You are reading

Spring into sports: Helping young athletes thrive this season

Photo by Alex Li

March 26, 2025 By Jay Devashetty

With spring officially underway and warmer days arriving, young athletes across Queens are heading back outdoors to play the sports they love. Local parks and fields are already buzzing with energy as kids take to the courts, diamonds, and pitches for soccer, baseball, tennis, and more.

At New York Junior Tennis & Learning, we’re thrilled to welcome young players back to the outdoor courts—not only at our Cary Leeds Center in the Bronx, but also at our 16 free Community Tennis Program sites across Queens. It’s a season full of potential, where children can enjoy the physical, mental, and social benefits that come from being active and engaged in sports.

Now that the season is in full swing, it’s an ideal time for coaches, parents, and guardians to help create a positive and enriching environment for young athletes. Here are a few ways to support kids as they sharpen their skills, build confidence, and develop values that will serve them long after the final whistle blows.

Make It Fun

A positive sports experience for young athletes starts with making it enjoyable. According to studies, having fun is the primary reason kids play and stick with sports. That might seem obvious, but surveys show that parents incorrectly perceive “winning” as the main reason kids like playing sports.

While winning can be exciting, an intense focus on scores or trophies can overshadow the joy that keeps kids interested. It’s a big reason why 70% of kids drop out of youth sports by age 13. Kids who love what they’re doing will want to keep playing and improving.

Cultivate a Growth Mindset

Keeping a positive focus on effort rather than talent or results can make a world of difference. Let kids know it’s okay to make mistakes as long as they’re trying their best. Young athletes are more likely to stay committed to a sport when coaches and parents celebrate hustle, focus, and improvement just as much as performance. Furthermore, it fosters the belief that abilities can be developed through hard work, known as “growth mindset,” which is linked to higher test scores and student well-being.

Set Improvement Goals

Setting personal goals for each child—like improving a specific skill—can build resilience and instill the value of patience and hard work. In tennis, for example, a child improving their backhand may gain more long-term benefits than winning the match. Focusing on specific skills within a game helps to build a lasting love for improvement, especially as they begin to see their progress.

Sports also gives kids an opportunity to reflect on their progress, which is a critical skill for growth on and off the court. After each game or practice, encourage them to think about what they did well and identify areas for improvement. Letting them take ownership of their growth by setting and achieving personal goals helps them value self-improvement over comparison with others.

Photo by Alex Li

Build Team Players

Being a good team member helps kids to learn empathy, collaboration, and respect for diverse perspectives. Even in individual sports like tennis, teamwork is crucial. Team tournaments and practices allow young athletes to support each other and share in both successes and setbacks. Coaches can help by highlighting individual strengths and showing how each player contributes to the team’s success.

Parents can support a team mentality by encouraging friendships and open communication. Ask about your child’s experiences with teammates, and if conflicts arise, guide them in resolving issues constructively. By emphasizing kindness, respect, and collaboration, parents help children develop the skills to be supportive, reliable teammates which will benefit them in school and later in their careers.

Model Good Sportsmanship

Young athletes look to adults for cues on handling challenging situations. Reacting calmly to a tough loss, a referee’s call, or a mistake sends powerful messages about resilience and grace under pressure. Coaches can emphasize the value of respecting opponents, officials, and teammates, while parents reinforce these lessons by cheering respectfully. Teaching kids that true sportsmanship means appreciating the game—not just the win—prepares them to handle life’s challenges with maturity and self-control.

Maintain a Balance

As kids get more involved in sports, finding a healthy balance is essential. Wall-to-wall practices and competitions can lead to burnout or injury, especially for young athletes. Making time for other activities, including rest, helps kids learn that sports aren’t everything. Moderation and self-care are important for their long-term mental and physical health.

By fostering a growth mindset and a positive environment, we help young athletes learn not just how to play but how to persist and thrive in all areas of life. This season, let’s make youth sports, first and foremost, a space where kids have fun and grow.

 

Jay Devashetty is Vice President of Tennis Pathways at New York Junior Tennis & Learning (NYJTL), the largest nonprofit youth and tennis organization in the nation. NYJTL provides programming throughout all five boroughs, and its headquarters are located at 36-36 33rd St., Suite 504 in Long Island City.

email the author: news@queenspost.com
No comments yet

Leave a Comment
Reply to this Comment

All comments are subject to moderation before being posted.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Recent News

MTA opens three new modernized elevators at the Queens Plaza subway station in Long Island City

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced the opening of three new modernized elevators at the Queens Plaza E/M/R subway station in Long Island City earlier this month as part of a larger accessibility and safety upgrades throughout the transit system.

The work included a full replacement of the cab and equipment within the cab, shaft and pit, along with two new elevator head houses located at street level. Crews also made modifications to the shaft and pit as needed to allow for new equipment. The elevator machine room and electrical and mechanical equipment received replacements and other modernization efforts for reliability.

Queens Together launches ‘Unofficial US Open Dining Guide’ encouraging fans to sample restaurants along the 7 line

Aug. 20, 2025 By Shane O’Brien

The US Open returns to Flushing Meadows Corona Park this Sunday, with more than 1 million attendees anticipated to take mass transit to the iconic annual tennis event. With hundreds of thousands of fans set to take the 7 out to the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, there is a world of delicious local eateries lying beneath the elevated train tracks should any fan wish to stop en-route to the US Open.

Can Queens’ food scene thrive with both trucks and restaurants?

Aug. 19, 2025 By Jessica Militello

In Jackson Heights at 4 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, Roosevelt Avenue is buzzing with energy as commuters file in and out of subway cars and onto the street and cars and trucks grapple to get down the busy road. The street is filled with rows of shops and restaurants, along with food carts, street vendors and food trucks along the avenue. The almost-but-not-quite the weekend lag leaves hungry commuters faced with another choice to make throughout their day and the array of food truck options in busy areas like Jackson Heights offers customers convenience and delicious food without breaking the bank, two features that can feel vital, particularly with rising costs of living and pressure from inflation.