For the athletes whose identity is wrapped up in the sport they play, their self-worth can become linked to their performance. They may feel pressured to keep playing long past the time they stop enjoying their sport because of the sacrifices and investments they and their parents have made. If they do finally quit, they sometimes feel guilt or like a failure for letting others down, which can lead to self-destructive behavior and other student-athlete mental health issues.
For the athletes whose identity is wrapped up in the sport they play, their self-worth can become linked to their performance. They may feel pressured to keep playing long past the time they stop enjoying their sport because of the sacrifices and investments they and their parents have made. If they do finally quit, they sometimes feel guilt or like a failure for letting others down, which can lead to self-destructive behavior and other student-athlete mental health issues.
The challenge of balancing it all – teammate relationships, workouts, academics, sleep, daily activities, and other interests – can feel overwhelming for student-athletes. Though parents and coaches are often best positioned to remedy student-athlete mental health issues, they can exacerbate the problem by adding to the pressure these athletes face.
My guest today is Dan Watkins, a highly accomplished high school girls soccer coach. Dan is a technology coordinator, teacher and coach at Wheat Ridge High School in Colorado. He has coached in the girls soccer program at Wheat Ridge for the past 25 years (22 as a head coach). He was President of the Colorado High School Soccer Coaches Association from 2014-2016 and president of the Colorado High School Coaches Association from 2019-2021, and currently serves on their Executive Board. He is on the United Soccer Coaches Girls national soccer rankings committee and is a 3 time National Coach of the year finalist. Dan is passionate about coaching, mentoring young coaches and athletes.
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