Anxiety in Youth Sports
Nearly 20% of the population suffers from anxiety, and young athletes are no exception. In fact, kids who have mild anxiety might experience high anxiety in stressful sports situations.
Parents and coaches, you can help identify when sports kids are suffering from anxiety- and determine how to help them.
We recently interviewed Dr. Jeremy Pettit, Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology in the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University, an anxiety expert.
How do you identify kids with anxiety that affects their sports performance?
Kids who are suddenly reluctant to play, who used to enjoy sports but don’t anymore, or who complain of headaches and stomachaches might be suffering from anxiety. Some kids may simply say that they get scared playing sports; they don’t like it, says Pettit.
If you think a sports child is suffering from anxiety, there’s a fine balance between showing empathy and encouraging the child to keep playing, says Pettit.
You shouldn’t be dismissive; listen to the child and show that you understand. On the other hand, you should encourage the child to learn coping skills and keep playing.
Tell the kids that taking a few deep breaths will help calm them. Tell them that it’s not a good idea to escape the scary situation. It’s better to try to push themselves through it and come out knowing they succeeded.
“Avoidance maintains anxiety,” he says. “Tell the child, ‘I know this is tough but I know you can do it’,” Pettit advises.
However, at times, the parents need to seek help for children with anxiety. That’s true if the child is truly impaired by the anxiety- if he or she has major meltdowns on the field, or if he or she wants to quit sports due to anxiety. In that case, it’s important to find a psychologist, he says.
Related Articles on Kids’ Mental Game:
- Addressing Anxiety, Mistakes and Low Confidence in Youth Sports
- Anxiety and Depression in Sports Kids
- How Exercise can Reduce Anxiety in Young Athletes
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The Composed Sports Kid
“The Composed Sports Kid” audio and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.
The Composed Sports Kid system is really two programs in one–one program to train parents and coaches how to help their kids practice composure, and one program that teaches young athletes–ages 6 to 13–how to improve composure, let go of mistakes quickly, have more self-acceptance, and thus enjoy sports more!