Introducing Your Child to Sports: An Expert's Answers to Parents' Questions about Raising a Healthy, Balanced, Happy Athlete

If you’re a parent of one or more children and are considering involving them in sports, you likely have a lot of questions. Because you treasure your children and want to make the best decisions for them, it’s only natural for you to be concerned about everything from your child fitting in or getting hurt, to having the appropriate time to commit, to having good role models for them, to helping them learn to be motivated, self-confident, and an excellent team player. In Introducing Your Child to Sports, Dr. Ross Flowers offers his unique 360º perspective—as a noted sport psychologist, former elite athlete and coach, and father of young athletes himself—to answer the 70 most-asked questions of concerned parents contemplating their child’s participation in sports. Within the topics of sport culture, skill development, health and safety, competition, and more, he addresses questions such as: • How do I choose the right athletic program and/or coach for my child? • What are appropriate rewards for playing/doing well? • What if my child wants to quit before the season is over? • What can I do if my child isn’t good at the sport or doesn’t fit in socially? • What are the best things to focus on when discussing a game or performance? In his professional yet relatable style utilizing an easy-to-read Q&A format, Dr. Flowers lends his extensive knowledge and experience to guide you as a parent through most every expected—and unexpected—scenario, highlighting real-life stories and examples, and providing proven practices for positive thinking and self-talk, visualization, and relaxation. Whether your child is new to sports or has been playing for a while, this book will be your go-to source for the invaluable advice every parent needs to raise a healthy, balanced, happy athlete.

Ross Flowers, PhD, is an experienced psychologist with expertise in elite performance who consults arounds the world with culturally diverse athletes, coaches, teams, athletic departments, athletic national governing bodies, military, executives, and business organizations. He also teaches, designs, and implements skills development programs for national and international performance. Ross has served at the Associate Director level of the United States Olympic Committee as a senior sport psychologist, as well as on many USA World Cup, World Championship, and Olympic teams with USA Track & Field, USA Canoe/Kayak, US Speed Skating, and US Biathlon. His prominence in the area of elite performance enhancement is supported by his background as an elite athlete, NCAA Division 1 coach, and executive coach to local, national, and international business organizations seeking individual and organizational performance enhancement. As founder and director of the Applied Sport Psychology Program at the University of California, Davis, Ross worked in Counseling and Psychological Services and the Intercollegiate Athletics Department. Ross holds a doctorate of philosophy in counseling psychology from the University of Missouri–Kansas City with emphasis in performance and sport psychology, and a bachelor of arts in psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles. Additional information about Dr. Ross Flowers and services he provides are available through his website: www.GilesLLC.com or on Twitter @GilesConsulting