Who am I?

Answering this question isn’t always easy for we all have numerous roles that identify who we are as individuals. Whether that means you are a sister, brother, teacher, dancer, or friend, the roles that you fulfill encompass the way you interact with the world and how you portray yourself to others.

Think for a second about the way that you introduce yourself to a stranger. Most people will begin with their name and follow it with what/whom they are associated with. For example, you will frequently hear an athlete say something to the effect of “I am a swimmer.” Or “I am on the hockey team.” This tells others that they value their identity as an athlete and want to be recognized as one. (Symes, 2010)

Pride in one’s identity as an athlete is understandable and should be encouraged.  Athletes are typically healthy individuals who value teamwork and determination, traits that are valued in our society. The danger, though, occurs when there is too much association given to one’s athletic identity at the cost of the other roles one plays. Over-identification causes the individual to see himself exclusively as an athlete. The reason why this can be harmful to the athlete is because it can cause them to lose sense of the person that they are outside of their sport. They limit themselves to believing that their highest value in the world is solely as an athlete.

Although the athlete may be very successful within their sport, such over-identification may lead to serious emotional consequences. One consequence is losing enjoyment in other areas of life. Some athletes become so wrapped up in the game that they eliminate other priorities to keep their sport as their main focus. They end up neglecting things such as relationships, academics, or past hobbies in order to enhance their performance as an athlete.

What athletes often fail to consider is how long their athletic career will last. Many athletes find that the dreams they once had of playing in college or reaching the professional level become unreachable due to one circumstance or another. Whether that is because of a season ending injury, or getting cut from the team, the truth of the matter is that “only about 5% of high school athletes are able to play at the college level, and less than 2% of all college athletes are talented enough to play professionally.” (Stankovich, 2011) Is that discouraging or what?! For someone who has unknowingly been setting themselves up for an unreachable goal such as this, it can be extremely difficult to rediscover who they are after their sport is over and retirement has set in. This is why it is important for athletes to begin thinking about what they want to do after their athletic career is over before they reach the end of it. Being able to develop values and relationships that are independent of their team’s values will help with self-growth and identification. So that in the event that they are unable to continue forward in their sport, they can still have peace in knowing who they are and the things that remain important in their life.

According to Drew Mackenzie, a coach and athletic coordinator, here are four additional guidelines that one should stick to in order to maintain life-balance around sports.

1. “Identify your top five priorities”. It is okay for sports to fall within that list, but ultimately it should encompass all areas of your life that are most valuable/important to you. It may consist of things such as: relationships, academics, or religion.
2. “Drop unnecessary activities”. Achieving life balance means having equilibrium among all of the priorities of your life” (Mackenzie). This means that the time spent on each of these priorities should be split accordingly. An example of this would be dropping an hour of your workout in order to spend quality time with a friend. This doesn’t mean that you have to drop your workout altogether, it just means that you take a little time to balance your priority groups.
3. “Protect your private time”. Carve out time in your day to adhere to your own personal wants and needs. After an overwhelming day of submitting to other people’s needs, this one will come in handy. It is important that you protect this time by getting rid of other distractions that draw away your attention.
4. “Plan fun and relaxation”. This one goes hand in hand with protecting your private time. Do something special for yourself such as planning a trip or activity that you’ve always wanted to do. you are in charge of your own schedule, make it enjoyable for yourself!

As you continue to pursue athletics, we encourage you to be proud of who you are as an athlete, but also be proud of the person you are continually discovering outside of the game.

References:

Mackenzie, D. Beyond Sport: Life Balance. Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://www.csipacific.ca/wp-content/pdfs/pp/performance-point-0909-life-balance.pdf

Stankovich, C. (2011, June 1). The Importance of Understanding Athletic Identity. Retrieved February 16, 2017, from https://www.premiersportpsychology.com/sport-psychology/return-to-sport-post-injury/

Symes, R. (2010, May 24). Understanding Athletic Identity: “Who Am I?” Retrieved February 16, 2017, from http://www.podiumsportsjournal.com/2010/05/24/understanding-athletic-identity-who-am-i/

Burnout—as an athlete, this word carries with it associations of apprehension and dread. We hear warnings about the phenomenon from coaches and teammates alike, and we see its effects when the most hard-working, success-driven athlete—whom we would least expect to quit—suddenly decides that they no longer want to compete. The emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion which comes with prolonged exposure to stress and pressure is all too common in high-level athletics. This leaves many of us asking: what puts us at risk for burnout, and more importantly—how might we be able to avoid it?

Motivation is a key player in any athlete’s drive to compete and perform. Aside from looking at whether or not an athlete has a high level of motivation, though, we need to consider the type of motivation which fuels the athlete. And, as it is fundamentally linked to motivation, we must evaluate whether the athlete is perfectionistic in nature (Barcza-Renner, Eklund, Morin, & Habeeb, 2016). Now, you might be thinking, “Well, if an athlete is highly motivated, that means they’re more likely to be a perfectionist, and these factors put them more at risk for burnout.” Not quite. Burnout risk depends on the source of a person’s motivation, and the motivation source characterizes the form of perfectionism which is likely to be manifested in their mindset. In other words, ‘being a perfectionist’ in some cases equates to having a high risk of burnout, and in other cases it does not. By looking at the source of an athlete’s motivation, we can identify whether their perfectionistic tendencies are working for or against the likelihood of both their success and adherence to sport in the long run.

