Beyond the Finish Line: Five Tips for Navigating Student Athlete Burnout
By Paige Runkle
Fall 2023
Have you ever felt like you’ve just pushed yourself so hard in practice but haven’t been able to see any results in your game, race, or competition? As a student athlete competing on the collegiate level, I’ve felt this way to certain extents at many points in my career. It’s not a fun feeling, and one that Hailey Poe, a North Central College junior and three-time national champion in Division III triathlon, can attest to. She told me of a time her freshman year when she had been competing and improving all summer. By the time she reached the beginning of her college season in August, she had already hit her “peak,” and in order to stay competitive for her team she needed to hold this “peak” through the end of the season. This is something that is extremely hard to maintain, especially in endurance sports like triathlon. She said, “that was the first time I actually felt burnt out…I remember it, so I don’t want to feel that way again.” Unfortunately, many athletes who have faced situations like Hailey have dropped out of their sport.
What is burnout? And what does burnout look like for college student-athletes?
We always hear the term burnout, but most people don’t actually know what burnout encompasses, especially within the athletic realm. According to an article in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise, athlete burnout is “characterized by dimensions of emotional and physical exhaustion, reduced sense of accomplishment, and devaluation of the sporting context.” In a conversation with Dr. Peter Olusoga, a senior lecturer in psychology at Sheffield Hallam University in England, he says “the physical and mental exhaustion is the key indicator of burnout in those three symptoms, characterized by a loss of energy or low energy.” He continues by adding onto the sport devaluation aspect of burnout, where he describes it as not feeling the value of competing anymore even though you are putting in the long hours and hard work.
Additionally, burnout can look many ways depending on the person and situation. For example, Hailey felt more physical exhaustion during her freshman year, versus during her junior year when it occurred more mentally with situations she endured regarding her team. Further, Coach Vasiliki Berkman of the North Central College Women’s Lacrosse team experienced burnout when competing at Rollins College. Her burnout not only led her to leaving her sport, but also struggling in her classes. Her burnout experience resulted in her providing her current athletes with countless resources such as academic support, mental health resources beyond what the school provides, and snacks in her office. She’s found that the little things can make all the difference, and she tries to be there in any way she can for her athletes.
One important symptom of burnout is isolation, according to Coach Berkman. This can include isolation from practice, teammates, and coaches, as well as isolation at practice. She cites this as one of the first red flags she sees from her athletes, so please use this information to detect this symptom in yourself or your peers. Furthermore, an article in the International Journal of Environmental and Public Health states that stress, one of the first signs of burnout, can result in the following: “fatigue, hypertension, headaches, depression and anxiety.” This is not an exhaustive list, as burnout is very personal and can look different on a case-by-case basis. It’s also crucial to note that stress changes over time and can look differently depending on time of day, who you’re around, and what you’re doing.
It’s also vital to understand that parts of the burnout cycle can look like clinical depression, so the statistics regarding the prevalence of burnout within athletes that we have may not be fully accurate. Most estimates show that 10% of competitive athletes experience burnout at one point or another, with 1-2% experiencing high levels. To start solving this problem, we need to make sure we are correctly diagnosing the problem and understanding each of the components as well as the susceptibility factors.
What makes student athletes more susceptible to burnout?
Burnout is more prevalent among student athletes when the demands of being in the sporting sphere exceed the rewards. According to the NCAA’s Sport Science Institute, athletes become more susceptible to burnout when they aren’t recovering adequately. This is a crucial distinction, as recovery tends to be underrated in most sports. In running, what you do during your recovery time to refuel your body can sometimes be more important than what workouts you do during practice. If you’re not taking care of your whole self outside of practice, then you are not setting yourself up to meet your potential. This is one of the main aspects regarding physical exhaustion. However, there are many other factors that can influence the mental exhaustion, devaluation of sport, and reduced sense of accomplishment.
Athlete Identity and Burnout
Another area that can greatly affect burnout is athletic identity. Athlete identity simply is the degree to which someone identifies with their role as an athlete. One of the aspects of burnout is the devaluation of sport, which is closely tied to athlete identity. For some athletes, reaching this “step” in burnout means losing their whole identity since sport and sport performance is so closely woven into their self-worth. Some athletes pride themselves with their accomplishments and advancements within their sport. Although this is great when things are going well, such as when your team is winning, as soon as things turn south is when having your identity and self-worth solely tied to sport becomes volatile.
