Why is Mental Health Important for Student Athletes?

• October 20, 2023

History proves athletes are always taught to ‘be strong’ and not express their feelings. They are told it’s better to gulp up fears privately than let others know.

Because the sports world runs on competition, where physical prowess symbolizes strength and vulnerability is a weakness.

“The pain you feel today will become your power tomorrow.”

“Keep going. There’s nothing that can stop you.”

Above is an excellent set of quotes, except it focuses only on physical skills. But what about the emotional and mental well-being of an athlete?

What’s the solution for the continuous pressure, the ticking clock of failure over their career, and the inability to cope with performance anxiety? Or, how to identify if you or someone you know is facing such challenges in their athletic career as a student?

This blog will discuss why mental health for student-athletes is important, its potential triggers, and how to overcome these issues. The reason is everyone’s mental health matters.

The Mind-Body Connection Matters in Sports

Mental well-being often takes second place in sports. Medals, achievements, and goals matter more than anything else. At some point, it is true, but it’s time we change the status quo.

Athletes, especially the young ones, are more susceptible to mental health issues like every other profession. The constant peer pressure makes them feel vulnerable, impacting their academic and athletic performance.

Take the example of Naomi Osaka, the four-time Grand Slam Champion. 

When she pulled out of the French Open in 2021, citing her deteriorating mental health as the reason, every sports enthusiast would have felt shivers down their spine.

Thanks to the myth that winners don’t feel burnout or anxious. 

Her mental health break finally pulled the curtains giving everyone a piece into the amount of pressure every athlete, whether student or a professional, goes through. This pressure doesn’t cause sleepless nights but episodes of a dip in performance levels, ultimately making athletes disengaged from their sports.

In other words, constant feelings of fear of failure, self-doubt, and performance anxiety have a direct influence on athletic abilities.

Does Research Support the claim?

A recent study conducted by NIH, USA, found that student-athletes between the ages of 11-25 years are likely to have symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. It also states that female students (though reported less) are likelier to show the above signs.

It brings experts to the conclusion that physical fitness can not determine mental health. Even professional status, economic wealth, and rank in inter-college sports competitions are unreliable factors.

Therefore, it’s time coaches teach aspiring athletes to discuss what’s going on inside their minds openly. Whether they have pre-performance jitters or their desire to be ‘the best of all’ is taking a toll on their health. 

It’s time they stop bottling up everything and learn to recognize their feelings.

Major Mental Health Issue– Sports Anxiety

Although feeling your heart racing due to adrenaline rush is common, lack of focus and hyperventilation is not. Here’s an example:

Suppose you are a star player on your college’s football team. You have laced up your shoes, clicked a selfie with friends, and are all set to head to the field. You trained for months to perform your best today, but suddenly you are becoming fearful.

You walk on the pitch, gulping up every thought that comes to mind because now the audience is watching your every move. The result depends on how well your team does today. 

The uncertainty of getting a win or loss on your coin makes you question your abilities. These thoughts cause feelings of doubt, making you choke.

Mental health coaches call this feeling competitive/performance anxiety. It is a common phenomenon affecting most sportspersons. However, it should not impact your game. 

What triggers anxious feelings in Sportspersons?

Understanding the symptoms of performance anxiety is the first step to resolving mental health issues effectively. As already discussed above, mind and body are interconnected. Therefore we can divide sports anxiety signs into two sets–

The table above enlists common signs and triggers that may lead to self-sabotaging behavior, poor performance, and anger issues if ignored for a long time. It may harm your mental and physical abilities, causing a drop in performance charts.

5 Ways Student Athletes Can Manage Anxiety

Delivering an ‘A-game’ every time may not be possible. However, students can take a few steps to navigate sports anxiety and develop effective coping mechanisms to prevent their game from being affected.

Here is a list of steps you can take not to let the fight & flight mode turn off your ability to strike, goal, or hit a homerun: 

Cultivate a Habit of Positive Self-talk

Did you know talking bad about yourself causes anxiety? If not, jot it down.

Next time you see yourself doubting your abilities after a match, remember to put a full stop. Undermining your skills after a game loss is never a good habit.

So, start making notes of events when you are immersed in self-doubts and feed your mind with positive thoughts.

Learn to appreciate little efforts and things you accomplished until now. Feel confident in yourself, and never let self-doubts make you question yourself.

Practice Mindfulness and Deep Breathing Exercises

Mindfulness has been in the news; every other mental health blog is bowing to its benefits.

Obviously, sulking over a past defeat or thinking about what may happen in the next competition is not helping you anyway. So, learn to stay in the present instead of switching between the past and the future. 

Take a stroll outside, do yoga or breathing exercises, and notice the change in you. From gaining confidence to clarity about your goals, you’ll learn to handle many situations calmly.

Engage in Pre-warmup Rituals

Just like having a pre-workout meal is important, swinging arms and legs are too. 

Having a warmup ritual signals your brain to switch on the performance mode. Anything from listening to the power-boosting playlists to Japanese Zen Garden’s soulful music will prepare your mind and body.

Build a Strong Support System

Popular taglines for sports equipment and merch refer to sportspersons as warriors, showing muscles, abs, and anything promoting a strong body image. 

But let’s agree, even Avengers need a break sometimes. 

So, make time for yourself, talk to peers, and let out everything disrupting your focus.

Learn to Manage Time Effectively

Time management is a skill that everyone should learn. Just as mental health is important for student-athletes, learning effective time-management skills is also important. 

So, here is a tip to help you strike a balance between academics and training sessions. Follow the 80/20 rule (yes, the Pareto’s Principle).

Simply put, identify the most critical tasks for the day and focus your 20% on the ones that will deliver the most results. The crux here is you’ll get 80% of the results only by concentrating on those tasks.

Key Takeaways

Prioritizing your mental health as a student-athlete can be a game-changer. Once you start practicing mindfulness, taking short breaks whenever necessary, and allowing yourself to relax, your academic and athletic performance shoots up significantly. It enhances your focus, encourages positive self-talk, and clarifies your goals.  

At last, learn to focus on your well-being, whether on or off the field. The question– of why mental health is important for student-athletes– in itself is wrong. You are a human before you are a sportsperson. Like any other creature on this planet, you are allowed to express your emotions and unload the weight off your shoulders.

If you need to learn effective measures to cope with anxiety and stress, explore our platform, as we’ll match you with a reliable coach. Take care, young warrior!

Sabin L
Founder & Owner
www.thecodex.world
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