Iowa Youth Sports Initiative

12/10/2025

BEING CHAMPION MINDED
A Champion-Minded Athlete Is...

Accountable: They take responsibility for their own actions.
Coachable: They listen and welcome feedback.
Competitive: They love the challenge and embrace the struggle.
Confident: They believe in themselves.
Consistent: They commit to daily habits, behaviors, and actions.
Courageous: They are willing to take risks.
Determined: They are eager and prepared to go the extra mile.
Disciplined: They have self-control.
Driven: They wake up each day with a desire to be better than the day before.
Focused: They eliminate distractions.
Grateful: They understand that playing sport is a privilege.
Hard-Working: They commit to giving extra effort.
Optimistic: They believe that they can and will succeed.
Organized: They thrive with structure and routine.
Positive: They are able to adapt in challenging circumstances rather than making excuses.
Prepare: They are meticulous in their preparation, knowing it is the root of confidence.

Student Athlete Advancement

12/06/2025

BE A SPORT

Belonging Isn’t Enough, They Want to Matter
By Nancy Justis

It’s well documented that young athletes are quitting organized sports by the age of 13. Whether they aren’t having fun for whatever reason or their parents can’t afford the costs – quitting sports has mushroomed the last several years.

For many kids, just being on a team is enough. Though not earning starting roles, they still get to enjoy time with teammates. Some have been included in travel rosters. They put in their time at practice, in the weigh troom, in the gym by themselves putting up shots and at the free throw line. But for others, just making the team isn’t enough.

There has been a lot of talk in team culture recently about belonging. Daniel Coyle talked about it in The Culture Code, and Google’s Project Aristotle focused on belonging in the creation of psychological safety within a group. But Gaping Void, a leader in workplace culture, points out there is a difference between belonging and mattering. “Belonging just means you fit in culturally. Mattering means you’re essential to the team’s success.”

Through my own years of watching college and youth games, I have seen how non-starters dive into the opportunities of being part of a team. But if their presence isn’t valued by teammates and coaches, most don’t last. They become unhappy, disengaged, or move on to new programs. A recent article on The Powering of Mattering stressed that people need to be NEEDED, NOTICED and AFFIRMED.

Coaches, here are six ways to help your athletes feel they matter:
*High-quality connections. Research shows that 30-to-60 second moments of full connection can be huge for relationship impact.

*Scheduled one-on-ones: Schedule a dedicated time for one-on-one conversations, which show people they are a non-negotiable priority.

*Open questions: Showing curiosity in others’ lives and perspectives is a way of valuing contributions beyond their off- and on-court efforts.

*Full presence: Ditch your phone, shut down your computer and give your athletes full attention.

*Specific affirmations: Notice your athletes’ feelings and thoughts and validate their effort and struggles, helping them feel seen.

*Follow up on commitments: Take action on things you said you would do to support your athletes, showing them you are investing in them outside of your conversations.

Note to the “walk-ons” and “bench warmers”: if you aren’t getting the recognition deserved from your coaches, perhaps you should find a program that better fits your talent and ability. There is a place out there for you. You will matter.

Nancy Justis is a former competitive swimmer and college sports information director. She is a partner with Justis Creative Communications and the founder of Iowa Youth Sports Initiative. You may reach her at [email protected].

08/21/2025

08/21/2025

One day, I’ll drive an empty car.

It will be clean and quiet. I’ll be able to listen to whatever I want on the radio without complaints. There won’t be granola bar wrappers in the cup holders or Goldfish ground into the floor mats. The trunk won’t be packed with backpacks and gear and folding chairs. There won’t be any arguing in the backseat about who is annoying who.

I won’t have a single practice to rush to or a game schedule to juggle.

And I think it might actually break my heart.

This part of motherhood is chaotic—and quite frankly, it’s often exhausting.

But it’s also my favorite.
And it’s going by so fast.

So today I’ll take a deep breath, toss another fruit snack into the backseat, and soak in the sound of their voices.

Because one day, I’ll miss it all.

-Her View From Home

08/21/2025

08/21/2025

You can believe both.

08/21/2025

When we let negative behavior go, we're sending the wrong message to our young athletes.

When we let a player go back in the game despite refusing to high five the coach when they were subbed out ... we're teaching kids that winning comes above character.

When we don't make a ten year old sit an inning after arguing an ump's call ... we're creating a sideline culture that says disrespect is OK.

When we don't address players who refuse to cheer on their teammates from the bench because they're still upset about the mistake they made in the game ... we're teaching them that their individual performance is more important than the team one.

When we hear players talking negatively about their teammates and choose to ignore it... we're teaching them that sportsmanship doesn't matter.

Should we be working on developing youth athletes' skillsets and teaching them what it takes to win? YES.

But should we be doing that at the expense of developing human beings who demonstrate strong character? NO.

So coaches...
Parents...
Youth sports organization leaders...

What will you do to help set a new standard that shows athletes that we expect more than just a game-winning performance?

The Top Bleacher

08/21/2025

As sports parents, we do everything to encourage our athletes to take care of themselves.

We remind them to rest and recover.
To fuel their bodies with healthy food.
To pay attention to their mental well-being.
To care about their physical health.

Why?

Because we know it's not only an important part of showing up best on the field, but it's an imperative part of taking care of the human being who is managing the demands of the sport.

But - can I encourage us all to do a quick gut-check?

How often are WE as sports parents doing exactly what we want our athletes to do ... but for OURSELVES?"

Because as parents to modern-day athletes, our lives move fast.

Add in the other responsibilities with which we have to keep up in parenting, work and life ... it's not for the faint of heart.

And yet we do the things that we are encouraging our athletes NOT to do.

We don't get enough rest.
We don't think about how we're fueling our energy.
We are skipping over our mental well-being needs.
We aren't keeping up with our appointments to take care of our physical health.

But paying attention to these things is not only an important part of showing up best for our athletes, but it's an imperative part of taking care of the human being who is managing the demands of loving our kids through their sports experience.

So ask yourself:

What will you do TODAY to set an example for your athlete about what it means to take care of your well-being?

Because if we want it for them,
We have to show them how.

08/21/2025

Researchers followed more than 1400 boys and girls over several years and found that regular participation in coached sports from ages 6 to 10 years predicted greater academic success and lower risk of failure or dropout in adolescence, regardless of family and personal factors. Invest in early, consistent access to coached sports for all children to boost long-term educational success.