In the world of sports, talent and physical training are only part of the equation to achieve success. In recent years, there has been a raising awareness of the relevance of mental health in athletes, especially young people, who are often under great pressure from very early in their careers. Intensive workouts, strong competition, and expectations from coaches, parents, and even themselves can lead to significant stress that, if not handled properly, can affect both their athletic performance and overall well-being.
Competitive stress is an unavoidable reality in sport and, to a certain extent, can even be motivating. However, if not regulated in a healthy manner, it can lead to serious problems such as anxiety, low self-esteem, mental exhaustion and burnout syndrome. This is where the figure of the sports psychologist acquires a crucial role. Accompanying young athletes in their development not only involves working on their mental preparation for competitions, but also managing emotions, setting realistic expectations and developing tools to deal with pressure constructively.
One of the key aspects in this accompaniment is the teaching of resilience skills. Resilience allows young athletes to cope with defeat and hardship without affecting their confidence or motivation. Through techniques such as visualization, self-confidence building, and emotional self-control, athletes can learn how to manage strain before a competition, as well as how to recover psychologically after a poor performance.
In addition, it is critical that both coaches and parents take a balanced approach. Often, excessive pressure comes from people close to the young athlete, which generates an environment of constant evaluation. Shifting this focus towards recognition of effort, continuous improvement and fun in sport can be fundamental to reducing stress and increasing young people’s enjoyment.
Taking care of mental health from the early stages of a sports career is not only conducive to better performances, but also key to ensuring a long-term professional trajectory and, especially, integral wellbeing. Preparing young people to compete not only involves caring about their bodies. Athletes’ mental health needs are just as important as physical health, since both are likely to contribute to helpig them to face challenges with confidence, balance and, above all, passion for what they do.