There are two primary forms of motivation: autonomous and controlled. Autonomous motivation is essentially synonymous with intrinsic motivation, in which one performs an act simply for the sake of performing the act and the pleasure they take in doing so. Controlled motivation, on the other hand, can be found in athletes who have fewer self-determined reasons for participation and whose behaviors and decisions are contingent upon external sources (e.g. rewards, punishments) (Barcza-Renner et al., 2016). When a perfectionistic athlete is autonomously motivated, their perfectionism is intrapersonal; they have an inherent, compulsive striving towards perfection. This is referred to as self-oriented perfectionism. On the contrary, an athlete driven by controlled motivation who exhibits perfectionistic tendencies can be said to have socially prescribed perfectionism. The standards which this athlete strives towards are perceived to be externally imposed by someone whom the athlete respects and desires to please (Barcza-Renner et al., 2016).

Just as being highly motivated does not make you a perfectionist, being a perfectionist does not necessarily put you at a higher risk for burnout. If you are an intrinsically-motivated, or self-driven, individual (i.e. you are driven by autonomous motivation), then being a perfectionist is not likely to be a contributing cause to future burnout. But if you are a perfectionistic individual whose motivation is based upon external sources (i.e. you are driven by controlled motivation), then it is likely that you are predisposed to experiencing burnout somewhere down the line in your athletic career (Barcza-Renner et al., 2016).

Understanding the difference between autonomous and controlled motivation is key in beginning to protect oneself from experiencing future burnout. If you are not autonomously motivated, and you are able to recognize that your perfectionistic tendencies are fueled by external sources rather than your desire to do things for their inherent pleasure, then you have taken the first step in working to avoid burnout. The next step would be to change this. Knowing that your motivation source may be harmful isn’t enough. You need to work to redefine success as enjoying what you do—not because you are fulfilling someone else’s standards or goals, but because you yourself are feeling fulfilled. After all, in the face of adversity, it is our will to hold onto what we love which ultimately gets us through.

Barcza-Renner, K., Eklund, R. C., Morin, A. J. S., & Habeeb, C. M. (2016). Controlling coaching behaviors and athlete burnout: investigating the mediating roles of perfectionism and motivation. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 38, 30-44. http://dx.doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2015-0059

Lets face it, being injured stinks; especially as an athlete. If you’re a competitive athlete and have experience with injuries, you’re no stranger to the fact that the physical pain you feel is just a small part of the long-term pain that lies ahead in the path to a full recovery (Goldberg, 2016). We’ve all heard the phrase, “Just walk it off, you’ll be fine.” Coaches and parents may be unaware of how severe injuries may be, and at times push athletes to work through the pain (Groom, 2013). However, this unawareness can be detrimental to an athlete’s future – both physically and mentally. It is extremely important to educate coaches and parents on the important role that a healthy mentality plays in an athlete’s recovery and  performance.

Many athletes become overwhelmed by a variety of internal and external losses when they are sidelined for an injury. Without their sport and the time in their life it consumes, they have a void in that “sense of self” they now need to fill (Goldberg, 2016). In most cases, athletes commit so much of their free time to their sport that other non-athletic activities seem out of place, and an injury can make this newfound “void” seem even worse. It’s important that the athlete finds a healthy activity with which they can occupy themselves. Not doing so can open the door to bad habits, such as unnecessarily reducing their caloric-intake, as they may feel they aren’t working out and “don’t deserve” to eat (Putukian, 2014). This can quickly escalate into a bigger problem of an emerging eating disorder or a negative view of their body. And that’s on top of concerns about recovering from the injury itself. In most cases, injured athletes experience some sort of depression which can evolve into an issue that may persist throughout their lives. This is another reason it is extremely important for injured athletes to get the help they need and are physically and mentally healthy before returning to play.

One of the most difficult and common issues for injured athletes to come back from is a concussion. With a physical injury such as a break, tear, or strain, there is often a set path to recovery and rehabilitation. However, with concussions, the timeline for recovery and being able to return to sport is less known (Putukian, 2014). Many athletes experience slower cognitive functioning in daily activities, making it even more frustrating to process and work through recovery. Often, those suffering from a concussion experience a wide range of new emotions in addition to difficulties in cognitive functioning. Given these compounded factors, it is not uncommon for student-athletes to see a decline in their academic performance as well. Poorer grades can be even more emotionally taxing, as many student-athletes are driven to excel in many areas of their lives – sport and otherwise. One of the most difficult aspects for athletes recovering from a concussion is having to sit on the sidelines and watch everyone else compete. Physically, they feel able to compete, but it can be far more difficult coming to grips with a brain injury.

Physical injury or not, it’s important not to just “sit around and wait” for a full recovery. It is important for athletes, coaches, parents and care teams to pay close attention to treating the emotional and mental aspects that play into every recovery. Every day we are learning more and more about the recovery process and its overall impact on injured athletes. Coaches and Athletic Trainers are being educated on the best ways to treat and help care for athletes post-injury. The bar is being raised, which is good news for injured athletes in the future. For the athlete, it will take the determination and confidence to reach out for help on their path to recovery and reestablishing that sense of self. After all, it is a team effort.

References:

Goldberg, A. (2016, June 10). Rebounding from Injuries. Retrieved January 18, 2017, from https://www.competitivedge.com/rebounding-injuries-0

Groom, T. (2013, March 08). The psychology of returning to sport after injury. Retrieved January 18, 2017, from http://www.running-physio.com/psychology/

Weiss, W. M. (2017). Mentally Preparing Athletes to Return to Play Following Injury. Retrieved January 18, 2017, from http://www.appliedsportpsych.org/resources/injury-rehabilitation/mentally-preparing-athletes-to-return-to-play-following-injury/

Putukian, M. (2014). Mind, Body and Sport: How being injured affects mental health | NCAA.org – The Official Site of the NCAA. Retrieved from http://www.ncaa.org/health-and-safety/sport-science-institute/mind-body-and-sport-how-being-injured-affects-mental-health