When a young athlete is performing at an elite level, there is a tendency to push them harder to achieve greater goals. Lots of excitement generates around these youngsters, as they have so much potential to be great in their sport. Recently, I watched a middle schooler run a 4:18 mile, which is faster than many college runners. For reference, the winning middle school time at the national meet in 2021 was 4:23, slower than this young man ran. It is common in track and field, basketball, and now, with social media, many other sports to see elite young talent that fizzles out as the aging process continues. Though there are very few at this level, burnout exists for youth athletes in any sport, and preventing it will increase their longevity and enjoyment of the game.
Start Small and Scale Gradually
If your child is passionate about a sport at a young age, start small (rec level), and if they respond well to that, move on to the next step (travel), and allow them to play at the highest level that they are able and psychologically comfortable playing at. If your child does not feel like they belong on a certain team, they will lose enjoyment for the sport and burnout.
Prioritize Health
Health concerns also cause burnout. If your child has an injury that keeps them out of their sport, it will usually go one of two ways. They will work hard to get back to the game or feel left out and ostracized, losing interest. Make sure that you are taking steps toward injury prevention by prioritizing stretching, nutrition, sleep, and mental health. This will reduce the likelihood of your child getting injured and allow them to keep enjoying their sport for a longer period of time.
Avoid Over-Training
Overtraining is another cause of burnout. This can be physical or mental. For track and field athletes, especially distance runners, parents and coaches will put an 11-year-old body through a college-level workout. The body cannot handle this and begins deteriorating faster, decreasing their potential and shortening the length of their running career. Mental overtraining essentially means hyper-control over a young athlete’s life. Everything they do is for their sport. This can be exhausting and can lead to young athletes leaving their sport. In this way, the fun has been taken out of the sport. Some kids can still love the sport in this lifestyle, but it is not right for everyone.
Address Plateaus in Skill Development
If a child feels that their skill level has plateaued and they are not seeing great improvements in practices, they may feel discouraged and want to take a break from the sport. To help get over this speed bump in training, a private coach can be very helpful. They can not only help the child make great improvements to their game but build a healthy relationship with the sport. If you think a private coach may be right for your child, check out our selection of top-level private coaches in your area at Athletes Untapped.
Burnout may simply happen, but it is preventable. Taking steps to avoid injury and overtraining can help avoid burnout. Helping your child improve their game with a private coach when they feel stuck is also a great option for preventing burnout. Briefly, it comes down to not pushing your child too far outside of their limits.
For more information and resources, visit Athletes Untapped.
