What does burnout in young athletes really look like? How can parents ease performance anxiety and help build mental strength? What role does gender play in how young athletes engage with their sport? If you’d like answers to these questions and more then this Fast Five is for you!

Registered Nurse and Certified Life Coach Danielle Schetter guides parents through common challenges facing athletes today, including performance anxiety, burnout, concussions, and the pressures of early sports specialization in this edition of the “Fast Five.”

And don’t forget to join us for our free, upcoming webinar:

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Why is it critical for parents to understand the risks and long-term effects of concussions in youth athletes?

In addition to the physical side of concussion, many factors affect the mental well-being of your athlete. This ‘invisible injury’ can lead to feelings of isolation, pain, anxiety, and depression. When children struggle with the physical effects of a concussion, this internally causes a struggle that others do not understand. When physical symptoms arise, an athlete is not able to participate in their sport as usual and they can struggle in feeling alone with worry about what their restart will look like athletically. Many athletes tend to have a natural pressure to perform, so the physical symptoms can also lead to anxieties over falling behind academically. Many times, the road to recovery is with an unknown timeframe and this frustration can also lead to anxiety and fear of the unknown. Females and males can have different symptoms and females are at greater risk during hormonal cycles. Physically speaking, concussions when not properly cared for can lead to much more serious consequences such as Second Impact Syndrome.

What are the most common indicators and underlying causes of burnout in young athletes?

ATTENTION Parents! You have the power to help your athlete avoid burnout. Recognizing the emotional and physical signs of burnout can help steer your child back on track. Some symptoms include interest reduction, decreased sense of excitement, exhaustion, and an emotional shift.  It is crucial for parents to understand and recognize a shift in their athlete as their interests change in correlation with the intensity of the sport. Early sport specialization, excessive training, and parent pressures are major causes of athlete burnout. We recommend athletes play multiple sports at least until late adolescence to help minimize risk of injury and stress. A one-sport athlete tends to overtrain and develop anxiety over perfection. This stress can lead to burnout and injury. Keeping your child involved in recreational sports in addition to club teams can help to keep the fun in the game.

What strategies can parents use to help their child manage and reduce performance anxiety in sports?

Helping to build your child’s confidence and seeking professional help as needed can help to reduce performance anxiety within your athlete. Teach your child that mistakes are learning opportunities! Focusing on any negativities within your child’s play or training will lead them to overthinking and eventually anxiety. Some strategies you can do as parents include keeping open communication and encouraging your child to express their feelings, helping them to remember the joy of their sport and why they started playing (relaxed play usually correlates to better play), encouraging them to set goals, cheering on any small achievement, and always providing positive reinforcement. You are their parent, not their coach. For those that are both, ask your child what they need. Are you looking for my coach opinion or my parent opinion? Sometimes they just want you to listen with an open heart. By fostering healthier and more open communication with your athlete, your child will be able to navigate any sports anxiety.

In what ways can parents positively influence their child’s mental mindset and overall approach to athletics?

Encouraging your child to try new sports, taking athletic risks, and praising their efforts (not their faults) are only a few ways to positively influence your child’s mindset. When you as a parent model a growth mindset by embracing challenges and trying new things, you will encourage your child to do the same. Effort over outcome needs to be reinforced by supporting your child regardless of a win or loss. Help your child to set a goal. Be realistic and motivating and challenge your child to strive for improvement. Celebrate each factor of success which teaches them that hard work pays off. Avoiding harsh criticisms and offering constructive feedback when asked will help to influence their overall mindset. Teach your child positive affirmations by setting the example yourself. Positive affirmations will teach your child to boost their confidence, decrease stress and develop resilience. Overall, encourage your child to remember the reason they started playing because keeping the fun in sport will only enhance their performance.

Are there notable differences in the way athletes of different genders mentally engage with their sport?

For sure! The way each gender presents anxieties or processes motivations can differ. Males tend to be driven by competition with a desire for achievement and present anxieties with physical symptoms when nervous. Females tend to use positive self-talk for motivation with social interactions being important and present with more cognitive anxieties. You know your child best, however, know each child needs to be dealt with specific to their needs. Recognize the differences in pre-game rituals or emotions and the aftereffects of a game. What motivates one child, may not be sufficient for the other. This is where open communication is important to be able to approach your athlete in the most sufficient way.

Want to learn more about how to get the most out of youth sports for your child?

Join us on Wednesday, June 25th from 6 to 7 pm to hear more at our free webinar, “Are We Pushing Kids Too Far? Experts Discuss Early Sports Specialization and Mental Health “

ESF Camps & Experiences has spent 40+ years designing summer experiences that develop the whole child. Our programs are built in partnership with Nemours Children’s Health and grounded in pediatric research on resilience, social-emotional learning, and child development.