Aaron Larmore

Parents, a goal-setting exercise to do with your athlete this week: Write down one goal that practice alone can get them. Not the lineup. Not the score. Something they can work on at practice on Tuesday.

"Make varsity" is a goal an athlete can't fully control. "Get to practice early and get my extra reps in" is one they can. Goals they control keep them working, even in weeks when the results don't show it yet.

Parents: after a game with a big mistake in it, try not to replay the mistake in the car. Ask about the reset instead: "What did you do on the next play?" It rewards the skill you actually want them to build.

Help your athlete pick a reset routine. Something quick and physical: touch the line, tap the leg, one breath. The same one every time a play goes wrong. It tells the brain that play is done.

Parents, when your athlete makes a mistake in a game, the skill to watch is how quickly they move on. The next play is already coming. That's the game, not a punishment. A couple of seconds to reset, feet set, ready for the next one.

Before a big game, it's natural to say "don't be nervous." Try "nerves mean you care. Take a breath and play." Athletes can't switch nerves off on command. They can learn to play with them.

Parents, here's a breathing tool to teach your athlete before a big moment: Breathe out longer than you breathe in. One slow exhale before the whistle or the first play of a big game helps settle the body.

Nerves show up in the body before the mind notices. Short breaths. Tight grip. Shoulders creeping up. That isn't a sign an athlete can't handle pressure. It's the body getting ready. The skill is noticing it early.

Parents, try this at dinner after practice: Skip "how did you play?" Ask "what's one rep you'd keep from today?" It points the conversation at what went right, and gives them a good rep to carry into the next practice.

A practice tip for athletes who get stuck on mistakes: Give each rep one job. The one thing they came to work on, and nothing else. A narrow focus makes it easier to let a bad rep go.

Sports parents, worth remembering after a rough practice: Athletes improve through reps, not perfect days. One missed rep doesn't erase weeks of showing up. The athletes who keep improving tend to be the ones who reset quickly and go again.

A tournament-weekend question worth asking on Thursday, not Saturday morning: "What do you want to eat before your first game?" Deciding early takes one more thing off a nervous morning.

Parents, a game-day meal tip: have your athlete test it at practice first. Nerves change how food sits in the stomach. A meal that feels fine on a Tuesday can feel heavy before a big game. Same food, same time, same amount. Try it when the stakes are low.

Parents, for your athlete: You already plan your training. You're a professional in how you approach practice and your weight training. Food works the same way. Michael Phelps was intentional about fueling his body so he could perform at his best. youtube.com/watch?v=2-6tagN2…

Lilly's dad wanted strength under the games, not more games. Vertical 13.9 to 15.8 in, Oct to Apr. Now she asks what to eat after training. #youthathletes #softball