More from Lisa Cohn and Patrick Cohn, Ph.D.
http://www.kidssportspsychology.com/

Did you know that kids can train their brains to get into 
the best possible zone for performing?

Read on, and you’ll get some fascinating tips from Dr. 
Diane Stoler, a neuropsychologist and author.

There are a number of ways to change brain frequencies in 
ways that help athletes focus and stay calm, she says. 
One of the simplest and most effective ways to do this is 
through a breathing technique.

You can teach your kids how to control their heart rates 
and the part of the brain that’s in charge of the “fight 
or flight” response that prompts anxiety.

Here’s how, says Stoler: Tell kids to breathe in through 
their noses for five seconds, then exhale through their 
mouths—as if they’re blowing out candles—for six seconds. 
Have them do this until they feel calmer.

If this doesn’t work, try s elf-hypnosis, she suggests. 
It’s actually a fancy name for visualization. 

The goal here is to help kids avoid over-thinking, which 
is a real mental game no-no. You want them to focus, stay 
calm, and rely on their instincts and react intuitively 
to what’s going on around them.

Have your sports kids try this before a game or 
performance: Take the deep breaths we discussed above and 
imagine they’re on a beach listening to the water ebb and 
flow. 

They should notice that their muscles are starting to 
relax. They should focus only on their breathing, the 
positive memory of the ocean, and feeling their muscles 
relax. 

Once they’ve mastered this technique, they can also 
recall this positive, calming feeling during a game when 
they’re starting to feel anxious.

Want to learn more tips about how to help kids control 
perform ance anxiety, build their confidence and perform 
their very best?

At Kids’ Sports Psychology, exclusive members have access 
to loads of resources—including our interview with Dr. 
Stoler that gives additional tips about how to help kids 
train their brains. 

Other KSP resources include articles, expert interviews, 
videos, e-books written specifically for kids (and 
separate ones for adults), Q and As and much more.

Here’s what we’re hearing about our resources:

“I've read a number of Kids’ Sports Psychology articles 
and watched several videos mostly about building 
confidence. As sports parents, we’ve changed our 
behavior. We've stopped criticizing her performance and 
have focused on what she did well. We do see an 
improvement in her practices, but most of all they are
more enjoyable for her and us.”
~Margot Ambro se, Parent

You, too, can help your kids have more fun in sports and
learn all the important life lessons association with
playing sports!

http://www.kidssportspsychology.com/

Sincerely,

Lisa Cohn and Patrick Cohn, Ph.D.