Strengthen Your Athlete's Mental Game in 2025

Hi there, I hope you had an amazing holiday season and are starting 2025 on a high note!

As we dive back into training, I want to take a moment to highlight something in youth sports that’s just as important as physical strength:

Mental Health

The demand of sports can take a toll on youth athletes, from balancing schoolwork and training to handling pressure from coaches and parents to perform.

This is why prioritizing mental well-being is crucial for their overall performance.

Here are 5 actionable strategies your athlete can do immediately to strengthen their mental game this year:

Build a Strong Support Network

Surrounding your athlete with family, friends, teammates, and coaches who understand the mental challenges that come with sports is important.

Open communication can make a positive when they’re feeling the pressure from sports, school, and performance.

Prioritize Self-Care and Rest

Just like physical recovery is critical for performance, so is mental recovery.

Encourage healthy sleep habits, balanced nutrition, and downtime for hobbies outside of sports. Techniques like meditation or deep breathing can also help manage stress.

Set Realistic Goals

Help your athlete focus on personal growth rather than just wins and losses, especially when they’re young.

Whether it’s mastering a new skill or improving time management,

Achievable, realistic goals can build confidence.

Positive Self-Talk

Shifting from negative to positive thoughts can help athletes reframe challenges and approach competitions with confidence. 

Seek Balance Beyond Sports

Remind your athlete that they are more than their sport. Encouraging hobbies, family time, and relationships outside of athletics can provide a mental reset and a healthier perspective of sports.

The main point of these strategies is the idea of humanizing youth athletes– seeing them as more than their performance and nurturing their mental well-being alongside their physical abilities.

I recently shared more thoughts on this topic in my latest episode of The Athletic Edge Podcast, 

Where I had the pleasure of speaking with strength, speed & conditioning coach Ray Zingler,

Who shared insights into youth athletic development like…

• Focusing on holistic growth instead of over-specialization

• Supporting athletes as whole individuals, not just performers.

• Building trust through thoughtful coaching, rather than constant correction.
  

Click here to listen to the full episode.

Have a great day,

Liam.

If you’re interested in learning more about youth athletic developement you can check out my podcast below!