Competitive individual and team sports are common components of childhood. Sports participation has been well documented, but it may also present a number of difficulties. Providing your youngster with proven performance psychology techniques can assist them overcome some of the psychological and emotional challenges that they might encounter.

The advantages of competitive sports

Competitive sport may provide numerous benefits for your child. Aside from the obvious health benefits, studies have shown that competitive sports can:

- Important team-building, problem-solving, and social participation skills can be learnt.
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- Improved cognitive function and motor coordination This is also one of the most important things in life: learning that healthy competition is a natural aspect of life and that hard work may lead to success.
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- In other words, if you want to increase your general motivation and engagement in life, try doing something completely different.
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- You'll develop greater self-esteem by taking a challenging approach to the game. In fact, both winning and losing offer important lessons.
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- Mood stabilisation – involvement may assist your youngster avoid experiencing low spirits and sadness.
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- Reduced risky behavior – sports provide a structured, supportive environment as well as an outlet for expression.

Signs of an unhealthy amount of competition

‍Competitive sports have their benefits, but there may be disadvantages when youngsters devote themselves to a single sport year-round with little rest. According to research, emphasizing outcome goals (winning) rather than process goals (participation and personal bests) might have negative consequences.

- Children can become exhausted, unenthusiastic, and irritable as a result of burnout - or overtraining syndrome - which includes psychological, physical, and hormonal changes. This may have an impact on their athletic performance.

- Overuse injuries: If a youngster is unable to rest and recover because of the stress of competition, he or she might harm a bone, tendon, or muscle.

- Negative experiences early on may reduce the likelihood that your youngster will participate in future physical activity. Note phrases like “It's not enjoyable anymore!” and “I don't care.”

How to encourage healthy competitiveness among your children?

Whether you're a sports parent or a coach, the following methods may be applied to encourage children to have a greater sense of wellbeing while participating in sport. Visualization and self-talk might help children develop their confidence, learn how to deal with pressure, and improve their performance by assisting them build their confidence.

Expectations can be modified

Expectations are typical in competitive sports, but framing them as "winning" and "losing" is a mistake. Instead of referring to sport participation as a kind of leisure time or social engagement for your kid, consider it a form of leisure time or social engagement.

Use phrases like, “You looked to be having a lot of fun playing soccer with the team today!” Rather than focusing on winning, focus on personal bests and growth. “This week, you swam to the flags longer than you did last time – excellent job!” You may also use affirmations in place of positive statements. "I am always prepared for my next opportunity." This is a good example because it's both optimistic and realistic (in terms of achieving your goals).

You can also bring attention to the gravity of a commitment once it has begun by stating, for example, "I'm pleased with you for putting your best effort all year!" These sorts of statements are quite encouraging.

Power of visualisation

Mental visualisation or imagery exercises may really assist if your kid gets nervous prior to a match. If your child is running a race, have them imagine each stage: You walk up to the start line, bend down, take deep breaths, push off the ground while sprinting forward and remember to breathe as you go.

Between training sessions, using imagery might assist your kid practice mental aspects of their education and gain performance confidence as they rehearse competition situations more frequently. Imagery may be utilized in conjunction with self-talk to improve athletic performance (see next point).

Use self-affirmation and self-talk

Teaching your youngster to self-check is a two-step process. First, have them check for physical nerves. Assessing their immediate physical condition might assist children in recognizing and managing anxiety's physical symptoms such as a racing heart and shortness of breath.

The second step in a self-check is for your youngster to reflect on their beliefs. Is there any doubt building as the event or game approaches? If this is the case, encourage your kid to replace these unhelpful self-talk patterns with constructive ones. For example, if they say things like "I'm going to lose the game and be a huge failure," you may advise them to change it to "I've trained as much as I could and am going out there to try my hardest."

People who use this technique of positive self-talk have been shown to benefit from it in a number of areas, including sports and other performing arts.

Magical Pep Talks

Pep talks are an important aspect of competitive sports. Whether delivered by a parent or coach, these remarks are frequently the last thing said before the activity begins, and they may have a lasting impact. It's critical to inspire youngsters and push them to perform well without putting undue stress on them.

The most effective pep talks, according to recent study, are those that utilize a competence assistance strategy. Simply said, a pep talk should inspire your child to focus on improving their performance and recollecting enjoyable times past rather than solely thinking about winning. Framing a pep talk in this manner enhances children's feelings of team togetherness while also boosting their intrinsic motivation (self-motivation) to compete.

Do you want to boost your child's self-esteem and performance? We're here to assist.

At compete+, we support the competitive spirit in youngsters by encouraging them to participate in co-curricular activities. This not only benefits their academic performance, but it also helps them succeed in other areas of their life. What is this approach? It's simple! We utilize a competence-building technique while giving pep talks to the kids. Simply put, a pep talk should inspire your youngster to focus on improving their performance and pondering their assets.

Register for compete+ today and our counsellor will get in touch with you.