7 Strong Ways Coaches Can Prioritize Athlete Mental Health

Coaching Mental Health and Athlete Well-being

Sports coaching has been focused on numbers for decades: speed, statistics, and wins. But what about emotional toughness, burnout resistance, or mental strength?

Smart coaches now are posing an even greater question: How can I support the whole athlete, not just their body, but also their mind?

That’s where tools like SkillShark come in. Originally created for performance assessment, SkillShark also helps coaches incorporate mental health and emotional well-being into their coaching workflows.

Let’s explore the vital role of coaches can contribute to an athlete’s mental health and how SkillShark can help you lead with empathy.

Why Coaching Mental Health Matters More Than Ever

Athletes of all levels are faced with mounting pressures—from performance pressure to academic pressure to personal struggle. Over 30% of student-athletes consistently report feeling overwhelmed, the NCAA reports. Mental stress isn’t sitting on the bench—it’s sitting on the strongest on the field.

If left unchecked, poor mental health leads to:

• Burnout and early departure
• Poor performance and focus
• Increased injuries due to poor choices or fatigue
• Feeling alienated from teammates and coaches
• Long-term emotional challenges

The Coach’s Role in Mental Wellness

• Facilitate emotional safety for expression
• Identify warning signs for distress or burnout
• Connect with emotionally supportive methods
• Manage empathy and expectations
• Model healthy thinking through example

But to do that effectively, you need structure. And that’s where SkillShark is helping.

How SkillShark Supports Athlete Mental Well-being

SkillShark is an app for sports assessments, but its flexibility makes it a powerful tool for monitoring and developing emotional well-being. Here’s how:

Custom Fields to Monitor Mental Health Indicators

Coaches can evaluate athletes on non-physical factors, such as:

• Mood and attitude
• Pressure coachability
• Emotional control in competition
• Communication and team cohesion

These can be tracked just like physical stats can, so coaches know what’s working (or not) over time.

Watch Trends Off the Scoreboard

Coaches can observe changes in player behavior by regularly assessing players on the non-physical factors:

• Is a player more withdrawn?
• Are they persistently low on motivation or concentration?
• Do their emotion markers fluctuate largely from week to week?

Private Notes for Contextual Coaching

SkillShark allows private comments to be added by evaluators (ones that cannot be seen by the athlete, only by other coaches). This enables evaluators to record sensitive details such as:

• “Struggling with confidence after injury.”
• “Parents divorcing—low energy this week.”
• “Expressed anxiety before the game, needs extra support.”

7 Coaching Strategies to Put Mental Health First

1. Establish a Mental Health Check-In Habit

Start each week or training session with a quick, individual emotional check-in. This can be electronic or simply a quick verbal 1–10 rating.

2. Normalize Discussions Around Mental Struggles

Make it okay to say, “I’m not okay.” When players know vulnerability isn’t punished, they’re more likely to reach out before a crisis hits.

3. Use Data to Spot Declines in Emotional Performance

A steady drop in mood or attitude scores could signal something deeper. Don’t ignore those flags—start a dialogue.

4. Coach the Person, Not Just the Position

Shy away from only commenting on what the athlete does. Acknowledge who they are: their efforts, mindset, and development-even if the scoreboard doesn’t reflect it.

5. Work With Mental Health Professionals

Don’t try to do it by yourself. Collaborate with school counsellors, sports psychologists, or well-being apps.

6. Train Emotional Resilience as a Skill

Like passing or endurance drills, emotional fitness must be incorporated into your practices. Rehearse goal-setting, visualization, and breathing exercises with your team.

7. Celebrate More Than Wins

Reward players for emotional success: overcoming fear, showing leadership, or bouncing back from a loss. Develop a culture where well-being is winning.

Conclusion

Mental toughness is the foundation of athletic achievement. You don’t have to be an expert as a coach, but you should know the essential questions to ask. SkillShark empowers you to do just that, integrating objective performance tracking with valuable insights into an athlete’s emotional state.