The Top 3 Reasons Athletes Burn Out (And How to Prevent It)

Burnout.
It’s the word no athlete wants to admit, but so many quietly feel.

Whether it’s an athlete dreading the coming game, or silently counting down the minutes until every practice is over, burnout is real. And it’s showing up earlier and more often than ever.

So what’s causing it?

In my experience working with athletes at all levels, burnout often comes down to three key factors:

• Parent Pressure

• Bad Coaching

• Sport Identity

Let’s take a closer look at each and how we can help athletes stay motivated, healthy, and in love with the game.

1. Parent Pressure (Even the Well-Meaning Kind)

Most parents have the best intentions. They want their kids to succeed, work hard, and maybe even earn that college scholarship. But what starts as encouragement can quickly become overwhelming pressure.

It often sounds like this:

• “You’ve got to outwork the competition.”

• “You didn’t look like you wanted it today.”

• “Remember, scouts are watching.”

Even if these statements come from a place of love, they can make athletes feel like their worth is tied to performance. That kind of pressure builds quietly and over time leads to stress, anxiety, and eventually, burnout.

2. Bad Coaching

Coaching can make or break an athlete’s experience. A great coach builds confidence and brings kids happiness through competition. A poor one can destroy it.

Athletes who only deal with constant yelling, unfair treatment, overtraining, or a “win-at-all-costs” mentality often end up feeling drained and discouraged.

Now even though this sometimes can be necessary for players to snap out of a daze and put the work in. It often is done excessively by coaches, to the point where athletes begin to check out as soon as the coach begins to speak.

When there’s no trust or communication, coaches become a nagging background noise rather than a leader/mentor.

Great coaching is about more than drills and game plans. It’s about connection, consistency, and creating a culture where athletes feel safe to grow, fail, and try again.

3. Sport Identity (When the Game Becomes Everything)

This one is huge—especially for athletes who specialize early or train year-round.

When an athlete’s identity becomes wrapped up entirely in their sport, every mistake feels like a personal failure. If they get injured or underperform, it doesn’t just affect their confidence—it shakes their entire sense of self.

That kind of pressure is unsustainable.

This is why it is important athletes are given time to step away from their sports and reset. Especially for those that may have struggled that season. As athletes begin to grow outside of their sport identity, it allows the rollercoaster of emotions to settle. Often the best athletes are the ones that are able to lock in when needed, and then check out once they are done.

Final Thoughts

Burnout doesn’t happen overnight. It builds slowly through pressure, poor support systems, and a lack of balance.

But here’s the good news: burnout is preventable.

With the right support from parents, coaches, and mentors, athletes can stay passionate, confident, and motivated for the long haul.

Let’s commit to raising athletes who love their sport, not just survive it.