High school athletes are working harder than ever, with new standards for what defines a star athlete, the bar of excellence is a moving target. Across all sports, student athletes face inordinate pressure and challenges both in and out of their sport. Balancing intense training with the other responsibilities of being a high schooler can be overwhelming, and the training itself can put too much of a physical or mental strain on student-athletes. A term commonly mentioned in high school sports is “burn out”, when an athlete trains so intensely and so frequently, that they get to a point where they physically and mentally cannot train anymore. It is a struggle that is often overlooked, as student-athletes are expected to persevere through road blocks in their training to achieve the high standards expected of them. Athletes often face the idea of “peaking” or reaching the peak of their athletic career. The question is how much can you really improve within the limitations of your unique physical and mental capacity?
In an interview with 2021 Olympic Swimmer Claire Curzan, Claire talked about how she approaches training in and out of the pool. After discussing her experience as a young student athlete at the Olympics and the rigorous training leading up to it, she talks about the return to normalcy. “I definitely found it a little hard to get back up and go through those hard sets, but I’ve been talking to a lot of people and I think the mindset I’ve taken is to take one 25 at a time and one stroke at a time and trying to enjoy that.” Although Claire’s advice is swimming specific, it can be applied to athletes and training in any sport. Take each practice one step at a time, take training one step at a time, avoid focusing on the bigger, stressful, picture and focus on what is right in front of you today. Taking something one step at a time is common advice, but sometimes it is not the first answer an athlete uses when it comes to intense training. Oftentimes when an athlete is in a rigorous training cycle, it is hard to break the rhythm and the mindset, but this change can warrant protection against fatigue and can continue the passion and enjoyment of the sport.
Curzan also mentions the importance of communication in the interview when she says, “Don’t be afraid to ask your coaches to switch things up, you’re definitely entitled to it, it’s your sport, you’re career, so if you need to talk to your coach to spice things up and get you excited about it.” It truly is crucial, especially in young athletes who are still maturing and understanding their bodies and their mental health, that communication is sustained between the coach and the athlete. It is vital to make sure the coach understands the athletes’ specific needs and uniquities in their mental and physical approach to the sport. The coach or team leader is always there as a support system. It is their job to be there for their athletes; not only to train them and help them achieve their goals on the field, court, or in the pool, but also outside those facilities. Coaches should encourage and celebrate athletes’ personal growth through participating in the sport.
These tips, ideas, questions, and concerns can be applied to any high-performing student-athletes who face stress or fatigue from their sport. Take a step back and think about another way to approach practice, or competition, along with ways that you can find support systems that are there to help you achieve your goals.