CRYSC Sport Psych is excited to welcome a guest blog writer for this month’s blog. A current intern in CRYSC’s Sport Psych department, Abby Woodford is a senior at Colorado Christian University studying Dance Performance and Exercise Science. With plans to pursue a graduate degree in Sport Psychology, we’ve loved having her as a part of the team the past few months!
Who is the first person that comes to mind when you think of the word resilience? Just your gut reaction— is it a family member, partner, or a public figure? For me, Nadia Nadim comes to mind because of her impressive career on the field. She was born in Afghanistan and her family fled to Denmark when she was just 11 years old to escape the Taliban regime. Growing up in Denmark, Nadia developed a love for soccer and began playing at a young age. Her talent on the field quickly became evident, and she went on to play for various club teams, including the Portland Thorns and Paris Saint-Germain. Despite her talent, Nadia still faced multiple minor injuries, and even a torn ACL – which took her out for a full season. When asked to write about resiliency, I found myself continuously thinking about how Nadia’s core characteristics showcased this virtue. Resilience is a very personal topic and is usually experienced, or seen, in times of failure, heartbreak, or adversity. However, those failures, heartbreaks, and adversity, are not actually what makes you resilient— it’s how you respond. For example, Nadia showcased resiliency in how she responded when faced with hardships, both on and off the field. Similarly, take a moment and think about that person who came to your mind— what were they faced with? How did their response showcase resilience?
It is probably not surprising that I chose an athlete as my example, because athletics are generally a challenging journey; filled with setbacks and obstacles that test even the most talented athletes. Yet, successful athletes are distinct because of their ability to bounce back from setbacks while continuing to persevere toward their goals. When analyzing this resiliency, I have found that the 5 Pillars of Resilience Theory provides a particularly practical framework for building and strengthening resilience— especially in young athletes. These 5 pillars are broken down into the following: Self-Awareness, Mindfulness, Self-Care, Positive Relationships, and Purpose.
Self-Awareness
Self-awareness is the ability to understand one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors and how they impact performance on the field. Developing the skill of self-awareness is a lifelong journey that helps us better understand ourselves and the world around us.
By understanding our personal strengths and weaknesses, as well as our emotional responses in difficult situations, we directly cultivate resilience. Understanding our strengths allows us to capitalize on them; to use them to our advantage in competition and amidst setbacks. Furthermore, as athletes, we have all experienced high-pressure situations such as a championship game or try-out. Did your situation make you feel nervous, anxious, or get butterflies in your stomach? This is another area where self-awareness can help us— by being able to put names to our emotions, we can develop strategies (such as deep-breathing or productive self-talk) to keep those pesky feelings at bay. Lastly, developing self-awareness can have long-term benefits beyond athletics, such as improved emotional regulation, enhanced communication, increased self-confidence, and better decision-making (yay for self-awareness!).
Self-Awareness is the first and most fundamental pillar in creating resilience. Because of this, intentionally developing self-awareness is critically important for any athlete looking to become a top performer.
Do It: At the end of every practice or game, take five minutes to write down three specific things you did well, improved upon, or put good effort toward; two things worth improving; and one strong emotion that you felt. Utilizing this tool of self-reflection is a powerful and efficient way to build self-awareness!
Mindfulness
Now, let’s talk about mindfulness. Mindfulness is a technique that involves paying attention to the present moment without judgment. It is a powerful tool for improving performance in youth athletics and can have long-lasting benefits beyond the game. When applied to athletics, mindfulness can help you develop greater focus, manage your emotions, and perform at your best. But, in order to apply this helpful tool to our sports, we first must learn how to be present in the moment.
Let’s try an exercise: Close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. In through your nose, with a nice long exhale out through your mouth. When thoughts, feelings, sounds, or sensations come up and pull your focus, simply acknowledge them and return to focusing on your breath. Great; now open your eyes!
This exercise in mindfulness shows us how we, as athletes, can manage distractions and perform at our best. In the heat of competition, it is easy to become overwhelmed by emotions such as fear, anger, or anxiety. But, mindfulness teaches us to pause, observe our emotions without judgment, take stock of our thoughts and our body, and then move forward with greater presence of mind. This can lead to improved decision-making and better performance, and, when practiced regularly, mindfulness regularly, can help us develop greater resilience.
One example of how mindfulness can increase resilience in the context of athletics is by improving our ability to cope with injuries. Injuries are a common challenge that face athletes, and they can be emotionally and mentally draining— affecting our confidence and performance. But, by practicing mindfulness regularly, athletes can develop the ability to stay present and focused even in the face of injury. Mindfulness doesn’t stop when we get off the field— it can also help us in other areas of life, such as academics or personal relationships.
