Tagged: Alpine Academy

How Sports Can Positively Influence Teen Development

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints Basketball

Alpine Academy in Utah works to help troubled teens by providing them with a well-rounded experience that includes schooling, therapy, recreational activities and more. Alpine Academy understands that teens have complaints about entering the program because they fear the unknown and may be resistant to making positive changes. The experts at Alpine Academy are prepared to address those complaints and make positive, lasting changes in the lives of all students. One of the best ways to improve the outlook of a teen is to get them involved in sports that they love. Today, Alpine Academy in Utah will look at the many benefits of organized sports in teen development.

So much of changing the direction of a teen’s future is about improving their mood. Physical activity provides a natural boost of serotonin and gives direction to those who are feeling lost. The health benefits of organized sports cannot be understated. Teens involved in organized sports are one-tenth as likely to develop obesity. This in turn helps lower the risk of diabetes, cancer, heart disease, and more.

Members of Alpine Academy in Utah play sports for the love of the game. A lot of teens quit organized sports by the time they reach high school because they are not selected to start in their preferred sport. Being a player on the bench is not an easy thing for a teenager. It’s obviously not as fun as playing and it often comes with feelings of doubt or lack of self-worth. Everyone who wants to play gets a chance to play at Alpine Academy. The idea behind incorporating sports is to not only build skills on the court or playing field but build communication skills as well.

While everyone gets a chance to play, there’s naturally a competitive nature that comes from sports. Just like in life, there will be adversity to overcome. Teens can learn great lessons both in success and in failure when playing sports. The lessons learned during play can be reviewed in therapy and help unlock a lot of opportunities for growth. Team sports provide teens with a wonderful opportunity to form friendships that can last a lifetime. The hardest part of forming relationships is breaking the ice. By playing organized sports, there’s a common theme that allows teens to come together via a shared interest. Sports like basketball also require a level of communication in order to be successful. Growing as a communicator is essential to boosting self-esteem. People want to be heard and deserve to be heard. Not everyone has the easiest time making their voice heard and sports provide a great place to practice communicative skills.

Warning Signs of a Troubled Teenager

Alpine Academy Utah Complaints Teenager

Alpine Academy is a unique therapeutic school that helps troubled teens get back on track. Being a parent or a teenager in the modern world is no easy task. It’s important for both parents and their children who are struggling to know that regardless of their current circumstances, there’s hope around the corner. Alpine Academy hears complaints from parents routinely that they wish they noticed the warning signs of trouble earlier. Today, Alpine Academy will look at some different things parents and loved ones can look out for to see if their teen may be a candidate for help from Alpine Academy in Utah.

There is a delicate balance between typical teen behavior and damaging teen behavior. For instance, as teens grow into adulthood, they are going to naturally be on a bit of an emotional roller coaster. Just like anyone else, they will have good days and bad days and experience swings in their moods. Small tweaks to appearance or a slight increase in push back to authority figures are common teen behaviors that can be addressed and moved on from rather easily.

Red flags appear when rather drastic changes in behavior are made. Teens who switch to an entirely different peer group who are having a negative influence on their behavior are on a dangerous path. Weight fluctuation in teens is normal, but if a teen either puts on an excessive amount of weight or loses an excessive amount of weight, there could be a much more serious problem afoot. Parents and loved ones must also stay on the lookout for an increase in secretive behavior or lying. Trust is everything in any relationship and teens must be held accountable for their words.

Other common warning signs of a troubled teen include:

  • Excessively Sleeping
  • Addiction to Technology
  • Plummeting Grades in School
  • Sexual Promiscuity
  • Disregard for Personal Hygiene
  • Skipping School
  • Bullying

All of these warning signs are acts of desperation from a teen. Whether or not they are consciously acting out as a means of asking for help, it’s what these behavioral issues represent. All warning signs listed above are also indicators of potential mental health issues like anxiety and depression. The sooner parents can identify warning signs, the sooner they can provide their teen with the special assistance they need. No warning signs are a life sentence. Alpine Academy in Utah has a track record of helping teens unlock their potential by finding healthier ways to cope and discovering healthy passions in life.