Once you enter the collegiate sports world, there is much more to it than being just an “athlete.” According to researchers Peter Adler and Patricia A. Adler in a study of male college basketball players, “on campus they were recognized [by their campus community] as athletes first and students second. Off campus and even out of uniform, they were constantly responsible for ‘representing the program.’” This is an added pressure that student athletes face, especially when your team is performing well or you come from a well-respected program. The campus community will recognize you as an athlete and follow your competition results. You may even be asked about competitions during class time in front of the entire class, which is a frequent occurrence for both me and Hailey as athletes at North Central College. Therefore, to prevent sport from taking over your entire life it’s critical to have at least one thing outside of sport that is “yours,” whether it be a club you’re involved with, volunteering somewhere, a part time job, or just a time to hang out with your friends. As soon as being an athlete becomes your entire identity and when your happiness depends solely on your sport, is when it can become a contributor to burnout.
Perfectionism - The Good and The Bad
When it comes to burnout, another factor that can contribute is perfectionism. High-level athletes tend to be perfectionistic, especially in and around training whether it's regarding their training plan, sleep schedules, or nutrition. The basic definition of perfectionism involves the setting of extremely high standards paired with extreme self-evaluation. With perfectionism, however, some aspects can positively benefit an athlete’s performance as well as negatively harm their mental health. One aspect of perfectionism is perfectionistic striving. This can simply mean setting high standards for yourself, which can be a positive thing in any area of life. The other aspect is perfectionistic concerns, which involves harsh self-criticism and self-doubt. According to an article in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, “perfectionistic concerns predicted increases in athlete burnout over time, whereas perfectionistic striving predicted decreases.” This was a trend seen throughout many studies and within a large variety of athlete populations. One study also found that perfectionistic concerns even had a higher level of perceived stress in athletes, which can be a critical part of the progression of burnout.
Dr. Leila Azarbad of the North Central College Psychology department shared her amazement of student athletes. She shared, “As an athlete, you pride yourself on juggling multiple things and it’s unfortunate there’s still a stigma around seeking help or people see it as a form of weakness.” She further discusses how people, and athletes in particular, don’t want to be seen as difficult or needy, which is something Coach Berkman discussed in our conversation as well. Since this seems to be a prevalent problem within our collegiate sports community, it warrants a change for student athletes.
Some athletes pride themselves with their accomplishments and advancements within their sport. Although this is great when things are going well, as soon as things turn south is when having your identity and self-worth solely tied to sport becomes volatile.
Five Tips to Manage and Avoid Burnout
It’s paramount to know how to help someone who is experiencing burnout, whether they are a teammate, a friend, a coach, an athlete, a student, or even yourself. These strategies can be used to help someone experiencing burnout or be used for preventative measures.
Gratitude - Powerful for Reframing
Positive emotions like gratitude open our minds to future possibilities and help us become more receptive to resources to aid student athletes. According to an article in the Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, gratitude has been associated with “positive affect, subjective well-being, positive relationships, and physical health.” These are all incredibly helpful tools for anyone to use but are hardly ever harnessed in the athletic community. This study showed that gratitude interventions were shown to decrease symptoms of burnout, specifically devaluation of sport and reduced sense of accomplishments. Creating one-time gratitude interventions for athletes can be beneficial. However, the best way to use gratitude to its fullest potential is to incorporate it into weekly practices. Starting the day by writing three things you're grateful for or doing something gratitude related even once a week can be a great way to bring gratitude into your daily life to help with athletics and beyond.
Self-Awareness as a Tool
In my conversation with Dr. Olusoga, he mentioned how fundamentally important self-awareness can be in burnout recognition. He calls it a skill, because you can develop and practice it, which is something you can do by reflecting on the following:
- What are the things that cause me stress?
- How do I normally respond to those things?
- What does good coping look like?
- What does it look like when I’m not coping so well?
- What are the things that drain my batteries?
- How would other people notice I’m stressed?
- What do I do differently when I’m stressed?
You can reflect on these questions in a number of ways, whether it’s through journaling, simply thinking about them in your head, or talking to a friend or even with a therapist. By reflecting on these questions regarding your stress level, you may be able to pick up on what is causing you to be more stressed out. Knowing your triggers can help you avoid them altogether or help prepare you to handle the situation in a healthier way.
