Young athletes and mental health: Building resilience early on
In the final column in our mental health and performance series, John explores the unique mental health challenges that young athletes face and provides advice for parents, coaches and support networks to help them thrive. A link to further resources is provided at the end of the column.
The world of youth sport can be full of excitement, growth, and opportunity. Young athletes learn discipline, hard work, teamwork, and the joy of pursuing goals; lessons that can shape their futures well beyond the playing field. Yet, alongside the positive experiences, many young athletes also face unique mental health challenges that deserve attention, understanding, and care.
From early specialisation and pressure to perform, to balancing sport with school, social life, managing the hidden costs of the always-on tech culture, and family expectations, young athletes are navigating a complex environment. The same traits that make them successful – such as commitment, competitiveness and drive – can also make them vulnerable to burnout, stress and anxiety if their wellbeing isn’t supported and understood holistically.
Understanding the challenges
One of the most common challenges young athletes face is performance pressure. Whether it’s the expectation to perform well, win, qualify, or maintain a scholarship, this pressure can create anxiety and self-doubt. When success becomes tied to identity and an athlete begins to believe that their worth depends on performance, setbacks can feel deeply personal and even overwhelming.
Injury can also be a major mental health stressor. For a young person who’s used to structure, purpose and belonging through sport, being sidelined can trigger sadness, frustration or a sense of isolation. In some cases, these emotions can progress into depression if not acknowledged and supported.
Additionally, social comparison has become more intense with the rise of social media. Young athletes constantly see curated highlights of others’ success, often leading to feelings of inadequacy or unrealistic expectations of what progress “should” look like.
Credit: Cherrypoint MC MCCS
The role of parents, coaches and support networks
The good news is that mental health resilience can be built and it starts with the adults who surround young athletes.
Parents play a critical role by creating an environment that values effort and enjoyment over outcomes. Encouraging open conversations about how the athlete feels, rather than focusing solely on results, helps normalise emotional expression. Phrases like “I love watching you play” or “What did you enjoy about that game?” communicate unconditional support and help children separate their identity from performance. Emphasising learning helps frame the engagement as an ongoing journey of growth, education and meaningful small changes.
Coaches can foster resilience by building an educational culture where mistakes are treated as learning opportunities rather than failures. Creating a productive daily training environment starts with supporting athletes’ autonomy, competence and connection — when athletes feel they have choice, believe in their ability to improve, and feel valued within the team, learning and motivation naturally thrive. Simple actions, such as checking in regularly and celebrating progress, help young athletes develop self-confidence and emotional regulation. Coaches who model composure and empathy under pressure teach powerful lessons about how to handle challenges.
Support networks, including parents, teachers, teammates, allied health professionals such as psychologists also play a part. When athletes have access to trusted adults who listen without judgment, they are more likely to speak up when something feels off. Integrating sport psychologists into youth programmes can normalise mental health as part of overall performance – not a separate issue.
Building resilience early on
Resilience isn’t about avoiding struggle; it’s about learning to adapt, recover and grow through it. Helping young athletes develop skills such as manging emotions, their internal dialogue, balanced routines, and rest and recovery set the foundation for lifelong brain health and resilience. Most importantly, we must remind young athletes that their value extends far beyond their sport.
By prioritising emotional wellbeing alongside physical training, we not only support better performance, but we also help shape confident, compassionate and resilient young people who can thrive in all areas of life.
Additional Resources
Big dreams and high demands: The mental health challenges of elite youth athletes
Why Olympic success can come at the cost of mental health for youth athletes