Sports can help children build confidence, friendships, discipline and healthy habits. But the pressure to perform, manage schoolwork, keep up with practice and balance family and social life can also create stress for young athletes.
However, parents can help young athletes manage stress by supporting healthy routines, reducing pressure around performance and watching for signs that their child needs more support. Tina Gurnani, MD, a pediatric and adolescent psychiatrist at AdventHealth for Children, shares five ways to help student-athletes feel more balanced in body, mind and spirit.
5 Strategies to Help Your Young Athlete Thrive
Young athletes may feel stress from school, sports, performance expectations, team pressure and busy schedules. However, parents can help by limiting sideline coaching and saving feedback for calmer moments after the game.
Some sports stress is normal, especially before a big game or competition. But if stress starts affecting your child’s sleep, mood, eating habits, schoolwork or enjoyment of the sport, it may be time to adjust the routine and ask for support.
Keep reading as Dr. Gurnani, a pediatric and adolescent psychiatrist at AdventHealth for Children, shares five ways to help your young athlete manage their stress levels.
- Minimize Sideline Commentary
“You may mean well, but sideline commentary during your child’s sporting event can be distracting and unhelpful while they’re trying hard to focus and keep their head in the game,” shares Dr. Gurnani. She continues, “Instead of offering guidance from the sidelines, perhaps wait to talk about the game until afterward, when they’re in a less stressful environment. This can make a world of difference for your child’s state of mind.”
- Manage Healthy Habits
It’s never too early to start teaching your child healthy habits. Busy young athletes may not always prioritize their health, but encouraging healthy habits can go a long way. A young athlete’s mental health is closely connected to daily routines. Sleep, hydration, nutrition and caffeine intake can all affect focus, energy, mood and stress tolerance. Here are some areas to keep in mind:
Hydration
Does your child drink enough water? Adequate hydration has many benefits, including more energy, improved concentration and mood, improved physical performance, better muscle function and a healthier heart. Encourage your child to drink water throughout the day and bring fluids to practices and games. For longer or more intense activity, especially in heat, electrolyte drinks may help replace fluids lost through sweat.
Along the same line, keep tabs on your child’s caffeine intake. “While sodas, coffee and energy drinks are popular among school-aged children, especially in their teenage years, too much caffeine and other sugary beverages can negatively impact your child’s mental and physical well-being,” says Dr. Gurnani.
A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that approximately 73% of children consume caffeine daily. Dr. Gurnani advises, “Limit your child’s daily caffeine intake to 100mg — ideally even less — to minimize caffeine’s negative side effects.”
Nutrition
A balanced diet full of nutritious foods, including fruits, vegetables, healthy proteins and whole grains, is important for your growing child. If you have a tough time getting your child to eat certain foods, try new ways to incorporate those foods into their diet, like blending them into smoothies or pasta sauces. If your child’s appetite changes, they skip meals often or they seem anxious around food, talk with their primary care provider.
“A diet lacking essential vitamins and minerals can lead to increased fatigue, brain fog and mood swings,” explains Dr. Gurnani. “If your child is already experiencing stress as a young athlete, ensuring they’re eating a well-balanced diet is one way to support their whole health.”
Sleep
Does your child get enough quality sleep each night? Teens should aim for eight to 10 hours of sleep per night, and younger children may need even more. If your child regularly sacrifices sleep for sports, schoolwork or social activities, help them look for places to simplify the schedule. “In addition to promoting good physical health, a well-rested child is more likely to have stronger cognitive abilities and better manage their stress and any mental health conditions, like anxiety and depression,” says Dr. Gurnani. Caffeine can also affect sleep, which may make stress harder to manage.
Hydration, balanced nutrition, enough sleep and lower caffeine intake can support mood, focus and energy for young athletes. Hobbies outside of sports can also give children a healthy way to relax and build identity beyond performance. Watch for concerning changes in eating habits, body image, mood, sleep or exercise patterns, and reach out for professional support when needed.
- Find a Hobby Outside of Their Sport
Encourage your child to develop additional hobbies beyond their love of sports that they can turn to when stressed. They may discover a newfound love and a way to relax during stressful times. Having interests outside of sports can help children feel valued for who they are, not only for how they perform. It also gives them a healthy way to reset after practices, games or stressful seasons.
Here are some ideas for new, relaxing hobbies you can suggest:
- Baking and cooking
- Collecting items like stamps, magnets or stickers
- Crocheting and knitting
- Drama and theater
- Drawing and painting
- Embroidery and sewing
- Learning a foreign language
- Journaling
- Photography
- Playing a musical instrument
- Volunteering
- Watch for Eating Disorders
Many children — females and males alike — experience some form of disordered eating. And young athletes are more at risk to develop an eating disorder. “If you notice a shift in your child’s eating habits or their weight, be on the lookout,” says Dr. Gurnani.
Warning signs and symptoms your child may have an eating disorder include:
- Anxiety surrounding eating (saying “I’m full,” or “I’m not hungry,” a lot)
- Avoiding meals
- Binge eating
- Eating in secret
- Excessive exercising
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Looking in the mirror excessively
- Fixating on perceived, but untrue, body flaws (calling themselves “fat”)
- Forcing themselves to vomit and spending too much time in the bathroom
- Missing one or more menstrual cycles (females)
- Palpitations
- Purging with laxatives
- Restricting food or calorie intake
- Using diuretics
- Wearing oversized, baggy clothing
- Weight loss
If you’re concerned, avoid commenting on weight, body size or appearance. Instead, focus on health, energy, mood and how your child is feeling. Your child’s primary care provider can offer advice and help you navigate ways to support your child if you’re concerned they may be suffering from an eating disorder.
- Learn Post-Game Relaxation Techniques
After the game, start with curiosity instead of correction. Try asking, “How did you feel out there?” or “What do you need from me after games?” before offering feedback. Another way to help reduce your child’s sports-related stress is to take a breather after each sporting event and do something relaxing together. This could be anything from family movie nights to a routine post-game dinner at your child’s favorite restaurant.
Getting your child’s mind off their game can be particularly helpful after a stressful day. Not every game needs a performance review. Sometimes the best support is a quiet ride home, a meal together or a familiar routine that helps your child decompress.
