How youth sports can build resilience without the pressure

For kids, sports can build confidence, friendships and resilience, but the adults on the sidelines can have a powerful influence on that experience. Dr. Travis Dorsch is a professor at Utah State University and founding director of its Families in Sport Lab, where he studies how parents, siblings, coaches and peers shape young athletes’ experiences. His research asks a surprisingly complicated question: How can we support kids in sports without turning the pursuit of performance into pressure?