Youth sports burnout is affecting kids younger than ever before, and according to an Omaha sports psychology expert, parents might be missing the signs.
Nedu Izuegbunam, the associate athletic director of clinical and sports psychology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, recently sat down with Omaha Mom Talks host Jesse Gutierrez to discuss the mounting pressures facing young athletes — and why so many are calling it quits before they even reach high school.
Quick links to learn more:
- The Burnout Reality
- Signs Your Child Might Be Burned Out
- What Parents Should Do
- The Identity Trap
- The Bottom Line
The Burnout Reality
While sports offer incredible benefits like confidence building, teamwork and discipline, Izuegbunam says the intensity of youth sports culture has created a perfect storm for burnout. Travel teams, year-round conditioning, private coaches and early specialization have become the norm, leaving families stretched thin financially, emotionally and logistically.
“One of the biggest reasons athletes might quit is burnout,” Izuegbunam explained. “That could be because of the amount of experience, but more importantly, the pressure put on them by coaches, parents and other family members.”
Signs Your Child Might Be Burned Out
Izuegbunam breaks down burnout indicators into two categories: verbal and non-verbal signs.
Non-verbal signs include:
- Appearing more tired than usual
- Moving slower or being more lethargic
- Changes in sleep patterns (sleeping way more or less than usual)
- Changes in eating habits
- Becoming less active outside of training
- Isolating from friends and family
Verbal signs include:
- Speaking negatively about their sport
- Not looking forward to practices
- Describing positive experiences in negative ways
- Expressing a fixed mindset about their abilities
The key? These patterns occur over time, not just after one bad game.
What Parents Should Do
If you’re noticing burnout signs, Izuegbunam’s advice might surprise you: get curious, not critical.
“Really making sure you feel and stay neutral,” he said. “Your child’s brain is still developing — they’re going to feed off of that energy and maybe feel comfortable or not comfortable based on how you react.”
He recommends:
- Having regular check-ins with your child
- Asking what they enjoy outside of their sport
- Exploring what’s causing the pressure they feel
- Considering whether they need to talk to a professional
- Reflecting on the original reasons they started playing
The Identity Trap
One of the biggest risk factors for burnout? When sports become the entire identity for both parent and child.
“It’s so important at a young age to make sure you are viewing your kid not just as the athlete, but what other interests do they have?” Izuegbunam said. “If you can equally shine light to both, we see that kids when they come to college, their maturity and self-identity and self-esteem just seems different.”
The Bottom Line
While youth sports can provide invaluable life skills, Izuegbunam emphasized that connection matters more than performance.
“At the end of the day, parents just want better for their kids than they have,” he said. “It makes sense that sometimes they’re pushing them, which comes from a good place, but sometimes the way we communicate it may be more harmful than good.”
Want to hear the full conversation? Jesse Gutierrez and Nedu Izuegbunam dive deeper into sports specialization, what to do when kids want to quit, handling the car ride home after games and practical mental health strategies for young athletes. Listen to the complete Omaha Mom Talks episode on Hurrdat ONE or watch now on YouTube.
