4 Tips for Creating a Positive Culture for Your Youth Sports Team
Although it is often overlooked, culture is one of the most important aspects of a youth sports team. A positive culture makes playing on a team fun and rewarding, while a toxic culture can stress athletes out and sabotage their performance. Bo Hanson, a former Olympic athlete and coaching consultant, defines team culture as “the way we behave on this team.” The behavior of athletes on a team is a reflection of the team’s values, so a good team culture starts with a set of shared principles. To help you create a successful culture for your youth sports team, Rocky Top Sports World has put together the following four tips.
5 Tips for Beating Pre-Game Jitters
If you tend to get nervous before playing in a big game, you’re not alone. Athletes of all professional levels and abilities get pre-game jitters, which often include racing thoughts, pounding heartbeats, and/or shaking legs. While these feelings are totally normal, severe performance anxiety can sabotage your ability to play effectively. Fortunately, there are a number of tricks you can employ to keep your pre-game jitters under control.
The Top 5 Youth Sports Movies of All Time
A movie night can be the perfect bonding experience for a youth sports team! Gathering the whole team together to watch a classic film filled with underdog heroes and uplifting themes is just the thing to inspire your players. Of course, not every movie you watch has to have a thoughtful message; sometimes an evening full of belly laughs is just what your team needs. To help you plan the perfect movie night, Rocky Top Sports World has put together a guide to the top five youth sports movies of all time.
The 5 Most Effective Ways to Stop Bullying in Youth Sports
Kids play sports for a variety of reasons: to make friends, to stay active, and, first and foremost, to have fun. Unfortunately, the presence of a bully on a team has the potential to overshadow all of the best parts of playing youth sports. According to the National Alliance for Youth Sports, one in seven children in grades K - 12 is a victim of bullying or is a bully themselves. The group dynamics of a sports team can make young athletes especially susceptible to bullying.
5 Tips for Throwing a Kid-Friendly Super Bowl Party
Here at Rocky Top Sports World, we consider the Super Bowl to be an unofficial national holiday! Much like Thanksgiving, the Super Bowl brings people together for a night of friends, family, food, and fun.
5 Strategies for Saving Money on Youth Sports
It’s no secret that playing youth sports comes with its fair share of expenses. Between the cost of equipment, team dues, and traveling, money spent on children’s athletics can add up quickly. Fortunately, there are a number of tips and tricks parents can employ to stay under budget. Rocky Top Sports World has put together five of our favorite strategies for saving money on youth sports.
5 Tips for Taking Awesome Youth Sports Photos
If you’re anything like the parents who come to Rocky Top Sports World, you probably love taking pictures of your kids playing sports! Having some high-quality photos of your young athlete can be great for sharing with relatives, making scrapbooks, and enhancing your Christmas cards. Of course, your kids will also love seeing what they look like in action!
Top 7 Tips for Preventing Youth Sports Injuries
Nothing ruins a youth sports season like an injury. Missing games or sitting on the sidelines is decidedly less fun than being on the field. Fortunately, there are a number of preventative measures that young athletes can take to reduce the risk of injury. To help you stay happy and healthy, Rocky Top Sports World has put together seven helpful tips for preventing youth sports injuries.
The Rise of the Tourna-cation: Youth Sports Tourism Becomes $9 Billion Industry
Here at Rocky Top Sports World, we are witnessing firsthand one of the nation’s fastest-growing travel trends: the tourna-cation. Families from all across America are increasingly combining their vacations with their children’s travel sports events. The rise of these so-called tourna-cations has made youth sports tourism a $9 billion industry!
4 College Recruitment Tips for Young Athletes
The prospect of playing sports at the collegiate level is very exciting for young athletes. Earning a spot on a university’s roster can come with an enormous sense of pride, financial aid or scholarships, and even the opportunity to play professionally one day. When it comes to getting recruited, however, being a great player isn’t always enough. The athletes with the best chance of being chosen for a college sports team have a strategy for the recruitment process. To help you prepare for the school year, Rocky Top Sports World has put together four tips for getting recruited.
Top 5 Flexibility Exercises for Young Athletes
Flexibility is one of the most important qualities for young athletes to develop. When we talk about flexibility, we’re referring to two things: the range of motion for a joint and the ability of muscles surrounding a joint to lengthen during movement. Whether you play football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, or another sport, being flexible is essential for success. To help you make the most of your workout, we have put together a guide to five of the best flexibility exercises for young athletes.
4 of the Best Motivational Quotes for Young Athletes
When you’re in search of inspiration before a big game or during halftime, nothing is better than reading a motivational quote from one of your favorite athletes or coaches. Hearing the words of someone who has been in your shoes and persevered can be the perfect way to boost your confidence and energize your spirit. To help you prepare for your next tournament, Rocky Top Sports World has put together four of the best motivational quotes for young athletes.
Top 5 Benefits of Playing Travel Sports
Travel sports are more popular than ever before! In the past two years, the travel sports industry has grown by 20 percent, and this upward trend doesn’t show any signs of slowing down. Playing travel sports can be a big time commitment for young athletes and their families, but the benefits of participation can last a lifetime. Rocky Top Sports World has put together a guide to the top five benefits of playing travel sports.
3 Confidence Boosting Strategies for Young Athletes
Legendary quarterback Joe Namath once said, “When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things”. As Namath recognized, feeling confident is a prerequisite for enjoying a game and for having success on the field. When you feel anxious or uncertain in your abilities, this mindset can ruin the experience of playing a sport.
4 Fun Team Building Activities for Young Athletes
For a youth sports team to be successful, all of its players need to trust and support one another. A team with excellent group chemistry becomes a well oiled machine: flawlessly executing plays and anticipating each other’s moves. When young athletes feel like they are part of something larger than themselves, they play at their full potential and encourage their teammates to do the same.