Former professional golfer Jay Delsing, author of "You Wouldn't Believe Me If I Told You," describes how he pursued his sports dream and says young athletes should also aim high, even if the odds of success are low.

Growing up in a large, low-income, sports-oriented family, he was encouraged to believe he could achieve anything with hard work, he said. Although baseball was his first love, golf became his passion.

"I wasn't smart enough to really be afraid. I mean, (people) would tell me all these odds," Delsing said. "'Do you know that less than 1 % of everybody that plays golf can play on the PGA tour?' people would ask. And I'm like, no, I didn't know that. And I don't really care. Somebody's got to make up that 1%. Why can't it be me?"

Learn more about Delsing at Golf with Jay Delsing.

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Young athletes who forget skills, freeze up or make avoidable mistakes and who can't meet their practice performance during competitions are struggling with performance blocks.

These blocks can be caused by excessive pressure, anxiety, worry, perfectionism or identity issues and self-judgement, said Albert Bramante, a psychology professor and author of "Rise Above the Script."

To help kids overcome these performance blocks, parents can remind them that blocks do not reflect ability. "It's not their fault that this has happened. It's not an indication that you're a subpar athlete or subpar performer; it just means you have a lot of anxiety," he said.

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Andy Whittier knows how to cope with pressure.

He transitioned from playing college football to representing the U.S. in the skeleton sport, a solo, head-first sled race down an icy track at speeds of up to 89 mph.

At first, it was terrifying, he said. But with constant practice, he started making some "good, fast clean runs" and building confidence.

Athletes can build confidence gradually through experience, discipline and stacking small wins over time. Repetition and practice are key, he said.

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P.J. Glassey, personal trainer, "biohacker" at XGym.com, and author of Cracking Your Calorie Code, has identified 16 brain types that help determine how best to motivate athletes and boost their performance.

Developed over a 5-year period, his 20-question brain type test–which combines psychology and fitness– helps people get fit with less reliance on willpower.

Once Glassey identifies an athlete's brain type, he provides motivation and fitness "hacks," he said.

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When sports kids face challenges such as injuries or mistakes, they're more likely to overcome them by being "all in"--committed to working hard and improving in their sport.

Chad Dunn, CEO of Move Performance Center and former BMX racer, asks kids facing adversity, "Do you really want to do this?" The right answer, he says, is "Coach, I'm all in."

A big challenge for sports kids is comparing themselves to others, especially when they focus too much on what other athletes are posting on social media, he says. His advice: Stop making comparisons.

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Parents are very emotional about their kids' youth sports experience, and they're pouring a lot of money into youth sports. Because of these factors, they may feel that coaches favor other players when their kids aren't getting the playing time they want, said Jen Fry, a TEDx speaker, owner of JenFryTalks and sports geographer, which means means she studies how geographical factors, like terrain, influence which sports are played in specific areas.

When are coaches playing favorites? How should coaches address kids' weaknesses? Does it make sense to favor young athletes who are coachable? Should parents talk to coaches about favoritism?

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Teen athletes experience anxiety when they can't be in the moment, said Kate Kelley-Schneider, a psychotherapist and sports mindset coach at Pure Health Center and Pure Sports Mindset.

They are either stuck replaying a mistake over and over or looking to the future and worrying about the score.

"They'll check out of the game from a mental perspective. That then shows up physically," she said.

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What if young athletes could practice visualization and then receive feedback in real time that improves their performance? Konstantin Sonkin, a neuroscientist and founder of i-Brain Tech, uses neuroscience-based technology to help athletes boost focus and decision-making.

Learn more about Dr. Sonkin at i-Brain.Tech

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