How do You Create a Competitive Mindset for Your Child?

[Starscream]

Originally Posted by oooo35980

Best idea would be to sit her down and ask her what's wrong and if she wants to continue playing. It could be any number of things affecting her concentration. I grew up with three sisters and it's straight up amazing how one seemingly unrelated thing will affect something else in their world.

To be honest, right now she doesn't want to play. I'm not one of those overly agressive fathers who live out their dreams and fantasies through their children's sports, but her not playing is not an option. She needs something other than to watch tv all day, and a team sport will do her good. She loves soccer (but they only play in the Fall), and in the past has loved softball until this year. Over the winter, she hasn't been energetic or athletic, and it's starting to show.

[billybarue]

When I made the jump from "little league" to the next step before High school and Legion Ball they moved me and another kid up a level (out of about 75 kids)and we were playing with kids two years older.
Not a big deal in high school Sophomore to Senior but it was a big deal 6th to 8th grade. All of a sudden pitching was faster and I went from an all star to playing a couple innings in right field. I remember not wanting to go to games at all and wanted to quit altogether.

Two things:

1) As you mentioned - quitting is not an option. My mother was most vocal about this and said I signed up and made a committment to a team and I was going whether I liked it or not. She could be a task master but framed this in terms of "my responsibility" had to be fulfilled - NO QUITTING.

2) I don't know if she did this, but I wouldn't be surprised, but one of the best players on the team took an interest. All these kids were much older and in the same classes, but it meant a lot to me for this one good player to take me under his wing and I finally came around. So if you can find a good player (or not) to befriend/help her out it might help. I don't understand the dynamics of girls athletics but in the end it has to be fun and she has to want to be out there with/for someone.

Made me a better player to move up like that, and I would have faltered if my Mom had let me quit. I loved baseball for my entire adolescent life. Got a few calls from some small colleges to play but I had other plans than the schools that called.

.02