5 aspects that help strengthen resilience in sports

In recent years, we have seen high-performance athletes halt their careers after hitting rock bottom. Olympic stars like gymnast Simone Biles, tennis player Naomi Osaka, and swimmer Michael Phelps have expressed their anxiety crises and the need to pause or definitively cease their careers to focus on their mental health.

Sports allow many young people and their families to overcome economic challenges. But why, despite the success and a promising future, do 70% of children quit organized sports by age 13? according to statistics from the World Health Organization.

Beyond athletic performance and physical and technical preparation, there's emotional and psychological well-being that undoubtedly determines whether athletes are good competitors or not. Athletes often focus on physical preparation and nutrition, but what about their mental health?

In this article, I want to share with you 5 aspects that young people should focus on to generate greater resilience and work on their mental health:

1. Self-esteem and self-confidence:

According to the Journal of Psychology and Related Sciences, if a young person has a positive perception of themselves, they will have more tools to trust their competitive abilities, face challenges with greater determination, and make sport not only a job but also a game.

2. Open communication and emotional support:

It is vital to create an environment open to dialogue and where emotions and concerns can be expressed. Assertive communication with parents, coaches, and teammates is key to mental health.

3. Establishing realistic and achievable short and long-term goals:

This will give them a sense of motivation and direction for constant improvement.

4. Focus on the process:

Paying attention to small improvements promotes greater performance. Focusing on progress rather than final results promotes motivation and enjoyment of the process.

5. Normalizing mental health:

To educate young athletes on the topic. Self-criticism, stress management, and seeking help should be a priority.

Without going into details about psychological trends, the source of distress that most athletes manifest primarily comes from the demands and expectations of their own families. Parents or guardians seek success and economic growth through their children, which generates pressure and emotional saturation in athletes.

If we add to that the criticism from coaches and the imposter syndrome that each person may have, it causes young people to end their professional aspirations.

Let's stop seeing mental health as a taboo subject and see it as a recurring issue at an educational and formative level. Working preventively rather than reactively will make our young athletes healthy and fulfilled.

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