ABSTRACT
This chapter demonstrates the power that positive attitudes have on athletes. In addition to knowing what aspects of athletes’ lives should be owned by whom and helping athletes to gain age-appropriate ownership, it behooves consultants and athletes to identify potential obstacles to athletes’ ownership. There are four primary obstacles: Ill-advised agendas; overinvolved parents; extrinsic motivation; and triangulation. Giving athletes the opportunity to embrace ownership of their sport does not matter unless athletes accept ownership. One practical way for parents to help their children gain ownership of their sports lives is to ensure that every stakeholder does their job and no one else’s. There are three key stakeholders in youth sports: parents, coaches, and athletes. Consequently, the importance of coaches, parents, and consultants fostering a growth mindset in athletes is essential to athletes’ developing such a mindset. C. S. Dweck suggested that coaches and parents should focus on praising effort over talent and setbacks and failures be treated as opportunities for growth.
