The role of parents in
developing players.

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Parents

4 Min

Female Athletes and the Menstrual Cycle

Traditionally, education around the menstrual cycle has focused on reproduction. But this can overlook the many other vital health outcomes associated with the menstrual cycle. At Balance is Better, we...

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Coaches

5 Min

Managing the Physical Load of Female Athletes

Giving athletes appropriate physical loads is crucial to helping them optimise their experiences in youth sports. Though a certain level of physical activity is necessary for individuals to develop physiologically...

Parents

4 Min

Individual vs team sports: how do I know what’s best for development?

A common issue faced by parents and coaches is when children become disillusioned with playing sports. Maybe they participate in a team sport but want to play individual sports –...

Coaches

12 Min

A practical guide for monitoring athlete training and competition load

Though we want our young people to enjoy healthy, physically active lives, it’s also important to recognise that some young people are at risk of exercising “too much”. Typically, the...

Coaches

2 Min

Why specialising later can reduce the risk of injury and burnout

Good practice at youth development level can enable both life-long participation in sport and future high-performance outcomes. The High Performance Athlete Development team at High Performance Sport New Zealand (HPSNZ)...

Coaches

5 Min

Praise vs. Affirmation

This article is shared by Player Development Project Prof. Stephen Rollnick is a pioneer in motivational interviewing and in recent years has been applying his knowledge to sport. In this...

Coaches

4 Min

Happy People, Better Players

This article is shared by Player Development Project In this article, former Chelsea FC & Portsmouth FC academy player, Jack Burns opens up about the harsh realities around pursuing sport as...

Coaches

5 Min

The Power of Moments in Youth Sport

This article is shared by Player Development Project. Moments in sport can have a huge impact on a young athlete’s life. Founder of Changing the Game Project, John O’Sullivan shares his...

Coaches

3 Min

What does quality look like for young people?

How do you know what quality looks like when it comes to sport? In this article, we unpack what quality means in terms of: quality experiences; quality opportunities and quality...