I think what frustrates me most is that the main reason for this lack of ongoing consulting and consistency in visits is simply scheduling. Kids are so spread thin between school, practices, games and extracurriculars such as youth groups, school concerts, dances and weekend socializing that they just cannot find time in the week to come in. However, I would argue that they are spending some 10-20 hours a week at training and competitions. Again, lending itself to the obvious disconnect between the willingness to put in time for the mental skills training and the understanding that this is one of, if not THE most important training you can do in elite competition. How can we convince coaches, parents and athletes themselves that giving up one day of physical training to come in for a mental tune-up is a much more reasonable and effective use of time. Try convincing a coach or parent that missing a day of practice to find time for a consult is worth it.

The event was an amazing opportunity for the youth to experience Fitness at its Finest. Over 4000 people completed the race, many alongside friends and family. It was a true community effort. The chance to expose our youth to what fitness look like can really set the pace for a lifetime of healthy living. I saw moms and dads, sons and daughters, sisters and friends pushing one another to finish.  After the race, I heard a number of youth and parents already planning their next race! Congratulations to Nashville and to all the NAZA / FIZEEK! youth.

Hope to see you there on Tuesday

6-9pm at Battle Ground Academy sponsored by Lion’s Pride Grappling (www.lionspridegrappling.com)

This support and participation which is so prevalent in the community centers is all but absent in the school environment which we have seen at Wright Middle school. Save one amazing and passionate school nurse, all the staff are less than interested in growing such a unique and potentially invaluable opportunity to integrate consistent and ongoing fitness opportunities into the school day. I would only hope that when you have people who have no affiliation or intimate tie to a school but are putting this aside in an attempt to promote a better quality of life in your community that you could put all personal needs aside a lend a hand for 30 minutes twice a week. The presence and support of faculty, staff and parents is an invaluable addition to a youth program’s success. They need to know what they are doing matters and that people recognize their efforts. This is a call to Metro Nashville faculty, staff, parents and even administrators to be invested. Contact me and get involved in Wright’s program or let’s initiate your own! It will be well worth it, I promise.

The more and more I work with the young competitors the more I explore ways to reach them on their level of mental capacity. I don’t like to “talk down” to anyone, yet when you are dealing with 11 and 12-year-old minds you do have to modify your methods…just as I would not prescribe the same weight training program for an adult and a child. Developmentally they are just different. I use more visual cues, more anecdotal examples…more “pictures” and fewer words. However, I am still not sure they are really struggling with sport anxiety, sport perfectionism, on the field concentration…I would argue in a majority of cases they are struggling with anxiety, perfectionism and/or concentration across all domains (social, academic,  interpersonal and, of course, athletic…which is why they end up in my office). What I end up discovering 9 times out of 10 is that the behaviors they display are not isolated. Nervousness before games mimics nervousness before tests, mimics nervousness in unfamiliar social situations. When I find this is the case I wonder how much pressure a young, developing mind can withstand. I think back to my own experiences…I was in a highly academic school, I was continually struggling to “fit in” as all kids do in their own way, I was a highly competitive athlete, I was a member of my church youth group, I was a girl scout, and for many years I played the piano. When did I do anything that did not demand concentration, a competitive attitude, and an ability to perform in front of an audience. If I had not been able to cope with these elements of my activities and everyday experiences, I would certainly have had difficulty experiencing any sense of success and confidence, as I was given no opportunities in which failure, mistakes or an “off day” did not result in a significant negative outcome. I either failed a test, lost a game, was left out off the “guest list” or embarrassed myself on stage. Whew, I don’t even think I could handle that now, imagine doing that as a teenager. We think we are overworked when we have to leave the office a little past 5 o’clock, or go in a little early to get a headstart. Yet we ask our young athletes to juggle an 8 hour school day, practice (sometimes more than one), homework and any semblance of a social life (and not just with their teammates, but other circles of friends as well). Sounds familiar. We hear all the time about a “work-life” balance. Shouldnt our kids get the same opportunity?  I urge you as parents to look at your child’s daily schedule. I am in no way saying that staying busy and active is a bad thing, it is one the most important and exciting part of being young and energetic. However, are all their activities high performance? Do they do some things that do not require scores, acceptance, high marks?

What happens 9 times out of 10 (except in the case of a highly mature young person who has requested help on their mental game), is that the parent has suggested, or in many cases mandated that they child come talk to me. I do not think they is necessarily a bad thing. Afterall, at 11 years old it is unlikely a child will recognize what is causing their inability to move past a mistake, to maintain concentration, to accept loss and poor performance as part of the game. When I see youth younger than 17-18 years old I strongly urge (one tier shy of requiring) one or both parents sit in on the initial session. Unfortunately sitting in usually turns into taking over. Questions directed at the child are answered by the parents, questions about the child’s experience, perceptions and feelings are interpreted by the parent. What I see most often is the parent “labeling” the child. For example, “He is just like me…he is a perfectionist”…”He is just a people pleaser”…”She is just so sensitive and emotional”. Is it me or are these things that a child does not need to hear. Yes, this may be an accurate description of the child, they may in fact possess such characteristics, but when a parent emphasizes such qualities, uses them to explain irrational or ineffective behaviors, then the child will more than likely identify with these characteristics and may even start to alter behaviors in order to fit this mold or label.

What if, on the otherhand, a parent were to say…”He is so cool under pressure”….”She really excels in the face adversity and is very level-headed”…would a child then embrace these behavioral and emotional labels thus enhancing his or her ability to perform well in high pressure situations. Parents, be careful what you say in front of you kids. Be careful how your perceptions can become theirs, how your labels and evaluations can manifest themselves in the form of behaviors and emotions that are consistent with the way you describe them to others…

Just as registration commencement approached the cloudy skies began to part and sun began peeking through to reveal a perfect morning for a 3.1 mile run…or walk. Buses arrived carrying dozens of young people eager to sign up and get moving. My heart swelled with excitement and pride that the event we had been planning for nearly 3 months was finally here and WE HAD RUNNERS!!  When all was said and done and 8am was upon us, nearly 50 participants toed the line for the start. We had parents, youth, program staff and local supporters all there to watch, cheer and participate. The event truly lived up to its name…it was AMAZING!

The most incredible part of this whole experience for me was working with the committee that made this all happen. The group formed spontaneously as we all traded emails about an end of the year event to celebrate the Nashville After Zone Alliance and its enhancement partners as well as allow the families to see what the youth had been creating throughout the semester. As the recreation partner in South Central Zone, I suggested a running event….which then became the AMAZING RACE, and other brought ideas to the table, including art displays, live performances and parent resources/information booths. Thank you to the “best little committee ever formed”: Jane Fleishman of Martha O’Bryan Center, Candy Markman of the Mayor’s Office, Jim Williamson of the PENCIL Foundation and NAZA, Stevon Neloms Director of the Coleman Community Center, Angie Booker of Coleman Community Center, and Rayni Griffiths with Glencliff High School!

Our hope is to motivate the kids to get to school early, get active and then stay for a healthy and much needed morning meal. FIZEEK! and four of the Wright Middle school staff will offer resistance training, sport skills, general fitness education and support as the kids learn how to get fit and honor their bodies with healthy behaviors and choices. Wright Middle is home to students from over 40 different countries and multiple cultural barriers which leave them in many cases unable to engage in healthy daily activities. Our goal is to show them that fitness can be fun and can be incorporated into your day….even in the morning.

Email me if you want to see FIZEEK! become a part of your culture. tiffany@mindbodydoctor.net