Team sports strongly impact children’s development by teaching leadership, teamwork, and sportsmanship. Gaining these skills at a young age can help pave a successful path for kids’ futures. Yet despite these well-documented benefits, youth team sports are on the decline and some are trying to turn the tide on this trend. In this podcast, Donna is joined by the Chief Executive Officer of The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation Nichol Whiteman who heads the team’s charitable division. Under her leadership the foundation helped launch RBI, (Reviving Baseball in Inner cities), serving over 11,000 kids. Last year RBI built the 51st dream field for kids to play ball on regardless of their socioeconomic background. She is also on the board of the Positive Coaching, a national non-profit organization that creates a character-building youth sports environment. Nicole has two boys who are avid athletes in everything from baseball to golf. She’s witnessed how team sports shaped her boys into fine young men but these days the average child spends less than three years playing a sport before quitting, most often because the sport “just isn’t fun anymore.” Donna and Nichol discuss how to instill a “growth mindset “ in child athletes. Those who have a growth mindset believe their ability is due to practice, effort, and improving performance, unlike athletes who think their ability is fixed. In this episode, parents will gain insight on encouraging their kids to play sports for enjoyment, self-esteem, character building, and leadership skills.

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