Running head: Coaching Young Athletes 1

Coaching Young Athletes

Student’s Name

Institution
Coaching Young Athletes 2

Coaching Young Athletes

Being a coach at any level of sports is not only a privilege but an honor. Coaching young

athletes presents one with the very delicate task of having to provide youths with their first

introduction and early experiences to sports. As Schloder and McGuire (2007) explain, training

youths also necessitates the ability to teach the principles of teamwork, the strategies to games,

and the risks and thrills that come with athletic competitions. The weight of responsibility that

comes with this career path is what evoked my inspiration to consider it as my future occupation.

This paper examines some of the concepts in sports that affect youth motivation and performance

during sporting events. Specifically, the study explains the three theories of burnout, as well as

the idea of self-efficacy.

The Theories of Burnout

Cognitive-affective stress model

The Cognitive-affective Stress Model (CSM) explains burnout and stress as growing

concurrently, and that burnout develops systematically in four interlinked stages. Pressure from

parents, high expectations, and high training load are among the challenges faced by trainees in

the first phase. The second phase begins to creep in steadily in the form of psychological

breakdown, where trainees succumb to the pressure and high expectations upon them, eventually

feeling vulnerable. In the third phase, symptoms arising from psychological fails begin to

manifest. In the third stage, the already vulnerable youths tend to undergo mental changes,

exhibiting the common burnout symptoms like; insomnia, fatigue, and tension. These symptoms

become apparent externally, as these overwhelmed athletes begin to distance themselves from

sporting activities that translate to a reduction in productivity at the pitch.

Coaching Young Athletes 3

According to Gustafson, Madigan, and Lundkvist (2018), CSM is cyclic and endless. It is

because of this nature that adjustment to this concept’s effects requires youths undergoing

recovery, to understand that the four stages are interlinked. The authors also add that personal

circumstances drive these inter-linkages. Regarding this theory of burnout, Gustafson, Madigan,

and Lundkvist (2018), claim that stress, whether psychological and sociological can be reduced

by cutting down strain on the youths participating. Giving these youth time to balance their

social life and training can go a long way in ensuring that they deliver their best at sporting

events while avoiding any chances of developing burnout. As someone aspiring to coach youth

athletes, I will create customizable training sessions that will allow my students to have time to

socialize. Moreover, I will make it a point to motivate these players whenever they do not get

things right and encourage them not to quit. These strategies would reduce the chances of my

students developing CSM burnout.

Unidimensional identity and external control model

From another point of view, teams that have high targets for performance have been noted to

trigger burnout among athletes, because they constrain players’ identities and interfere with their

autonomy (Gustafson, Madigan, and Lundkvist, 2018). Young athletes taking part in sports that

demand high performance, for example, games played at the international level, were casually

interviewed. Results from this study revealed that the development of multiple identities among

youth is reliant on the time they designate to sports (Gustafson, Madigan, and Lundkvist, 2018).

Too much commitment to sports limits athletes' time with their friends and family.

Additionally, the athlete's decisive capabilities and control over their life and career are

controlled by the schedule created by coaches or sports managers. Gustafson, Madigan, and

Lundkvist (2018), argue that every young individual reaches a stage in life when they yearn for
Coaching Young Athletes 4

independence. This type of change drives youths feeling pressured by sports training to quit. It is

in such cases that things get worse, with some athletes manifesting signs of burnout--leaving

sports which they had already felt attached to creating time for friends can be a difficult decision

to make. Just as with the first intervention, I would create a less stressful and restricting training

schedule that will help in ensuring that none of the trainees experience burnout. Practicing this

measure as a coach for youth athletes in the future, would ensure that my players have a chance

to exploit other talents, while at the same time be able to build around their social life.

Entrapment model

According to DeFreese, Raedeke, & Smith (2015), commitment to sports can be categorized into

two types. The first commitment is described as being adaptive, in which personal inspiration

drives athletes to get involved in sports continuously. This type of dedication makes athletes to

experience personal satisfaction since they are involved in what they desire. Passion, in turn,

ensures that these athletes achieve higher targets from their athletic careers. These athletes

consider sports as a priority and spend more energy and time enjoying it.

Maladaptive commitment, on the other hand, explains a situation in which athletes are

involved in sports, but feel like they are coerced. Even though not something they enjoy, athletes

feel like they have to engage in training regularly, to keep up with the high pace of progress

demanded by the game, as well as by the coach (DeFreese, Raedeke, & Smith, 2015). In some

cases, the benefits arising from engagement in sports become less, while the cost of involvement

increases. A simple cost-benefit analysis by the athletes makes them less attracted to a sport.

However, they continue to get themselves involved in sports because of the high expectations

people have put on them or because of the likelihood of getting rewards like scholarships that
Coaching Young Athletes 5

they may desire. This feeling of having to stay in a sport beyond one’s wish is what develops to

burnout among youth athletes.

Self-Efficacy Theory

Even though burnout is considered to be a result of stress from extreme sports

involvement, it can also be linked to low self-esteem. An individual’s motivation is dependent

on personal decisions and not external factors such as expectations, punishments, and rewards.

Self-Efficacy Theory (SET) posits that personal motivation is influenced by psychological

desires, social connection, and competence. These factors, according to Gustafson, Madigan, and

Lundkvist, (2018), affect an athlete’s productivity, as those who feel less competent or

disassociated from others tend to have low motivation and experience burnouts. As a coach for

youth athletes, it is crucial to create an environment in which athletes feel like they can make or

contribute to personal decisions. For young athletes to stay motivated, a coach needs to assure

them that they are capable and that other members in the team appreciate their efforts and

presence. In this case, frequent team building activities can come in handy.

Conclusion

From the theories of burnout discussed in this paper, it is clear that burnout is a complex

subject and can boil down to individual circumstances. Therefore, the design and implementation

of intervention strategies should be customized to every individual. To aid in coming up with the

best practices in dealing with burnout, this paper has suggested interventions that consider the fit

between an athlete’s specific burnout experience and the best management practices.

Practitioners dealing with youths facing burnout should, therefore, follow these steps in

providing therapy: (1) Evaluate the situation, (2) Establish the individual factors affecting a

specific youth in sports, (3) Devise an intervention, and 4) Appraise the intervention’s
Coaching Young Athletes 6

effectiveness. With regards to self-efficacy, a common question asked by coaches dealing with

youths is, "What should I do to encourage my athletes?”. Indeed, by employing the right

leadership skills like taking the position of a team leader and not a manager, a coach, just by

adding the right touches of courage and confidence, should be able to fill his or her students with

inspiration.
Coaching Young Athletes 7

References

DeFreese, J., Raedeke, T., & Smith, A. (2015). Athlete burnout: an individual and organizational

phenomenon. Research Gate. Retrieved from:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/281535620_Athlete_burnout_an_individual_an

d_organizational_phenomenon

Gustafson, H., Madigan, D., & Lundkvist, E. (2018). Burnout in Athletes. Research Gate.

Retrieved from:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/320132997_Burnout_in_Athletes

Schloder, M. & McGuire, R. (2007). Coaching Athletes, A Foundation for Success. LA84

Foundation. Retrieved from: https://la84.org/wp-

content/uploads/2016/09/LA84CoachingManual.pdf