For manny competitive athletes, the holidays don’t feel like a break.Rather, they can feel like a disruption to training, nutrition routines, rest schedules, and performance expectations that athletes may spend all year working to maintain. Add family gatherings, increased social demands, long travel days, irregular sleep, and unpredictable schedules, and suddenly even highly motivated athletes may feel overwhelmed.
Food-related stress can also surface during the holidays, especially when routines shift or when athletes feel scrutinized by others’ comments or expectations.Social comparison plays a role too. Many athletes see teammates posting workouts during breaks,which can trigger performance anxiety or pressure to “keep up.”
Support systems, including parents, partners, coaches, and teammates, can definitely help athletes recalibrate during this season and remember that their worth extends far beyond what they produce in their sport.
Seeing the Whole Person
Regular check-ins are a simple and effective way to help an athlete feel grounded and supported throughout the holidays. these conversations work best when the athlete leads. Ask what feels good, what feels demanding, and what they are enjoying outside of sport.This reinforces that their identity is broad and multifaceted, and that sport is something they do, not the whole of who they are.
Research shows that athletes who feel psychologically supported experience better well-being and more consistent performance over a season (Sorkkila et al., 2020).
For many, the holidays bring opportunities for connection. For others, family expectations or past tensions can create stress, including for athletes navigating identity-related challenges or complicated home dynamics. Supportive adults and teammates can help stabilize these moments through small but meaningful check-ins.
Prioritizing Rest Time
It benefits athletes to challenge the idea that rest must be earned. Sleep,downtime,and unstructured play reduce injury risk,improve emotional regulationand support long-term performance. Sleep is especially important; it is associated with lower injury rates and better cognitive functioning in adolescent athletes (Milewski et al., 2014).
Holiday
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