Dear SSCV Families,

As we begin the competitive season there is a sense of excitement and opportunity for SSCV athletes. Some may have trained all summer and are ready to hit the ground running. Others may be beginning their journey as an athlete, learning to train and also deepening their love for their sport. Many are somewhere in between and hungry to begin. What a wonderful place to pursue your passion at all levels. However as a parent this excitement is sometimes followed by worry for the physical, mental and emotional well being of your athlete/s. This is normal and comes out a place of care, concern and love. It might happen after the first competition, the first challenging training day or at the first sign that one is not meeting their goals or expectations. Below are some tips to handle the first big road block of the season:

1) Kids regulate off of us as adults: Keep your cool and be that consistent force demonstrating belief in them, their coaches and their season plans/goals.

2) Use it as an opportunity to start preparing for the big events now. Acknowledge how your athlete has handled big competitions in the past, and use that information to help them understand that with practice and preparation they can feel confident and ready for competitions of all levels. Acknowledging pressure or fear now can help athletes be prepared for those emotions when they may come later.

3) See the season and their progress as long term. There will be ups and downs but daily consistent effort toward improvement is the only proven way to success. A big factor here is enjoyment. When they enjoy a basic aspect of the sport like, speed, being in the air, or competing, then a daily present focus can come more naturally.

4) Building Skills- Help your athlete understand that skills take time to develop and old habits take time to change. If frustration comes out of not immediately feeling successful at a new level or when learning a new skill, help them focus on the improvement process and the small wins for that day.

Here’s to another great season!

-Erin

 

Erin Beskid

ebeskid@skiclubvail.org

Peak Performance Director

Ski and Snowboard Club Vail

Erin Beskid is the Peak Performance Director here at SSCV and works with athletes coaches and parents to improve athletes mental skills and performance. She uses a whole person approach grounded in the belief that the character of the person is just as important as the performance. She keeps a close relationship with the University of Denver overseeing interns who assist with SSCV’s Peak Performance program as well as recently was an adjunct professor at DU. She was an intern at Everett Tennis Academy and worked at Wellspring Camps to expand her experiences. She is a Certified Consultant through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and a member of the Colorado Registered Psychotherapist Database.