The Hidden Side of the Game: Pressure & Burnout in Teen Sports

Sports can be exciting, competitive, and a huge part of your identity. But behind the wins, highlights, and trophies, many teen athletes experience something people don’t always see: pressure, stress, and burnout.
Pressure can come from lots of places, such as wanting a scholarship, expectations from coaches or parents, balancing schoolwork, comparing yourself to teammates, or feeling like you can’t let anyone down.
Burnout happens when the physical and emotional stress builds up over time. It can look like:

• Feeling exhausted all the time

• Losing motivation or enjoyment

• Increased anxiety before games

• Irritability or mood changes

• Wanting to quit something you used to love

Your Task: Redesign the Athlete Experience

Step 1: Spot the Pressure

Think about a sport (it can be one you play or one you know about).
What are 3 main sources of pressure for teen athletes in that sport?
Be specific: school? social media? playing time? injuries?

Step 2: Build a Support System
Design one solution to reduce stress and burnout for teen athletes.

Explain:
What problem it solves?
How it works?
Who benefits?

Check out the newest KnoPro Challenge: Game Changers: Tech that Transforms Sports