7 Strong Ways Coaches Can Prioritize Athlete Mental Health

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 at every level face increasing pressures, including performance demands, academic challenges, and personal stress. A NCCA report reveals a harrowing statistic: that over 30% of student-athletes consistently report feeling overwhelmed.

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 athletes’ emotional well-being. Here’s how:

Monitor Non-Physical Factors

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, so coaches know how an athlete is progressing over time.

After “scores” have been input in the app (after any tryout or evaluation), coaches can better answer the following questions and immediately strategize solutions:

• Is a player more withdrawn?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 the 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

Start each week with a quick emotional check-in. This can be electronic (so answers are kept confidential). Ask each athlete a series of questions with a 1–10 rating scale.

2. Create a Culture Where Vulnerability Is Safe

Make it known that it is okay to say, “I’m not okay.” When players know vulnerability isn’t punished, they’re more likely to reach out before a problem becomes worse.

3. Start a Dialogue

If you notice a steady drop in mood or attitude scores, don’t ignore those flags—start a dialogue. This could be a one-on-one after practice or a phone call.

4. Coach the Athlete, 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

If a mental-health situation is beyond your knowledge or control, collaborate with school counsellors, sports psychologists, or well-being apps.

6. Train Emotional Resilience

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

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 key to athletic success. While you don’t need to be a mental health expert, knowing the right questions to ask makes a difference. SkillShark equips you with the tools needed to gain valuable insights into an athlete’s emotional well-being, enabling you to identify challenges early and respond with effective solutions.

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