Should I quit a sport if it stresses me out?
If you've been playing your sport for most of your life and it has started to feel like a chore, it may be time to reevaluate your priorities. Sports are games and games are supposed to be fun. If your sport is causing you stress and dread and you're not even enjoying it, it may be time to take a step back.
For young athletes, letting go of a sport can be an easy way to relieve anxiety brought on from being overwhelmed and over-scheduled—and it might not be forever, it might just be for a semester. “If you feel like you're always anxious because you just have too much going on, you may need a break,” says Kyba.
Athletics are seen as overwhelmingly positive, but depending on an athlete's situation there can be negative effects. If the effect of a situation becomes overwhelmingly negative it may be best for the student to quit sports despite the positive impact it can have on them.
Besides competing, other things can make athletes feel stressed out, such as: too much pressure from parents or coaches to win. having too much on the schedule. not wanting to play the sport.
- Think about why you want to quit and write down a script for yourself. Imagine how your coach will react, then practice your speech with a friend.
- Talk to your coach after practice in a clear, calm manner. ...
- Explain why you're quitting and tell them when you plan on leaving.
If you've been playing your sport for most of your life and it has started to feel like a chore, it may be time to reevaluate your priorities. Sports are games and games are supposed to be fun. If your sport is causing you stress and dread and you're not even enjoying it, it may be time to take a step back.
Before quitting, think about what is making you want to quit. Talk to your parents or other trusted adult to see if making a change would make you want to stick with your sport. For example: If you feel tired or overwhelmed, try doing less of the sport or take something else off your schedule.
A national survey from the Aspen Institute with the Utah State University Families in Sports Lab found that the average kid quits playing sports by age 11.
Twenty million kids register each year for youth hockey, football, baseball,soccer, and other competitive sports. The National Alliance for Sportsreports that 70 percent of these kids quit playing these league sports byage 13 -- and never play them again.
"Athletes should not quit his or her sport during the season, unless they really aren't enjoying it anymore and it starts to affect the team. As a coach, I wouldn't want to force someone to be at practices or games if they really didn't want to be there."
How do I fix my sport anxiety?
- Practice, practice, practice. Practice makes perfect, whether you're playing solo or with a team. ...
- Keep routines in place. ...
- Reframe anxiety. ...
- Reduce outside interactions. ...
- Channel energy and focus. ...
- Mimic the energy you want in the competition.
It's okay if you can't make up the difference with practice, or if you're just a "slow learner" when it comes to sports. It's also okay to just enjoy being on a team, trying hard but knowing you'll unlikely be the best. Growing up, my dad was on a quest to find "my sport" — the activity I'd finally master.
- Identify when your student-athlete is feeling anxious. ...
- Acknowledge and normalize feelings of anxiety. ...
- Make a game plan. ...
- Remember to breathe. ...
- Stay positive.
First, try to find a solution: If your child feels too tired, you may need to cut back on the sport or take something else off the schedule. If there's an issue with a teammate or coach, this is a good time to teach your child how to work through a problem. Talk about ways that your child could make things better.
– It's common to think about what could have happened, so instead focus on being grateful for all of the things that your sports career afforded you. Not everyone gets to have that experience. Sit with the gratitude that you got to do what you loved. Focus on what you gained, rather than what you lost.
Here are a few signs that you're not clicking with your coach: You don't feel you're getting value out of your engagement. You dread coaching calls (and not just because you haven't done your homework). Conversation doesn't flow easily.
You may begin feeling anxious leading up to a game, during a game, or even at practice. Anxiety is a feeling that can make even the most enjoyable activities turn into a complete terror. So, if your sport is seen as a cause of anxiety, your likely response will be to lose the passion you once held.
And now you're worried about your student giving all that up. The situation you are in isn't as unusual as you might think. As many as 15% of college athletes with scholarships quit their sport while in school.
- Identify when your student-athlete is feeling anxious. ...
- Acknowledge and normalize feelings of anxiety. ...
- Make a game plan. ...
- Remember to breathe. ...
- Stay positive.
A 2018 review of 59 studies found adolescent competitors are more likely to have sports anxiety than adults. They also tend to experience physical symptoms more often. Experience. Someone attending their first competition may have a higher chance of experiencing sports anxiety than a longtime competitor.
Should I feel guilty about quitting a sport?
Try not to feel guilty for making a decision that was best for you. You're still an athlete. You're still tough. You dedicated your heart and soul to something for a long time and your relief is justified.