--- title: "Burnout in young athletes: signs and next steps" description: "Burnout in young athletes involves exhaustion, reduced accomplishment and feeling that their sport matters less. Changes in energy, mood, sleep, interest or results aren't a diagnosis. Note them, ask the coach and arrange a doctor’s visit." url: "https://swimtrack.ai/blog/burnout-what-it-looks-like-at-home/" lang: "en" author: "SwimTrack" publisher: "SwimTrack" license: "Free to read and quote with attribution to SwimTrack. Not for resale. https://swimtrack.ai/terms/" published: 2026-09-21 pillar: "mindset" audience: "parent" --- # Burnout in young athletes: signs and next steps Burnout in young athletes involves exhaustion, reduced accomplishment and feeling that their sport matters less. Changes in energy, mood, sleep, interest or results aren't a diagnosis. Note them, ask the coach and arrange a doctor’s visit. > **Idea in Brief** > - **Burnout has three parts.** Exhaustion is one; reduced accomplishment and sport devaluation complete the definition. > - **Home signs aren't a diagnosis.** The same changes can have medical or other causes. > - **Leaving sport usually has other causes.** Burnout is one reason, but the true rate is unknown. At the kitchen table after training, your swimmer's hair is still wet. They eat without looking up, then pack their bag as usual. Burnout means more than feeling flat in February. Raedeke and Smith built its main measure using age-group swimmers. It has three parts: emotional or physical exhaustion, a reduced sense of accomplishment, and devaluation of swimming. Devaluation means the sport now feels worth less. They needn't hate it or quit. The American Academy of Pediatrics lists fatigue; low mood or loss of interest in activities; lost motivation; disturbed sleep; irritability; worry or agitation; poor concentration; aches with no clear cause; weight changes; falling school or swimming results; and less enjoyment in sport. These signs are often not specific to burnout. The same signs can point to different problems. A doctor may rule out anaemia, infection, an inflammatory condition, a mental-health condition, or a hormone condition such as diabetes or an underactive thyroid. The [sports medical exam](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/the-sports-medical-exam) explains who to see in Portugal. This page can't identify the cause. The AAP also places burnout on a spectrum with overreaching and overtraining syndrome. The coach's view of training load matters. Home shows only part of the picture. The true prevalence of burnout in young athletes is unknown. One Swedish study estimated that up to 9% of elite adolescent athletes met the definition. That finding doesn't give a rate for swimmers in Portugal. The report also separates burnout from leaving sport. Most dropout is linked to lost interest, lack of time, other activities, little improvement, lack of fun, injury, or lack of playing time. Burnout is one cause, not the usual one. The report links burnout risk with pressure, outside rewards, perfectionism, performance focus from peers, coaches or parents, overscheduling, heavy ongoing training, and team conflict. Protective factors include inner motivation, a supportive parent relationship, long-term development, autonomy, rest, and valuing effort or personal goals over results. Across athletes, rates were higher when they perceived that parents measured success by performance. Rates were lower when success meant meeting their own goals. What matters in the car is how success gets named. [Whose goal is it?](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/whose-goal-is-it) and [gap vs gain](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/gap-vs-gain) can help with that conversation. Paediatricians recommend at least one to two days each week away from competition and sport-specific training. They also recommend at least two to three months away from one specific sport across the year. This can happen in one-month blocks, with other activities or free play. The Portuguese season calendar may create some of that space. The coach sets the training and rest schedule. If the question is whether they should stop, read [Should I let my child quit swimming?](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/should-we-let-them-quit). For now, note the changes, arrange a doctor visit, and ask what the coach sees in training. --- ### Share it with your swimmer Start with what you've seen: - **Under 12 (you're driving).** *“Swimming seems less fun lately. Do you want to tell me about it?”* A simple observation is easier to answer. - **12–15 (sharing the wheel).** *“You seem more tired and less interested. What have you noticed?”* It leaves room for their account. - **16+ (they're driving).** *“I've noticed less energy and interest. Would you like help booking a doctor?”* It offers help while respecting their lead. ### Stay aligned with your coach The coach reviews training load and sets the rest plan; you notice changes at home and arrange medical care. Ask, *“Have you noticed changes in their energy, motivation or enjoyment at training?”* Keep diagnosis with the doctor and the schedule with the coach. ### Keep exploring - [Should I let my child quit swimming](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/should-we-let-them-quit) — How listening, reassessment and finishing the season inform the decision to leave. - [Whose goal is it](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/whose-goal-is-it) — Ask what your swimmer wants, then support their goal without chasing it harder. - [How many practices a week are normal](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/how-many-practices-is-normal) — Compare age, the coach’s plan, energy, mood and schoolwork with the weekly load. - [The plateau year](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/the-plateau-year) — See why growth, delayed gains or race-day pressure can look like a plateau. ### Go deeper with the experts - **[Overuse injuries, overtraining and burnout in young athletes](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38247370/)**: the clinical report behind the signs. - **[Development and preliminary validation of an athlete burnout measure](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28682196/)**: the paper that defined burnout's three parts. ## Related reading - [Should I let my child quit swimming? How to decide](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/should-we-let-them-quit/) - [Goal setting for young swimmers: let them choose the goal](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/whose-goal-is-it/) - [How many swim practices a week are normal for each age?](https://swimtrack.ai/blog/how-many-practices-is-normal/) --- SwimTrack — https://swimtrack.ai HTML version of this page: https://swimtrack.ai/blog/burnout-what-it-looks-like-at-home/