Working with student athletes throughout my career, particularly in my role with Penn State University’s Athletics Department, has given me a window into the distinctive pressures these young people face. While many see only the highlights—the victories, scholarships, and community recognition—behind every achievement lies a complex mental and emotional landscape that student athletes must navigate daily. Their challenges extend far beyond what happens on the field or court, creating a unique set of mental health considerations that deserve specialized attention and support. In this article, I’ll share insights into these unique challenges and provide guidance for parents, coaches, and athletes themselves on how to foster not just athletic excellence, but complete mental wellbeing for young competitors balancing the demands of sports and academics.
The Dual Identity Challenge
For most student athletes, sports aren’t just something they do—athletics becomes deeply woven into their sense of self. This integration creates what I call the “dual identity challenge”:
When athletics defines self-worth: Many student athletes have been recognized for their athletic abilities since childhood. This early specialization can lead to a self-concept where personal value becomes dangerously tied to athletic performance. When a game goes poorly or an injury occurs, it’s not just a setback—it can feel like a personal failure.
The constant balancing act: Unlike their non-athlete peers, student athletes effectively work a demanding “part-time job” while maintaining full academic responsibilities. This balancing act requires exceptional time management skills and often means sacrificing social activities, family time, and even basic rest.
The pressure to excel in both domains simultaneously creates a mental load that many adults would struggle to manage, yet we expect teenagers and young adults to navigate this terrain with limited support.
Performance Pressure in Public Arenas
Student athletes face unique visibility in their communities:
Public scrutiny at a vulnerable age: While most teens can make mistakes in relative privacy, student athletes often perform under literal spotlights, with their successes and failures witnessed by communities, peers, and sometimes even broadcast to larger audiences.
Representing something bigger: Athletes carry the added responsibility of representing their school, team, and sometimes community identity. This representational burden adds layers of pressure beyond personal achievement.
Social media amplification: Today’s student athletes navigate these pressures in an era where highlights and mistakes can be shared instantly on social media, creating a 24/7 evaluation environment that previous generations of athletes never experienced.
Physical and Mental Health Intersections
The physical demands of athletics create unique intersections with mental health:
Pain, injury, and identity disruption: When injury strikes, athletes face not only physical recovery but also profound questions about identity and purpose. For many, being sidelined creates an existential question: “Who am I if I can’t play?”
The silence around struggle: Athletic culture often values mental toughness and playing through pain. This cultural expectation can make it particularly difficult for student athletes to acknowledge mental health struggles or seek help when needed.
Body image complexities: Many sports emphasize specific body types or weight requirements, creating additional pressures around eating, exercise, and body image that can develop into disordered patterns.
The Path Forward: Supporting Student Athlete Mental Health
Despite these challenges, with the right support, student athletes can develop exceptional resilience and psychological skills. Here’s what helps:
Normalizing mental health care: Just as athletes work with strength coaches and athletic trainers, making mental health support a normal part of athletic development removes stigma and encourages early intervention.
Developing identity beyond athletics: Coaches, parents, and counselors can help student athletes explore and validate aspects of their identity unrelated to sports performance, creating a more balanced self-concept.
Creating safe spaces for vulnerability: Student athletes need environments where they can express doubts, fears, and struggles without judgment or consequences to their athletic standing.
Teaching transferable psychological skills: Many mental skills taught for athletic performance—focus, resilience, team communication, goal-setting—transfer beautifully to academic and life challenges when framed appropriately.
When Additional Support May Be Needed
Consider seeking specialized support if your student athlete exhibits:
- Significant changes in sleep patterns or appetite
- Withdrawal from activities previously enjoyed outside of their sport
- Expressions of worthlessness or excessive guilt about athletic performance
- Difficulty concentrating in academic settings
- Persistent anxiety or low mood that interferes with daily functioning
Finding Balance and Purpose
The student athlete experience, while challenging, can foster extraordinary growth when supported properly. The mental toughness, teamwork, and resilience developed through athletics can become lifelong strengths rather than sources of pressure.
As a professional counselor who works specifically with student athletes, I’ve seen firsthand how the right support can transform these unique challenges into opportunities for developing exceptional psychological skills that serve these young people long after their athletic careers conclude.
The goal isn’t to eliminate the pressures of student athletics—it’s to build the internal resources and support systems that help young athletes thrive under pressure while maintaining their sense of identity, purpose, and wellbeing beyond the scoreboard.
Rachel Moyer, M. Ed, MS, LPC, CAADC is a Licensed Professional Counselor specializing in student athlete mental health at EPIC Counseling Solutions in Camp Hill, PA. With experience serving the Penn State University Athletics Department, Rachel brings specialized knowledge in supporting young athletes through their unique challenges. To learn more or schedule a consultation, visit our website or call 717-966-6847.
