To the overwhelmed athlete — the parents who love them — and the coaches who want the best for them —
Let’s just say it:
Overwhelm doesn’t always come from the weight of the sport.
Sometimes, it comes from the people closest to you.
The extra voice in the car ride home.
The endless corrections from the sidelines.
The expectations layered on top of expectations — spoken or not.
The endless corrections from the sidelines.
The expectations layered on top of expectations — spoken or not.
The tone. The look. The pressure.
The scoreboard that’s suddenly tied to your worth.
The scoreboard that’s suddenly tied to your worth.
To the athlete —
If you’re feeling heavy, anxious, or constantly behind...
You’re not weak. You’re not broken.
And you’re definitely not alone.
If you’re feeling heavy, anxious, or constantly behind...
You’re not weak. You’re not broken.
And you’re definitely not alone.
You might just be trying to meet expectations you were never naturally wired to carry.
Trying to please two different voices telling you two different things —
All while trying to perform.
Trying to please two different voices telling you two different things —
All while trying to perform.
Let this be your reminder:
You don’t have to be perfect to be valuable.
You don’t have to be loud to be a leader.
You don’t have to play out of fear to earn someone’s approval.
You don’t have to be perfect to be valuable.
You don’t have to be loud to be a leader.
You don’t have to play out of fear to earn someone’s approval.
You are allowed to breathe.
To the parents —
Check your energy.
Your athlete can feel it.
Sometimes the pressure they carry isn’t from the sport — it’s from your reaction to it.
Check your energy.
Your athlete can feel it.
Sometimes the pressure they carry isn’t from the sport — it’s from your reaction to it.
When your body tenses in the stands, they notice.
When your feedback outpaces your encouragement, they feel it.
When your voice replaces their own, they stop trusting theirs.
When your feedback outpaces your encouragement, they feel it.
When your voice replaces their own, they stop trusting theirs.
Be a safe place, not another performance space.
Teach them to grow, yes — but don’t make them prove themselves to be worthy of your pride.
Teach them to grow, yes — but don’t make them prove themselves to be worthy of your pride.
To the coaches —
Overwhelm doesn’t always look like a breakdown.
Sometimes it looks like hesitation.
Like indecision.
Like quiet.
Like an athlete who suddenly “doesn’t look like themselves.”
Overwhelm doesn’t always look like a breakdown.
Sometimes it looks like hesitation.
Like indecision.
Like quiet.
Like an athlete who suddenly “doesn’t look like themselves.”
It’s easy to assume they aren’t listening, don’t care, or aren’t tough enough.
But sometimes, they’re just trying to survive the noise.
But sometimes, they’re just trying to survive the noise.
Especially the ones wired to observe first.
The ones who process inward.
The ones who need space, and quiet, and calm-- to succeed.
The ones who process inward.
The ones who need space, and quiet, and calm-- to succeed.
Be mindful of your tone.
Be clear with your expectations.
And don’t confuse “not responding” with “not trying.”
Be clear with your expectations.
And don’t confuse “not responding” with “not trying.”
You’re building more than a player.
You’re shaping a human.
One who may be battling more than you can see.
You’re shaping a human.
One who may be battling more than you can see.
So to everyone reading this —
Let’s not add to the weight.
Let’s learn how to lift it.
Let’s not add to the weight.
Let’s learn how to lift it.
With heart,
A coach who sees you all
A coach who sees you all
© 2025 Becca Johnson, Rooted You™ Consulting. All rights reserved.
This content is the intellectual property of Becca Johnson and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used without permission.
To the athletes who didn’t make the cut — and the parents who love them most — and the coaches who care —
A room full of talent. A sea of personalities. And a handful of spots.
At this level, everyone is good.
And yet, decisions must be made.
For some athletes — especially juniors and seniors — this might feel like the end of the road.
Like the dream is over.
Like you weren’t enough.
But please, hear this:
This moment does not define you.
It is a chapter — not your whole story.
Yes, it hurts. Deeply.
But pain is often the place where the most powerful growth begins.
Some let it make them bitter.
The best let it make them better.
Choose better.
Choose strength.
Choose resilience.
Choose character.
To the parents —
This is your moment, too.
Not to fix it.
Not to fight it.
But to wrap your child in love, remind them of who they are beyond the game, and walk with them into what’s next.
Please don’t tear down coaches.
Don’t question the character of others to soothe the sting.
It doesn’t help your athlete rise. It just teaches them how to fall.
And to the coaches —
The burden you carry is heavier than most will ever see.
To evaluate. To decide. To hope you got it right.
The good ones don’t take it lightly.
And the great ones never forget the weight of the kids they couldn’t keep.
To everyone reading this —
It’s not over.
Not unless you decide it is.
There is life after this moment.
There is opportunity still ahead.
There is greatness in the making.
So lift your head.
Support one another.
And keep becoming.
With heart,
A coach who sees you all
© 2025 Becca Johnson, Rooted You™ Consulting. All rights reserved.
This content is the intellectual property of Becca Johnson and may not be reproduced, distributed, or used without permission.
