Looking on the Bright Side!

We have often heard that a person’s attitude can colour their view of any situation. Someone with a positive attitude will see a situation quite differently than someone with a more negative attitude. When we have a positive attitude about a situation things seem to go much easier than if we are fighting ourselves. So how can attitude affect us in our fitness and sporting lives? And how can we work with attitude to improve our performance?

A recent article from the SIRC Collection points to 10 things we should all know about attitude and how it affects us:

1. Having a good attitude is a choice.  A person’s state of mind is what they choose it to be. We can choose how we think about something and how we will act in response.
2. Attitude can be changed.  While we may have what we consider an automatic response to something, we can choose whether or not to have a different attitude to it, we can make our attitudes whatever we want them to be.
3. Attitudes aren’t shaped in a vacuum.  A great number of factors influence the development of an individual’s attitude, from personality and temperament, to family and social environments.
4. Attitudes can be enhanced by adversity.  Successful people recognize that adversity can be used to learn more about ourselves and in effect turn failures into successes.
5. Attitude can determine whether a person is a success or a failure.  Research indicates that for the most part, people with positive attitudes are much more likely to achieve success than people who look at things from a negative perspective.
6. Attitude affects a person’s relationship with other people.  A positive attitude often gives off an infectious energy just like another’s negative attitude often feels like the energy is being sucked out of you
7. Attitude can affect outcome.  Having a positive attitude will be more likely to breed success than an negative expectation or outlook.
8. Attitude affects what a person expects from life.  “Positive people expect more and tend to achieve more”.
9. Attitudes can turn problems into opportunities.  People with a positive attitude can adapt to just about any situation and see where it can be improved.
10. Attitude determines who a person is.  A person with a positive attitude engages in life unlike those with a negative attitude who see life as something that happens to them. “Individuals with a positive attitude live their lives with passion.”

Attitude can be developed as one aspect of mental training. Being mindful of our attitude during training, competition and performance, we can exert a conscious effort to approach situations with an attitude focused on success. Use attitude as one more tool in your arsenal for personal achievement on and off the field.

Reference:

Peterson, J.A. (2012). 10 Things Health/Fitness Professionals Should Know About Attitude. ACSM’s Health & Fitness Journal, 16(1), 46.

Soutien parental dans les sports des jeunes

Les sports des jeunes constituent un système social qui englobe des enfants, des entraîneurs et des parents, qui sont tous des intervenants ayant de l'influence sur le développement des valeurs, des comportements, des relations sociales et de la motivation des enfants. Lorsqu'un parent inscrit son enfant à un sport, il veut l'appuyer et le voir réussir. Alors en tant que parent, comment s'assurer qu'on ne contrôle pas la vie de son enfant de façon excessive?

Soutien 

• Établissement des objectifs – Fixez des objectifs qui sont précis, mesurables, réalistes et stimulants. De nombreux entraîneurs établissent parfois des objectifs à court à long termes pour les joueurs ou l'équipe. Visez à atteindre ces cibles avec votre enfant afin qu'il accroisse ses chances de réussir. 
• Mettre l'accent sur le développement des habiletés – Ayez du plaisir en jouant avec votre enfant à la maison. Non seulement vous l'aiderez à s'améliorer, mais vous créerez de beaux souvenirs en famille. 
• Soutien émotionnel – Aidez votre enfant à composer avec les victoires et les défaites. Encouragez-le, et renforcez les leçons positives que le sport peut lui apprendre. 

Pression 

• Attentes – Tout le monde a des attentes. Mais gardez en tête que si un athlète ne peut répondre aux attentes qui ont été établies, il peut perdre sa confiance en lui, devenir anxieux ou stressé ou même abandonner le sport. Prenez le temps de savoir ce que votre enfant souhaite accomplir lorsqu'il pratique un sport, assurez-vous que c'est réaliste et aidez-le à atteindre ces objectifs. 
• Gagner à tout prix – Il n'y a pas de doute que nous souhaitons la réussite de nos enfants. Mais parfois, les choses se compliquent si on ne vise que les trophées, la reconnaissance, le statut social et l'ambition de devenir un joueur professionnel. Concentrez-vous sur le développement moral et les aptitudes sociales, comme la coopération, la résolution de conflits, la maîtrise de soi, le travail d'équipe, l'équité et une éthique de travail exemplaire. 
• Agir sous l'impulsion du moment – Regarder un sport est captivant, particulièrement un tournoi dans lequel les enjeux sont élevés. Il arrive parfois qu'on crie des encouragements ou des instructions durant une partie. Si on le fait correctement, ce soutien offert aux joueurs n'est pas un comportement négatif. C'est lorsqu'on perd le contrôle qu'on risque de distraire les joueurs ou même les gêner : comportements agressifs, jurons adressés aux arbitres ou à l'équipe adverse, interruptions des parties, surprotection des joueurs, etc. 

