Keeping the rock
mour 13-year-old daughter is a highly competitive basketball player with tremendous potential. This year she transferred to a new program. Unfortunately, it hasn't been as positive as we hoped, as the coach tends to focus on her faults and singles her out in practices and games. Now she's starting to feel less certain about her abilities and doesn't know if she wants to continue. What should we do?
~Remember that your daughter is entering adoles cence, a time of significant physical, emotional and mental changes. Teenagers often experience large inconsistencies in how they view themselves. In part, these fluctuations occur as young teens start to look to other adults for approval and recognition. It sounds like your daughter is feeling the pressure from her coach to demonstrate greater proficiency.
Even if the coach has reasons for pushing your daughter, some coaches are better motivators than others. Some can successfully use criticism to ignite emotional intensity and fuel a player's desire. The downside is that other play ers hear the same remarks and become demoralized. Right now, your daughter needs your support.
Your daughter could benefit from strengthening her mental outlook, which is an important tool for ath letes. Try to come up with a positive phrase for her to imagine, embrace and repeat during games.
You should also remind your daughter that no one is perfect. At this stage in her development, she should still be working on task mastery, developing greater confidence and establishing emotional and mental self-discipline. If too much attention is focused on what's wrong on the court rather than what's right, her feelings of self-doubt are understandable.
Tell your daughter that you believe in her athletic abilities. She must learn not to let her feelings of disappointment, anger and frustration interfere with her performance. Of course, this is easier said than done. While many young athletes can tune out a coach's words, it's harder to forget negative feelings. See if she can neutralize that negative energy so it won't interfere with her performance.
Remember, Michael Jordan was initially cut from his high school basketball team. He didn't give up. The lesson is to see the importance of believing and trusting in
| one's own ability. sk | . |
Dr. Andrea Corn is in private practice at Child and Family Psychologists in Plantation, Fla. She is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Florida Psychological Association and the National Association of Sports Psychologists.
Getting your kick on
t!J My 14-and-under boy's soccer team is 'struggling to move the ball downfield when they start at their own end. How can I help them become more proficient in this area?
~ Advancing the ball into your opponent's defensive half is not only critical to creating scoring chances, but to taking pressure off your defepse as well. If the problem starts with goal kicks, begin with the placement of the ball. The rules allow the kicker to place the ball anywhere in the goal box. Keep the ball near the center of the box so that the kick can be taken to the left or right. Have your goalkeeper take the kick, which gives you another
| defender on the field to help retain possession. | . |
Next, get your team to stretch across the field, which will force opponents to mark your players wide or leave
them free to receive the ball. If the other team marks tightly, they will create spaces in the middle of the field where the ball can be played to your team.
Work with your players' skills so they can control the ball. In practice, play one-touch to a teammate. Do this without opposition until your players get some confi I dence. Then add some opponents to simulate a real game situation. sk
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Alan Meeder directs The Soccer Academy and has conducted coaching courses for the American Youth Soccer Organization, United States Youth Soccer Association, U.S. Army, National Soccer Coaches Association and the President's Council for Physical Fitness. For more information, call 805-898-0276 or e-mail soccer@silcom.com.
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