Many athletes face stress in sports every day, and it weighs very heavily on them. A little stress is good because it helps the body face challenges. Too much stress can take the fun out of the sport, and too much pressure from parents and coaches can create unrealistic expectations.

If an athlete thinks that he is too stressed, he should take a day and think if he wants to play or if it is better for his mental health to take a break. If an athlete decides to keep playing, then he should talk to his parents and coaches to see what advice they have to help.

Maybe the reason is not parents or coaches, but maybe it is that she is afraid of losing. Change the outlook from losing to putting the best effort in and having a positive attitude.

According to TeensHealth, there are many ways to deal with stress.

Breathing Deeply: Take a deep breath, hold it for 5 seconds and release slowly. Repeat five times. There are many apps that are available to help with breathing.

Relaxing Muscles: Contract a group of muscles tightly. Keep them flexed for 5 seconds, and then release. Do it five times and then pick a different muscle group.

Going to a Happy Place: Picture a peaceful place, and imagine stress floating away.

Visualizing Success: Imagine completing a pass, making a shot, or scoring a goal.

Being Mindful: Focus on the present instead of worrying about the past and future.

Having a Routine: Focus on a routine to keep stress in control. A calendar can be very helpful when needing a routine.

Thinking positively and develop positive talk

A big part of stress is when an athlete isn’t competing. When athletes have a break take time to think about how stress can be handled. Practice can be a big part of stress and weigh heavily on you through out the day.” I understand that we need to work hard, but it was suppose to be fun. Nobody should have to be scared about going to practice,” Jayla Gambrel said after her end of the season.

Make sure that you eat well and get enough sleep. Sleeping and eating are very important to mental and physical health. Do something fun, take a break. Go hangout with friends or family take a break from sports or whatever is causing you stress.

Remember no one is perfect, everyone makes mistakes. Don’t compare yourself to someone else we are all different and make mistakes. When you make a mistake shake it off and make the next pass, goal, and get that next point.