athlete supportConfidenceGuidanceinjury recovery
Mental Health in Youth Sports: Confidence During Injury Recovery
When we talk about confidence in sport, it’s easy to focus on performance.
Goals scored. Plays Made. Faster Times. The Wins and Celebrations.
Always a boost to the confidence meter thinking of those!
But I’ve got to say in working with teen girl athletes, especially those navigating injury, setbacks, and recovery, I’ve come to see something more about confidence:
Confidence is actually built in the moments when everything feels uncertain.
Growing up, I played a lot of sports from soccer to horse back riding, volleyball, bowling (yes bowling is a sport!), softball, ball hockey, and basically anything that would move my body, I was interested in. Thinking back now, I was often in the precarious moment of trying something new, working on a specific skill, venturing into the unknown, unsure I had what it took to do it.
And now I realize this bold, courageous part of me that felt full of doubt at the time, is what has launched my confidence every time. Had I not been in those situations, taken the action, tried the thing, I wouldn’t know that I was capable, resilient, able to do so much more than I believed.
So this idea that confidence is built when we’re facing uncertainty and fear has a solid track record.
It is truly a team effort!
Coaches, mentors, and supportive adults matter more than they may ever fully realize.
When teen girls are going through something challenging like recovery, the people who dropped off mattered but even more so is the people who showed up consistently. The coaches who believe in their athletes, even when those athletes are struggling to believe in themselves. The mentors who see something in a young girl before she can fully own it.
I hear it all the time-
You matter. Way more than you may realize.
Because for many teen girls, sport isn’t just a place to perform and get better, it’s a home, a safe space, a community, a place to be themselves.
Confidence Through Connection
Teen athletes build confidence by:
Being seen
Being challenged
Being supported
A coach who says:
“I see your effort”
“I trust you”
“You’re a part of this”
…can shift everything. Especially during recovery. When an athlete is injured or struggling, their confidence takes a big hit not just physically, but emotionally.
They question:
Who am I without my sport?
Do I still belong here?
Am I falling behind?
And this is where your presence becomes impactful.
Supporting Confidence During Recovery
When an athlete can’t perform the way they used to, confidence has to be built differently. It becomes less about output… and more about identity.
Coaches and mentors can support confidence during recovery by:
1. Keeping them connected
Inclusion matters. Invite them in, even when they can’t fully participate.
2. Reflecting who they are beyond what they can do
Remind them of their strengths, their leadership, their character.
3. Normalizing the process
Recovery is not a step back, it’s not that simple. Recovery is part of the path.
4. Offering steady belief
Even when they doubt themselves, your belief in them can be borrowed.
5.Taking care of yourself
They are watching you, taking in what you say and do. Model mental health care, physical care and so on by taking care of you.
Way More Than a Coach
For many teen girls, a coach becomes a:
Mentor
Safe supportive adult
Voice of reason
Mirror reflecting possibility
You help them:
Push through discomfort
Build discipline
Learn resilience
Trust themselves
And maybe most importantly… You help shape how they see themselves. The confidence built in sport ripples out into all aspects of life.
A confident young female athlete brings her confidence into:
Classrooms
Relationships
Future challenges
Life decisions
So when you support a teen athlete, especially in the hard seasons, you’re not just helping her return to play. You’re helping her build a version of herself that knows:
“I can go through something hard… and still come out better than ok.”
The Bigger Picture
To all the coaches, parents, and mentors who show up consistently with care, collaboration and belief-
Thank you.
Your impact goes far beyond the game. And for the teen girl athlete in recovery?
That lasting impression changes lives.
Let’s Keep Walking Together
If this message resonated with you, you’re already part of the community.
I appreciate you!
I’d love to invite you into our email community, a caring online space where we share 2–3 thoughtful notes each week with resources, tools, and real-life encouragement for raising (and being) resilient teen girls.
No pressure. No perfection. Just support, insight, and a lot of “oh wow, that makes sense.”
Let’s walk this path together with presence, courage, and a little more ease.
Join here and receive your free download:
No More Walking on Eggshells: A Guide to Courageous Conversations with Your Teen
