spirit in the face of adversity. Athletes with a high level of passion typically derive immense satisfaction and fulfillment from their...WW…

As seen inWill My Marriage Outlast Youth Sports? Don’t get me wrong – my marriage has been wonderful in many ways. We love each other deeply, are best friends, and have unforgettable memories together. But lately, I wonder whether our marriage has been built on a foundation of shin guards, folding chairs, and water bottles. We had our kids soon after marriage, and it’s been all fields and courts since. Although neither of us played sports growing up, we have fallen in love with our kids’ sports. The dedication and passion these kids share, the strategy and hard work that makes the team...…As seen inWill My Marriage Outlast Youth Sports? Don’t get me wrong – my marriage has been wonderful in many ways. We love each other deeply, are best friends, and have unforgettable memories together. But lately, I wonder whether our marriage has been built on a foundation of shin guards, folding chairs, and water bottles. We had our kids soon after marriage, and it’s been all fields and courts since. Although neither of us played sports growing up, we have fallen in love with our kids’ sports. The dedication and passion these kids share, the strategy and hard work that makes the team...WW…

As seen inA New Study Reveals Playing Sports Can Make Kids Smarter!A New Study Reveals Playing Sports Can Make Kids Smarter! There have always been character-building benefits to playing youth sports, like learning how to be a good teammate and learning how to win and lose graciously. And SO many more (see below). There’s also been a long history of research about the physical and mental health benefits of sports, including research by the National Institute of Health that children who play youth sports have lower rates of anxiety and depression, girls have fewer drug and alcohol problems,...…As seen inA New Study Reveals Playing Sports Can Make Kids Smarter!A New Study Reveals Playing Sports Can Make Kids Smarter! There have always been character-building benefits to playing youth sports, like learning how to be a good teammate and learning how to win and lose graciously. And SO many more (see below). There’s also been a long history of research about the physical and mental health benefits of sports, including research by the National Institute of Health that children who play youth sports have lower rates of anxiety and depression, girls have fewer drug and alcohol problems,...WW…