The Stress of Competitive Junior Golf on Young Players

Adults face a myriad of different stressors on any given day - family, work, financial, health etc. Since most of our junior golfers don't have to deal with these issues, it can be easy to sometimes forget the stressors of both being a teenager in general and a competitive junior golfer. The stress of the modern day teenager is beyond the scope of this article, but I would like to address how the world of junior golf can be a source of stress for our kids, and offer some potential techniques and suggestions to help them deal with it.

Stress has many definitions, but for our purposes we will focus on how our junior golfer experiences and internalizes the conditions (real or imagined) of golf, and how it affects him/her both on and off the golf course. All kids are unique, so what might cause stress for one, will not even be noticed by his friend. However, there are a few common issues that I see with a large percentage of junior golfers:

Putting pressure on themselves to play to a high levelFeeling pressure from their parents to play to a high level (not intentional by the parents). The physical and mental demands of practice. Less time to spend with friends

It is important to discuss these topics (and any others that you suspect) with your junior golfer, and assist them in relieving the stress in productive and healthy ways, before they become a problem that manifests itself in physical symptoms. The symptoms of "stress overload" in juniors can include irritability, anger, sadness (even to the point of tears), signs of depression, isolation, a drop in school performance, etc.

Here are a few options for stress relief:

1. Visualization - there are many techniques that help juniors to relax and begin to recognize that despite how it may seem, everything will be OK. These include guided sessions that they can listen to daily on Cd or MP3s with their headsets.

2. Positive Self-Talk - negative self-talk is common among juniors, and can be very destructive. Teach your junior to be kind to themselves.

3. Deep Breathing - shallow "chest breathing" creates tension in the neck and shoulders. Teach your junior to breath with the diaphragm (into the belly).

4. Ensuring proper nutrition, hydration and sleep (8-10 hours a night!)

Recognizing the source of the stress and talking about it is the first vital step. Then you can work with your junior golfer on ways to feel better, play better and enjoy the sport.

Stephen Ladd is the president of Renegade Golf, a company dedicated to helping golfers improve through golf specific programs and comprehensive training methods, including Golf Strength and Conditioning, Holistic Nutrition and Lifestyle Coaching, and Cutting-Edge Psychology. He is recognized as an industry leader, having worked with close to 6,000 golfers in 39 different countries. Stephen holds national certifications as a golf fitness trainer with several organizations including The Titleist Performance Institute and the C.H.E.K Institute Golf Performance Coaching Program. To discover more about his Golf Training For Juniors System and a Free Report - Busted: The Top 5 Myths of Junior Golf Training, visit: http://www.golftrainingforjuniors.com/

View the original article here