Anxiety Issues
Kids have an intense drive to please parents and to receive praise. When parents put excessive pressure to perform and excel in sports, it’s common for children to respond with anxiety and fears of inadequacy, cautions family therapist Carleton Kendrick, writing for the FamilyEducation website. When these anxieties enter into the equation, children may respond by wanting to quit the sport entirely because the joy has disappeared and the pressure becomes overwhelming.
Burnout Concerns
While overtraining taxes a youngster’s body physically, it can also take an emotional toll. Kids who feel overwhelmed with more activity than they can handle can become burned out. If you notice physical symptoms of anxiety, such as headaches and stomachaches, your child may be having trouble coping with sports demands. Kids might also become agitated, restless and even depressed if sports burnout occurs, warns Mary F. Lango, with the Ohio State University Extension. Grades could suffer and your child might even begin acting out if you don’t take steps to reduce sports pressure.