Talkin' Trash

by Tamekia Reece

Talkin' Trash Pro ballers do it; your child athlete probably does too. “It’s mostly a technique to ‘beat your opponent’ mentally,” says Leif H. Smith, a sports psychologist in Hilliard, Ohio. But if your child’s smack talk is constant, cruel and unprovoked, explain “your stance on what is acceptable.” And remember, kids learn by example, so watch what you say.