Issues & Advice

Young athletes are vulnerable to adopting the behaviors of the win-at-all-costs culture in sports, and in some cases, may even be directed to turn to performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to achieve success.

Here are seven ways to help your athletes create strong habits that will allow them to reach their goals.

The federal government is yet to mandate the closure of gyms in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but many in Australia and around the world are already shutting their doors. Last week, members of a Fitness First gym in Sydney’s George Street were told they may have been exposed to the coronavirus after an individual who […]

Taking on the responsibility of coaching your child’s recreational sports team can be quite exciting, but it can also cause a bit of anxiety. Sure, it’s very rewarding to take your passion for a certain sport and share it with a team of young players who share the same passion, but along with the thrill […]

The goal of this exercise is for your athletes to avoid taking the criticism personally and to get some value from it that they can apply in practice and thus improve. It can be hard for your young athletes to take criticism productively from coaches. Kids often don’t interpret communication from coaches correctly because of the delivery or the […]

The next time you feel the fear of failure creeping in, remember these three things: take a few slow breaths, crack a smile, and focus on the action you’re about to take. There exists a crucial difference between fear and danger. Danger is real. Fear is created. Because we create many of our own fears, […]

It’s important that when a tournament is over and you’re heading home with or without a championship trophy, everyone looks back on the experience as a great one. Many travel teams make it an annual tradition to enter at least one destination tournament. Sometimes the destination involves an airplane, while others might be in reasonable […]

17 of the year’s best pieces from our Do It Better columnist Brad Stulberg. Over the past year, the global wellness industry reached a valuation of 4.2 trillion dollars. For perspective, that’s equal to nearly a third of China’s entire GDP. Though there are no reliable statistics for the size of the performance industry, just listen to the […]

Tough conversations are in the parenting job description. Your teen gets caught cheating. You and your spouse are separating and it’s time to tell the kids. Your child gets in trouble for bullying. You learn that your middle schooler is investigating porn sites. What makes tough conversations tough? They are hard because you either feel uncomfortable […]

Chris Branscome is adamant. The biggest reason kids have stopped playing youth soccer in our region is that it just isn’t fun. Imagine that, the chance to go outside and run around, hang with friends, kick a ball in the fresh air and perhaps develop a lifelong desire to remain fit doesn’t bring enjoyment anymore. […]