Les parents ont les intérêts supérieurs de leurs enfants à cœur. Mettez l'accent sur des objectifs réalistes, le développement d'habiletés et le soutien émotionnel. N'oubliez pas que la plupart des jeunes athlètes, même à l'école, pratiquent des sports pour passer du temps avec leurs amis et, en général, pour avoir du plaisir.

Parental support in youth sports

Youth sport is a social system that involves children, peers, coaches, and parents, all of whom influence the development of a child's values, attitudes, social relationships and motivation to participate. When parents sign up their child for a sport, they want to support their child but also want to see them succeed.  So, as a parent how do you walk the fine line between being involved and being over-involved in your child’s life? 

Support

• Goal-setting - Create goals that are specific, measurable, realistic and challenging. Many coaches may already set short and long-term goals for individuals and/or the team - work on these goals with your child so they are more likely to do well and thrive.  
• Focus on skill development - Have fun practicing at home with your kids! Not only does it help them improve, it will create great family memories.
• Emotional support - Help your child deal with winning and losing, provide verbal encouragement and reinforce the positive lessons that sport can teach.

Pressure

• Expectations - Everybody has expectations, keep in mind that if an athlete cannot meet the expectations set out for them, they can lose confidence, feel anxiety/stress or dropout altogether. Discover what your child wishes to get out of their involvement in sports, ensure it is realistic and then help them achieve those desires.
• Winning at all costs - Without a doubt, we want our children to succeed, but problems can occur when the focus becomes that of gaining trophies, recognition, social status or 'going pro'. Try focusing on moral development and social skills like cooperation, conflict resolution, self-control, teamwork, fairness and a good work ethic.
• Getting caught up in the heat of the moment - Sports are exciting to watch, especially at high stakes tournaments, and sometimes we may shout out encouragement or instruction during a game. Done in the right way, offering support to players is obviously not a negative behaviour. It's when things get out of control - aggression, name-calling directed at officials or opposing team members, heckling, or even being over-protective - these can cause distractions or embarrassment for players.

Parents have their children's best interests at heart. Place emphasis on setting realistic goals, skill development and providing emotional support. Remember that most young players, even at the high school level, play sports to hang out with friends and overall, to have some fun. 

References from the SIRC Collection:

1. Kanters M, Bocarro J, Casper J. Supported or Pressured? An Examination of Agreement Among Parent's and Children on Parent's Role in Youth Sports. Journal Of Sport Behavior. March 2008;31(1):64-80.
2. Keegan R, Spray C, Harwood C, Lavallee D. The Motivational Atmosphere in Youth Sport: Coach, Parent, and Peer Influences on Motivation in Specializing Sport Participants. Journal Of Applied Sport Psychology. January 2010;22(1):87-105.
3. Lauer L, Gould D, Roman N, Pierce M. How Parents Influence Junior Tennis Players' Development: Qualitative Narratives. Journal Of Clinical Sport Psychology. March 2010;4(1):69-92.
4. O’Rourke D, Smith R, Smoll F, Cumming S. Trait Anxiety in Young Athletes as a Function of Parental Pressure and Motivational Climate: Is Parental Pressure Always Harmful?. Journal Of Applied Sport Psychology. October 2011;23(4):398-412.
5. Weiss M, Fretwell S. The Parent-Coach/Child-Athlete Relationship in Youth Sport: Cordial, Contentious, or Conundrum?. Research Quarterly For Exercise & Sport. September 2005;76(3):286-305.
6. Young C. The Importance of Putting the Fun Back In to Youth Sports. ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal. November 2012;16(6):39-40.