How to Recognize if Your Teenager's Confidence is Down

The physical and mental demands of high-level sports can shake the confidence of even the most talented athletes. Heavier competition means more adversity on the field, increasing the likelihood of mistakes and shortcomings. It also adds a new level of uncertainty to the game, making it impossible to predict what kind of challenges will present themselves next.

When so much goes wrong during play, it’s natural for athletes to question their own abilities, as well as their potential for a successful athletic career.  

The thing about teenagers, though, is that many factors can affect their mental state, from school to relationships to their changing bodies. So, how can you tell if your athlete is experiencing a genuine crisis in confidence, and not just riding the daily emotional rollercoaster of being a teenager?

Here are some tell-tale signs of the former scenario:

Taking Fewer Risks During Games

In soccer, players put their confidence on display by taking risks on the field. They bet on themselves and trust that they can achieve favorable outcomes in uncertain situations. Is the player 100% sure the risk will pay off? No, but they’re not afraid of possibly falling short because they’re confident in their ability to win the ball back.  

Conversely, players who lack confidence take fewer risks, if any. They don’t believe in their abilities enough to put them to the test, nor do they engage in uncertain situations because they think they’ll fail.

For example, let’s say your teenager is dribbling with a chance on goal just past the defender in their way. Do they go in for the 1v1 or drop the ball back? Of course there are times when dropping the ball makes more sense, but if they consistently avoid 1v1s that they used to dive into it could be a sign their confidence is down.

Going to Practice isn’t Fun Anymore

Another sign your athlete’s confidence has taken a hit is a change in their attitude towards practice. You can’t enjoy yourself at practice if you don’t feel like you belong there in the first place.

Instead of walking into each session with a smile and a spring in their step, your athlete is dragging their feet and their face seems emotionless. During practice, they’re trudging through their drills and counting down the minutes until they can go home.

While everyone is entitled to off days, when they start to stack up on each other it’s a sign of lower confidence.

Less Energy and Enthusiasm

Confidence and energy are directly intertwined. A decrease in confidence depletes an athlete’s energy level because they don’t feel prepared to handle whatever comes their way. Instead of feeling strong and capable, they often feel small and insignificant compared to the daunting task in front of them.

This isn’t exactly the most invigorating sensation. In fact, it does the opposite, making your athlete feel tired and sluggish. So, if you notice a drop in your athlete’s energy level, a decrease in confidence could be the underlying cause.

How Parents Can Boost Their Athletes’ Confidence

As a parent, it’s important to remember that struggles with confidence are completely normal for high-level athletes. Your teenager is only human, and they’ve probably not faced much adversity like this before. So, don’t behave as if your child has contracted some sort of illness, or speak to them as if something inherently negative is happening to them. As parents (and former teenagers) there’s a good chance they don’t want to talk to you at all about it.  

Fortunately, today’s athletes have a viable solution to this widespread issue: mindset coaching. Confidence is integral for success in high-level sports, and a mindset coach can help your athlete stay confident by changing their perspective towards mistakes and setbacks.

At Beyond Goals Mentoring, we make sure our athletes continue to find joy and fulfillment in their sport and build the mental resiliency necessary to get through the low points. We’ve been there before and have the ability to speak with your teenager in a way they don’t want to with their parents.  

So, if your athlete is having trouble staying confident amid the demands of high-level sports, let’s set up a mentoring session today.