Take a Little Control
The idea of taking control has something to do with what is known as your locus of control, which is someone’s belief of the amount of control they have over their life. Having an internal locus of control means you believe you have control over what happens in your life. An external locus of control is the belief that you don’t have control over your life. These are two critical distinctions, especially relating to motivation. Individuals who are intrinsically motivated tend to have an internal locus of control and have lower burnout rates. On the other hand, individuals who are extrinsically motivated tend to have an external locus of control. These athletes that feel pressure to compete for external reasons are more susceptible to burnout, and this is seen through higher perceived stress levels. It’s therefore important for you to find your why in competition because we all got into athletics because it’s something we enjoy. I first started running ten years ago because it was something I was able to do with my dad and bond with my dad over. When things get tough and not so fun with running, I try to think back to those times when I was running just for fun. There may be some more “pressures” on me now that I am competing in college, but there is always a place in my heart for my love for the sport and the running community. Acknowledging or rediscovering this why can help to bring the joy back to sports, whether in training or competition. Having a strong sense of why can bring some intrinsic motivation to yourself, which, as mentioned above, is an indicator of lower burnout rates.
Find What You Value
Researchers Samantha K. Huge and Dr. Jim Borcher state in an article in the Sports Business Journal that, “we learn more from rising athletes that moderation and exploring other interests has helped them get to where they are.” So, what does this mean? This is in part referencing the specialization in athletes, which is happening earlier and earlier nowadays in hopes that athletes will be able to move on to the highest level of their sport. In actuality, staying involved in a variety of activities has been shown to help athletes in many different aspects of life, one being their mental health.
Dr. Olusoga sums it up perfectly, “for me it's about finding the other areas of your life and what you value in those other areas and taking small actions to those things.” Being able to step away for a few hours when you’re feeling stressed or exhausted to do something you truly enjoy can be a reset. For both Hailey and Coach Berkman, it’s taking a shower. They both said how this alone time and sense of being clean acts as a complete reset for them. Hailey even compartmentalized it as before the shower and after the shower. Before the shower doesn’t matter because now you are refreshed and ready to tackle whatever is next in your day.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask For Help
Hailey, Dr. Azarbad, Coach Berkman, and Dr. Olusoga all mentioned at least once throughout their interviews that asking for help and talking to people is key in preventing and getting through periods of burnout. Coach Berkman says, “I found that for myself personally I struggled with asking for help because I felt like I was being a nuisance, so that’s something that I’m continuing trying to encourage my girls [team]. I am offering because I care and because I actually want to do this for you.” Dr. Azarbad had similar reactions when talking about extensions for students. She talked about how she has found that her athletes just accept their situation and won’t ask for extensions, even when they’re playing at the NCAA National Tournament for volleyball. Asking for help and talking to either mentors or peers can be a great way to lessen your burdens and workloads. Being a collegiate student athlete is a lot of work, and something that most athletes don’t even think too much about. Being able to ask for help in situations when you need it is an imperative skill to develop, and it’s one that you will be able to use for the rest of your life.
In the end, just know that if someone is offering to help, they genuinely mean it. There are so many people out in the world that want you to succeed, and now more than ever there are countless resources available for student athletes to get help when needed. We are slowly changing the stigma around mental health, and we need to continue on this path to facilitate systematic change. If you are struggling with burnout or another area of your mental health, please talk to someone. If you are a student athlete and don’t know about The Hidden Opponent, please check out their website to see all the amazing resources they offer for athletes, coaches, and universities alike. If you feel burnt out or feel like you are on the path to getting burnt out in your sport or another aspect of your life, try out one of the tips above and know that you’re not alone.
Call to Action
The Hidden Opponent is a mental health organization established in 2019 by Victoria Garrick Browne, a former University of Southern California volleyball player. The organization brings awareness to athletes' mental health on college campuses across the United States. The Hidden Opponent informs the community on various mental health topics throughout their social media and aims to break the stigma around mental health for athletes, and especially the stigma around asking for help. If you want to make sure that your campus is working to break the stigma, please check out The Hidden Opponent’s website and consider donating to support student athletes everywhere.
Paige Runkle is a junior at North Central College studying sport management, marketing, and ethical leadership. She is a member of the women’s cross country and track teams and has been competing in these sports for the last 10 years. Additionally, she is president of North Central’s sport management organization, SportxNC, as well as a member of North Central Student Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) and the CCIW SAAC. One day Paige hopes to work for Chicago Event Management in helping to run the Chicago Marathon to make it a great experience for others as well as make positive changes for athletes everywhere.