Why Teen Athletes Are Under Prepared for Failure - And How Coaches Can Fix It with Basic Sports Psychology
Why Teen Athletes Are Under Prepared for Failure - And How Coaches Can Fix It with Basic Sports Psychology In athletics, teenagers are often trained meticulously for success but rarely prepared properly for failure. They practise starts, drills, race tactics, technical skills, strength work, nutrition, and recovery. They rehearse the perfect performance over and over again. Yet one of the most predictable parts of competitive sport is often ignored: sooner or later, they will lose, underperform, make mistakes, or fall short of expectations. For many young athletes, the first real encounter with failure in competition can feel overwhelming. A missed jump, a poor race, a dropped baton, a tactical mistake, or simply being beaten by someone better on the day can shake confidence far beyond the event itself. In adolescence, when identity and self-worth are still developing, failure in sport can quickly become personal. This is where coaches can make an extraordinary difference. The go...