Athletic Mind Institute

Mental Performance Training
for Parents.
Raising Your Champion in Athletics

Raising a child, adolescent, or young adult in athletics can be one of the most rewarding experiences for parents. The thrill, love and excitement we feel when watching our children compete are sometimes indescribable. Parenting a child in sports, however, can be one of the most challenging and perplexing tasks as well. AMI works very closely with student-athletes and their parents in helping them get the most out of their athletic experiences and career. Whether you are the parent of a youth soccer player who competes just one season a year, a multi-sport youth athlete, or the parent of a son or daughter involved in sports at a very competitive level all year round, the Athletic Mind Institute can help to make you and your child’s athletic experiences extremely rewarding, enriching and fun. We have assisted thousands of parents, coaches and student-athletes over the years in making the sport experience the best that it can possibly be!

AMI works with individual parents, groups of parents, parents of student-athletes on teams, schools, school districts, and entire leagues and conferences. You can see below a small list of the various issues that AMI works with on a daily basis. We know it is difficult sometimes to raise children in athletics and we want to share our experience and expertise with you. Whether it be by phone, email, in person, or presenting a short seminar to a group of parents, AMI is well-equipped to address your concerns in the most professional, sensitive and timely manner. We build positive and long-lasting relationships with parents and help them sort out the sometimes complex issues and experiences unique to raising young athletes in a healthy manner.

Furthermore, AMI writes many articles for various publications and wants to share this information with you. If you would like to be on the mailing list to receive a free newsletter on various topics related to raising your child in athletics, please submit your email information. Each newsletter will encompass a different aspect of youth athletics and will contain information from professional athletes, coaches from all levels of sport, including Olympic and professional, parents, as well as some of the most well-renowned sport psychologists in the world. AMI has placed a sample of articles on this website (see “Articles” link) about raising a child in sports today, and we will continue to share new articles on a regular basis. In addition, we welcome your thoughts, experiences, and contributions to these articles.

“Our daughter is a gymnast, with a very specific goal to be a college athlete. When she became a high school freshman, college seemed closer than it had before, and she and her coaches began to put a lot of pressure on learning new skills quickly and advancing another level. However, all the attention had the opposite effect; she became very inconsistent in her practices and meet performances. She was getting the worst scores she had received since beginning competitions. Balance beam in particular was her nemesis; she just couldn't stay on when doing her flight series. She became fearful, and her self talk and behavior with her teammates was increasingly negative. It seemed that the more pressure she put on herself to succeed, the worse the problem got. At a meet immediately after her first session with Dr. Kays, she looked like she was having fun competing again. Two more sessions later, she won the all-around at the very large Arnold Challenge meet in Columbus (and did a beautiful beam routine). As she continued to apply the focus, relaxation, and imagery techniques she and Dr Kays worked on through the winter and early spring, her confidence and her success returned. She qualified through the state meet for the 5-state regional championships, and placed in the top 10 all-around. And maybe best of all, she found joy again in the sport she loves and has dedicated herself to.”

Patti Amy
Parent of High School Student Athlete

Common AMI topics for Raising Your Champion in Athletics

Differences in Today’s Youth Athletes
What Motivates My Child to Play Sports?
Realities of Playing Sports at the College Level and Beyond
Teaching Your Child to Use Sports for Success in Life
Building a Successful Relationship Between You and Your Champion
Building a Successful Relationship Between You and Your Child’s Coach
How to Be A Successful Fan
How to Handle Conflicts with Your Child’s Coach
What if My Child is Not Getting Enough Playing Time?
How To Handle Difficult Parents on the Team
Balancing Academics and Athletics
What if My Child Is Not Performing in School or at Home?
Explaining Performance Enhancing Supplements to Your Child
How to Recognize and Address Unhealthy Eating Behaviors
Drugs, Alcohol and Today’s Youth Athlete
How to Recognize and Handle Depression and Anxiety
How to Recognize Burnout and Overtraining
What to Do When Your Child is Injured
Am I an “Encouraging” or “Pushy” Parent?
Should My Child Play on a Premier Team?
Should My Child Play Sports Year Round?
When is it Time to Specialize in One Sport?
Helping My Child Mentally Prepare for Sports
What Do I Say After a Loss?
How Do We Balance Our Lives as Parents of Youth Athletes?

If you would like additional information on Raising Your Champion In Athletics and the programs and services available, or have any other questions, please feel to contact us at 614.874.0178 or write to Dr. Todd M. Kays at drkays@athleticmindinstitute.com.