How These Somali Soccer Players & Their Coach Created Community

Sports kids face a number of challenges when their identity is wrapped up in sports, said Dr. Becca Wallace, a clinical pediatric psychologist at Children's Hospital in New Orleans.

When they get overly involved in sports, their identity becomes closely tied to being athletes.

If they're injured or have to stop playing sports, it can be devastating for young athletes whose identity is too tied to sports, she said. She suggests that parents help young athletes create more balance in their lives.

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There's so much goodness that can come from participating in youth sports, but ensuring kids experience that goodness requires teams to establish team cultures based on clear expectations of players, parents and coaches.

Team agreements and ethical coaching can help create the opportunity for sports kids to benefit from all that sports offers.

That's the word from Katie Steele and Dr. Tiffany Brown, co-founders of the nonprofit organization Athletes Mental Health Foundation.

Brown and Steele describe how coaches and leagues can forge team agreements and focus on ethical coaching.

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Kids get emotional in street hockey. They might throw their hockey sticks because they missed a shot, for example. Coaches with the Charlotte Street Hockey League deal with such behavior by inviting kids to express their feelings, and then trying to help them find more appropriate ways to communicate. The coaches also focus on teamwork and equal playing time, all the while searching for teachable moments, said Josh Greco, the nonprofit organization's youth director.

For more information about the league, visit Joshuargreco.com.

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The L.E.A.D. Center for Youth in Atlanta focuses on helping Black kids and teens learn skills that help them excel in life--and the program is working.

About 60% of Black students in Atlanta public schools graduate, said Kelli Stewart, co-founder of the program. Those who participate in the L.E.A.D. program have a 100% graduation rate.

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Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Field Champion DeAndre Dukes recently led his players--from underserved communities in L.A.--to a baseball championship game by focusing on mental game skills, emotional intelligence and connection.

Coach Dukes' team played in the "World Series," and made it as far as the championship game, which took place in Florida at the Jackie Robinson Training Center.

Dukes concentrated on learning about the kids and their families, bonding with them and teaching them emotional intelligence skills.

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When kids' sports culture is toxic--when coaches yell at and embarrass kids, for example, it can hurt kids' mental health and self esteem.

Hillary Cauthen, a sports psychologist and author of "Hello Trauma: Our Invisible Teammate" gives tips for helping kids cope with toxicity in youth sports. Kids can do deep breathing or take time for mindfulness exercises, she says.

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Kaig Lightner founded Portland Community Football Club 10 years ago, providing coach mentors, free uniforms and no-cost or low-cost opportunities for immigrants and others living in low-income communities.

The program focuses on creating a culture of connection, encouragement and trust. Player growth is more important than winning games.

Now the program has 235 players, 15 coaches and three staff members in Portland, Oregon, and Lightner has plans to expand to other areas of the country through its Liberate Sports program, which aims to remove the barriers that prevent low-income kids from participating in sports.

Learn more about the program: https://www.liberatesports.org/

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With hula hoops, teddy bears and competitions, Rally Day Camps aims to ensure youth sports is fun for all ages.

Kevin Hoover, CEO of Rally Day Camps and a former baseball player at Fordham University, explains why having fun is critical to young athletes and discusses how sports fun translates into other areas of kids' lives.

He also describes how the camps reward kids who demonstrate strong mental game skills.

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Archery can provide many benefits to kids, including confidence, focus and a feeling of success.

Kids realize these benefits quickly because they often feel successful early into their training, said Tommy Floyd, president of the National Archery in the Schools Program. Floyd is a former school principal who says archery is an especially important way to engage kids who otherwise don't engage in school activities.

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Kids' mental game is critical to youth sports--and improving mental health can boost kids' mental game and performance.

That's the word from Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundation (JED), which works in school sport programs and sports organizations to improve kids' mental health.

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