Healthy mind, Healthy Spirit, Healthy life for the Young Athlete

We never really think of children having too many issues with anxiety or stress. What do children have to worry about anyway?

Children in general are under more pressure today then ever to perform. Anxiety disorders are becoming more common in children as they deal with pressures such as standardized testing which will determine whether or not they move up a grade. With these issues on their minds it should not surprise us to see performance anxiety show up on the field.

Some of the signs of performance anxiety are as follows:

*The Child may be unable to go to sleep the night before a game.

*The Child may cry after striking out or making an error in the game.

*The Child may like to swing the bat in the on deck circle but never really looks comfortable at
plate

*The child may be fidgety and look unsure in his playing position.

We often tell our children to relax while they play but, often we do not teach them to relax under pressure. If we do not teach them, then telling them can tend to increase the pressure and anxiety.

The easiest relaxation skill that can be taught is breathing. Teach intentional exhaling and practice it. Help your player to remember to practice the technique in the batters box and during the game when they are feeling anxious. The benefits should build confidence and allow more enjoyment and love of the game as they learn what it is and what it means to relax.