Many athletes are going to work tremendously hard over the course of next year. They will engage in weight training, conditioning and even psychological training, while simultaneously playing on as many teams as possible, including travel ball and all-star teams.

However, their potentially over-ambitious nature can result in burnout and over usage injuries.

How can this be avoided? First, let’s define the difference between burnout and over-usage injuries.

Burnout is an exhaustive psycho-physiological response exhibited as a result of frequent, sometimes extreme, and generally ineffective efforts to meet excessive training and competitive demands.  Burnout involves a psychological, emotional, and sometimes physical withdrawal from a formerly enjoyable activity in response to excessive stress or dissatisfaction over time (Smith, 1986).

Overtraining is a short cycle of training where athletes expose themselves to excessive training loads that are near or at maximum physical capacity; this exposure may last for days or weeks. 

Today, athletes are specializing at younger ages as a result of many sports offering year-round training, practice, camps, and tournaments. Therefore, for many young athletes, there is no break or off-season anymore. The fear of falling behind on the skills needed to succeed and make select teams is very real.

The opportunities for special showcase camps, coaches’ camps, team-travel ball camps and personal sports training is everywhere.  We now, as a youth sports culture, play so many games and tournaments that there is no time to rest and recover let alone become a better athlete.

The youth athletic season for baseball, gymnastics, tennis, soccer, and even competition cheer, seem endless. My daughter was in competition cheer with some of the best young athletes I have ever seen. The rhythmic back-flips, front-flips, and tucks were amazing, which helped the team to win their version of the Super Bowl.

However, to achieve this high level of success, they trained incredibly hard for six years straight without any off-season. As a result, my daughter and several of her teammates became burned out on the sport due to recurring injuries and nagging coaches, which left little room for a personal life. Those members of the team quit, or as they put it, “they needed a break.”

As coaches and parents, we have to be aware and monitor just how hard we push young athletes. As parents, we felt it was best that we do not push our daughter into any athletic endeavor. If she chooses to participate or not, then that was her decision. This type of parenting is not always the case.

I have trained a lot of different kids whose parents invest considerable financial resources, time, and emotional efforts; this includes paying for my speed training program. The parents who push too hard are often motivated by love for their child, they ultimately want to see their child succeed. However, many parents do not realize they unwittingly transfer pressure and stress onto their young athletes they love so much as a result of investing so much in their child’s success.

These pressures at such a young age, combined with the vast amount of time away from home while traveling to camps, shows and events, will put a strain on home life. It is little wonder, given the excessive psychological and physical demands, that youth athletes can burn out.

Coaches regularly train athletes who are under great amounts of stress, often without the coach being aware of this pressure. I have trained many good hard working kids that are near the end of their sports career, only to discover that they have been under extreme stress and pressure. As a coach, it becomes by job to deal with the invisible reasons for so much pent up frustration from the athlete. I am forced to identify sources of this frustration and construct solutions.

These pressures can be originate from external pressures that come from parents, coaches, peers, and rivals. Also, internal pressures can result from high personal expectations. These types of stress can lead to staleness, which can quickly morph into burnout.

Signs and Symptoms of Burnout

• Low Motivation or energy
• Concentration problems
• Loss of desire to play
• Lack of caring
• Sleep disturbance
• Exhaustion
• Signs and Symptoms of Overtraining
• Poor performance
• Apathy
• Lethargy
• Sleep disturbance
• Weight loss
• Elevated resting heart rate
• Mood changes

Tips for the Prevention of Athletic Burnout

• Monitor critical states in athletes – Watch for increases in stress levels, additional stress sources, SPQ drill anxiety or boredom.
• Communicate – Create an environment where communication is comfortable.
• Set short-term goals for competition and SAQ practice – Discuss and involve the athlete in goals and expectations.
• Take relaxation breaks – Plan fun and active games that are mentally and physically stimulating to the athlete.
• Manage post-competition emotions – Don’t just be critical, frame the results in a way that inspires hope and highlight where progress was made.

It is important to encourage and support the athlete, but not to place undue pressure on them. Allow athletes to be involved in the decision making process regarding practice and competition. Parents and coaches should ensure that athletes enjoy their participation and that it remains focused, productive and fun for all involved. Most of all, please implement rest and recovery into your training program.

 

Be Well, Be Fast! Kenneth D. Taylor
Visit www.kennethdtaylor.com for speed training books for athletes, parents, and coaches. Subscribe to "TheSpeedDr1" on YouTube for free speed training videos. Kenneth D. Taylor is a SAQ pioneer and Sport Speed Expert who lives in Southern California and has trained well over 5,000 athletes over 20 years.  He holds a degree in Exercise Physiology and Sports Science.  He was a world class track athlete and played in the NFL for the 1985 Chicago Bears Super Bowl XX team and the San Diego Chargers.