Pressure is part of sports for young athletes.
Summary: Young athletes often face pressure from their own expectations and perceived demands from parents, coaches, and teammates. To cope with pressure, kids need to manage self-imposed standards, separate personal goals from others’ expectations, and focus on daily effort rather than outcomes. Performing freely requires embracing challenges, letting go of fears about mistakes, and practicing mental skills like visualization and focus.
In fact, you would be hard pressed to find athletes who say they haven’t experienced some pressure from expectations.
As sports kids become more competitive, pressure seems to increase and, for many athletes, that can be an overwhelming aspect of the athletic experience.
Athletes respond to pressure in different ways.
That is, pressure has different sources, is perceived differently and affects athletes in different ways.
Pressure often comes in the form of expectations kids might feel:
- I have to be perfect and make no mistakes.
- I have to perform well for my teammates.
- I can’t let down the coach or I’ll get benched.
- I want my parents to be happy with my performance.
Pressure is self-induced most of the time. Athletes think others have high demands for their game–often the same demands or standards they have for their game.
To be honest, sometimes parents and coaches have demands for athletes that feel like pressure.
Some athletes feel the need to carry their teams on their back or outperform previous performances.
Most of this pressure comes from athletes’ excessively high expectations–or beliefs that others have high expectations for them–which leads to the feeling or pressure. Some athletes thrive, while others might choke.
When sports kids feel the weight of expectations and the pressure to perform, they might try to do too much. This leads to trying to be perfect and avoiding mistakes.
But the opposite can happen… Athletes under pressure might feel the need to play it safe and perform tentatively.
The pressure to perform can be heightened for athletes in playoffs.
“Pressure is self-inflicted because you’re focused too much on results. You want to ask yourself, ‘what do I have to do each day so you can win a championship’?” ~Nick Saban
But make no mistake about it, kids can’t heap expectations on themselves and perform freely. It’s a big ask to feel they should hoist their team on their back or score a hat trick every game.
Here’s the deal: Performing with pressure requires that kids avoid playing safe–no matter if it is regular season, playoffs or a championship competition.
In order to cope with perceived pressure, kids should manage both their expectations and the expectations they feel from others.
What expectations (high standards) do your kids place on their performance leading up to a competition?
Most of the athletes we coach on the mental game perform their best when they don’t have strict expectations going into the competition.
To cope better with pressure, they should start by avoiding worrying so much about what they think others expect of their performance, including parents, coaches, fans and friends.
This way they can let go of the expectations they perceive from others and free themselves to focus on execution of the game plan, one play at a time.
Expectations Becoming Pressure
1. Teach Athletes to Manage Self-Imposed Pressure
Most pressure comes from athletes’ own expectations. Help kids recognize when they are setting unrealistically high standards for themselves and guide them to focus on effort, execution, and preparation rather than perfection.
2. Separate Personal Goals from Others’ Expectations
Young athletes should learn to distinguish between their own objectives and what they think others expect. By doing this, they can cope with perceived pressure from parents, coaches, or teammates without letting it affect performance.
3. Encourage Risk-Taking Without Fear of Mistakes
Pressure often leads to playing it safe. Kids perform better when they are taught to embrace challenges and avoid overthinking mistakes, even in high-stakes situations like playoffs or championships.
4. Focus on Daily Effort Instead of Outcomes
Rather than worrying about winning or pleasing others, athletes should concentrate on what they can do each day to improve. Breaking performance into manageable steps reduces pressure and builds consistent confidence.
5. Reduce Overthinking About Perceived Expectations
Sports kids often assume others demand perfection. Encourage them to let go of these assumptions to free their minds and focus fully on the game.
6. Practice Mental Skills to Stay Present
Training mental strategies, such as visualization and breathing exercises, helps athletes perform under pressure by keeping their focus on the moment rather than the weight of expectations.
Related Kids Sports Psychology Articles:
- Tips for Playing Under Pressure
- Playing Through Adversity
- When Athletes Only Dwell on Post Game Mistakes
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FAQ: How Young Athletes Can Cope with Pressure
Q: What is the main source of pressure for young athletes?
A: Most pressure is self-imposed. Kids often set excessively high expectations for themselves or believe others expect perfection, leading to stress and anxiety. Learning to cope with pressure begins with recognizing these internal sources.
Q: How can athletes separate personal goals from others’ expectations?
A: Sports kids should focus on their own objectives rather than worrying about what parents, coaches, or teammates expect. Separating these allows them to cope with perceived pressure and perform more freely.
Q: Why is it important to embrace mistakes under pressure?
A: Fear of mistakes can lead athletes to play too safe. Encouraging kids to take risks and perform without fear of errors helps them excel in high-stakes competitions.
Q: How does focusing on daily effort help athletes handle pressure?
A: Concentrating on what can be done each day—practice, preparation, and skill-building—reduces anxiety about results. This approach helps young athletes cope with pressure and maintain consistent performance.
Q: What mental strategies help athletes perform under pressure?
A: Techniques like visualization, controlled breathing, and focusing on the present moment strengthen mental resilience. These strategies allow kids to cope with pressure effectively during games or competitions.
Kids Sports Psychology expert Patrick Cohn, Ph.D. has helped athletes for over 35 years to enhance their performance. Dr. Cohn earned a master’s degree in sports psychology from CSUF and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia, specializing in Applied Sports Psychology. Today, he is the president and founder of Peak Performance Sports, LLC in Orlando, Florida.