FOCUS👀

Practice hasn’t even started yet.

One kid is tying their shoe for the third time.
Another is spinning a ball on their finger.
Someone’s talking about a video game.
Someone else is staring off into space.

A coach claps their hands and says, “Eyes up.”

For about five seconds, everyone’s locked in.

Then… gone again.

Most adults see this and think, Kids just can’t focus anymore.
Phones. Screens. Short attention spans.

But that’s not actually the problem.

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🧠 The Insight

Focus isn’t a personality trait.
It’s a skill.

According to Peak Mind, attention works more like a muscle than a switch. You don’t either “have it” or “not have it.” You train it, lose it, regain it, and strengthen it over time.

Kids aren’t bad at focusing.
They’re just untrained.

And like any untrained skill, we usually ask too much of it, too fast.

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🏈 The Story

Think about how we teach physical skills.

We don’t hand a kid a bat and say, “Alright, hit a curveball.”
We start with a tee.
Then front toss.
Then live pitching.

But with attention, we do the opposite.

We expect a 9-year-old to stay locked in for a 90-minute practice, ignore distractions, manage nerves, and instantly refocus after mistakes… without ever being taught how.

That’s like skipping the tee and wondering why the swing falls apart.

Attention needs reps too.

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🔁 The Shift

Stop treating focus like a requirement.
Start treating it like a drill.

Instead of saying:
“Pay attention.”
“Lock in.”
“Focus!”

Try building small, repeatable routines that train attention before asking kids to use it.

Short. Simple. Boring on purpose.

That’s how skills stick.

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🧭 The Takeaway

If focus is a skill, then inconsistency is part of learning it.

Kids will drift.
They’ll get distracted.
They’ll lose it mid-drill.

That’s not failure. That’s the workout.

The goal isn’t perfect focus.
The goal is noticing when attention wanders… and bringing it back.

Over and over.

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👊 Put It Into Practice

The 60-Second Focus Drill

Use this before practice, games, or even homework.

1. Everyone stands still.

2. One slow breath in through the nose.

3. One slow breath out through the mouth.

4. Eyes on one fixed point.

5. Coach says: “When your mind wanders, just bring it back.”

That’s it.
No speeches. No pressure.

Sixty seconds. One rep.

Do it consistently, and you’ll notice something change. Not instantly. Quietly.

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🏅 The Locker Room

Mindset Move: Train It Small

Attention doesn’t improve from yelling.
It improves from reps.

Short focus routines.
Clear resets after mistakes.
Simple cues kids can return to.

The athletes who focus best aren’t trying harder.
They’re trained better.

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❤️ The Parents’ Bleachers

If your child struggles to “pay attention,” resist the urge to label it.

Instead of:
“You’re not focused.”

Try:
“Let’s practice bringing it back.”

Praise the reset, not the perfection.

When kids learn that losing focus isn’t the end of the world, they stop panicking about it. And ironically, they focus better.

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⚡ BE THE CATALYST

Focus doesn’t come from demanding it.
It comes from training it.

This week, try one 60-second focus drill before practice and see what happens.

Then ask yourself:
What other skills are we expecting… without ever teaching?

Forward this to a coach or parent who’s tired of yelling “Focus!” and ready to actually build it.