Do It: In addition to the exercise, above, you can develop mindfulness everyday by practicing the skills of noticing and reengaging. When you’re at practice, notice moments where your mind has wandered (to your homework, your last mistake, your tiredness, etc.), and then choose to redirect your attention to the task at hand (listening, making a run, connecting a pass, etc.)
Self-Care
Self-care is the practice of caring for oneself physically and mentally. In youth athletics, self-care is essential for promoting optimal performance and overall well-being. It involves making healthy choices and engaging in activities that support physical and mental health. When applying self-care to our lives, as athletes, we must prioritize our physical health. This can involve getting adequate sleep, eating a balanced diet, and staying hydrated. By taking care of our bodies, we will improve our energy levels, reduce the risk of injury, and perform at top shape!
In addition to physical health, self-care also involves caring for one’s mental health. This can involve practicing our friend mindfulness (or meditation), seeking support from a trusted friend or family member, or engaging in activities that promote relaxation and reduce stress.
Taking care of our mental and physical health allows us to manage stress and anxiety better, thereby increasing our resilience. Not only does this improve our performance on the field, but it also reduces burnout. As young athletes, you may feel pressure to train constantly or participate in multiple sports, leading to burnout and injury. However, practicing self-care regularly can help us reduce stress levels and improve our overall well-being, which will help us build resiliency and effectively cope with stressors. By making healthy choices and engaging in activities that support physical and mental health, we can improve our quality of life and set ourselves up for long-term success!
Do It: Grab a piece of paper and write down two actions you will take throughout your week that help care for your body and two actions that help care for your mind. Put that piece of paper somewhere you see everyday (like your bathroom mirror). At the end of the week, check-in: Did you take those actions? If not, what got in the way? How can you ensure you’ll take them next week?
Positive Relationships
Positive relationships are also a large contributor to success in youth athletics. Positive relationships involve fostering supportive and respectful relationships with coaches, teammates, and opponents. Furthermore, positive relationships can contribute to a positive team culture, a sense of belonging, and improved performance on the field.
One way we can help build positive relationships in athletics is by learning how to communicate effectively. Communication involves both listening and expressing oneself clearly and respectfully. You can practice effective communication by actively listening to coaches and teammates, asking for clarification when needed, and expressing yourself with clarity and kindness.
Furthermore, positive relationships can involve displaying good sportsmanship, congratulating opponents after a game, and treating everyone with respect and kindness. It is also important to foster positive relationships through teamwork. A sense of camaraderie and belonging can be established by working together towards a common goal. Thus, positive relationships will contribute to a sense of belonging, self-esteem, and improved mental health— which directly ties back to resilience.
Additionally, when you feel like you belong to a supportive community, it is easier to maintain a positive mindset, stay motivated, continue working towards goals, and generally manage stress (especially amidst adversity) – all of which contribute to overall resilience! Therefore, I believe that positive relationships are one of the most important ways we, as athletes, can build resilience.
Do It: Before or after practice, intentionally start a conversation with a teammate or coach about something either you or they are particularly passionate about (within or beyond soccer!). For an added challenge, strive to talk to someone different every day.
Purpose
Our last pillar is purpose! Globally, purpose is a sense of direction and meaning in life. Purpose is also essential for success in youth athletics, as it involves understanding why one is playing a sport and what one hopes to achieve through their participation.
Once we better understand our athletic purposes, it is easier to stay motivated, overcome challenges, and persevere toward our goals. In other words, it makes us more resilient! As young athletes, it is also key to set specific, measurable goals that align with your purpose. At the same time, it is crucial to focus on the bigger picture such as the impact you can have on your team, school, or community! By focusing on the positive impact you can have through your athletic participation, you can find even greater purpose and meaning within the sport. Furthermore, by understanding their personal values and goals, young athletes can find purpose in their academic and personal pursuits. This can lead to a greater sense of direction and motivation, which can contribute to overall success in life.
Do It: Set aside time to purposefully reflect on your “Why” for soccer. Check out the Reflect on Why and Set Goals section of our motivation blog for more details on how to go about this!
In Conclusion…
The 5 Pillars of Resilience Theory offer a comprehensive framework for promoting resilience in youth athletics. While there are many different ways to approach resilience, and it is, therefore, the key to exploring different theories and tactics, developing Self-Awareness, Mindfulness, Self-Care, Positive Relationships, and Purpose is a fantastic starting point. In doing so, we can equip coaches, parents, and young athletes with the tools they need to overcome challenges and setbacks.
Building resilience in youth athletics is not only essential for success on the field; but also for fostering lifelong skills that will benefit these young individuals in all aspects of their lives. With a commitment to cultivating The 5 Pillars of Resilience Theory, we can help ensure that the next generation of athletes is equipped to face adversity with strength and confidence!
– Abby Woodford
