Sport Specialization and Youth Athletes: Considering Mental Health, Well-Being

Issues that used to be isolated to primarily upper level and the most elite student-athletes at the collegiate level undoubtedly have and will continue to trickle down impacting high school and younger athletes with ambitions to play at the college level. With the vast difference in the number of youth athletes compared to collegiate athletes, the potential impact is substantial. In fact, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (2023), there are about 71 million youth participating in organized team sports in the United States, making youth athletes the largest sport population across the developmental lifespan.

Data suggests that approximately one-third of youth participants drop out of sports annually, and that upwards of 70 percent of youth athletes will drop out of sport by the age of 13. It could be because the individual does not possess the skill level to compete at a higher level, but there are also other reasons accounting for this alarming percentage.

It is easy for parents and coaches to be misinformed about aspects of their child’s sport involvement, how it is evolving on an organizational and national level, and what they can do to support their child through their participation. Given the current nature of sport in the United States across all levels of competition, in addition to increasing attention given to the mental health, performance, and the physical, social, and psychological well-being of athletes, it is important to view these critical areas with a renewed and updated lens.

Mental Health and Sport Specialization Among Youth Athletes
There seems to be a paucity of data and research addressing mental health among athletes at the high school level and below; this is particularly true when examining how, if at all, sport influences an athlete’s mental health compared to that of non-athletes. This may not be surprising given the difficulty of conducting research with minors, and yet it has sparked a call for additional attention in this area, specifically among high school student-athletes. What is seen has been somewhat inconsistent.

For example, recent research has suggested that mental health concerns did not appear to differ in terms of prevalence between high school athletes and non-athletes. However, an international systematic review with high school athletes found mixed results in terms of prevalence between mental health concerns when comparing athletes and non-athletes. That said, it appears safe to say there are opportunities to examine this more closely at the high school level and below.

The NFHS may be well-positioned to do just that given the call for more education and resources in this area and with the mixed results based on limited available data with this group of athletes. Given the influences that sport has on youth athletes’ social, psychological, emotional and physical development and quality of their sport experiences, a brief look at how (early) sport specialization influences young athletes’ mental health and well-being can be helpful.

For quite some time, youth athletes with the dream of competing in college or beyond have been participating in early morning or two-a-day workouts. These stories are not unique and, in fact, quite commonplace.

Some children engage in what we refer to as early sport specialization, where athletes prematurely commit to one specific sport. This is in contrast to sport sampling different sports and activities (recommended between 6-12 years of age) where youth are trying out different sport and activities to explore what they enjoy, are competent at, and develop a variety of skillsets unique to each activity.

In terms of overall mental health and well-being, we know that early sport specialization can place young athletes at risk for burnout, injury, decreased mood, anxiety, less enjoyment, and lower self-esteem, all of which certainly have the capacity to impact their mental health and wellness. Further, evidence has suggested that early sport specialization before the ages of 13-15 does not appear to increase the likelihood for future athletic success. It appears that the opposite may in fact be true.

Multi-sport athletes (within reason) develop physical, tactical, social and psychological skills across different environments and domains which may help expose youth to more diverse experiences. This exposure can help prepare them to successfully manage a host of challenges that participation in only one sport, at an early age, simply cannot do in and of itself.

With the aforementioned information regarding NIL and the ever-changing landscape of collegiate athletics trickling down and influencing youth athletes’ dreams and sport ambitions, this may be good news for youth athletes and their parents/guardians and coaches. While it might sound counterintuitive when considering unique stories of successful and decorated, high-profile elite athletes, children can have enjoyable and prosperous athletic experiences without investing prematurely in only one sport-related activity. And this happens while still supporting their athletic goals and dreams of competing in college and beyond.

Considerations for Administrators, Parents/ Guardians, Athletic Trainers and Coaches
It should be no surprise that youth athletes generally want some adult stakeholders involved in their sport participation, and for it to be done so in the “right” way. “Right” can imply several factors and likely includes a careful balance of involvement as being too involved or not involved enough when it comes to decision- making has been associated with burnout, stress, and anxiety among youth athletes, all of which can impact their mental health. Thus, the following suggestions may be worth considering in an attempt for adult stakeholders to support youth athletes’ experiences.

• Ensure coaches, athletic trainers and other professionals working with youth have been educated in the sport and possess proper credentials to work effectively with youth athletes. Information and resources for parents can be accessed among the leading organizations in this area including the NFHS and sport psychology organizations such as the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (www.appliedsportpsych. org) and the American Psychological Association’s Division 47: The Society for Sport, Exercise, and Performance Psychology (https://www.apadivisions.org/division-47).

• Expanding on the previous suggestion, educate yourselves about helpful resources available and find qualified professionals to help with individual or team/school-based resources and programming as it pertains to mental skills training and mental health among athletes including www.hilinskishope.org, https://appliedsportpsych.org/certification/cmpc-directory,
https://www.usopc.org/mental-health, and https://mentalhealthfirstaid.org.

• Take advantage of opportunities to foster autonomy among youth athletes and allowing them to make decisions about their sport participation including what sports/activities they choose to be involved in. It is also important to listen should they express concerns, doubt or a shift in their interests as it pertains to their sport involvement and experiences.

Brandonn Harris, PhD, CMPC, LPC, NCC, FAASP is a member of the NFHS Sports Medicine Advisory Committee. Professionally, at Georgia Southern University he serves as a professor of sport and exercise psychology and graduate program director in the Department of Health Sciences and Kinesiology. He is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC), a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), a National Certified Counselor (NCC), is listed on the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee’s (USOPC) Mental Training and Mental Health Registries, and is a Fellow with the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).