Supporting your child

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Coaches

15 Min Watch

How do I support an athlete with a variety of coaches?

We received the following question from Scott, a high school cricket coach,  How should we approach athletes who have more than one coach? I coach a couple of high school...

Parents

8 Min

A parent guide to child growth and development in sport

In this guide we discuss the key considerations relating to children’s growth and development that may influence their sport experience.  This guide was adapted from work by Sport Parent EU. It is published...

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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...

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

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

The L Word: Learning

As an adult are you open to learning? Do you fear it or embrace it? Nicole Youman, Community Coaching Manager for Hockey NZ reflects on her own learning journey and provides great advice...

Coaches

11 Min

How to Help Athletes With Failure

Responding to failure in sports can be difficult for parents and coaches. Nobody wants to fail, and the feeling of vulnerability that often accompanies moments of perceived failure can be...

Coaches

6 Min

Performance is a Behaviour, Not an Outcome

This article is shared by Player Development Project Founder of Changing the Game Project and top Player Development Project contributor, John O’Sullivan shares his ideas about the definition of performance and how...