01/12/2025
After years on pool decks, sidelines, and in one-on-one conversations, I’ve learned that most young athletes don’t outright say when something’s wrong.
They show it. Quietly.
Here are three subtle signs I see most often:
1️⃣ Withdrawal after competition – when the silence on the car ride home lasts longer than usual, or feedback suddenly feels like pressure.
2️⃣ Loss of spark – training still happens, but joy and curiosity have faded.
3️⃣ Short fuse / quick frustration – often mistaken for laziness or attitude, but actually a symptom of emotional overload.
These aren’t red flags of failure — they’re signals asking for connection. The sooner we learn to read them, the sooner our kids can start to regulate, recover, and rebuild confidence.
I’ve learned these cues the hard way — through thousands of hours in the field, watching what happens when we notice, and when we don’t.
