When the Sport Your Child Loves Starts to Feel Heavy Youth sports should be a space for connection, movement, and building lifelong confidence. But as seasons intensify with club tryouts, tournament travel, and high-stakes games, that positive environment can quickly turn into a pressure cooker. Many parents find themselves observing a frustrating contradiction: a child …
As a perfectionist, I can think of absolutely nothing more stressful than making mistakes. My anxiety tricks me into thinking that making an error is the worst thing in the entire world. That making a mistake spells catastrophe.
...College athletes have always had distinct mental health needs. Student-athletes are likely to struggle with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, and substance abuse–but they often do not seek help. This sets up a huge problem where athletes are expected to perform at a high level but mentally suffer in silence.
...It is July and the Tokyo Olympics are in full swing. Many of us wait with electric anticipation for this event every four years. For many sports, including gymnastics, the Olympics is the pinnacle of athletic mastery.
...