Psychomental Support for Teenagers and Mental Conditioning for Adult Athletes.

 

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Why are the most difficult ones to work with not children under 6, but TEENAGERS IN SPORTS?
We often hear that the most challenging age group to work with are children under 6 — because of their short attention span, lack of established habits, and the fact that logical thinking is not yet developed.
But the real psychological and emotional knot that we face in sports appears during adolescence — between the ages of 13 and 17.
And that’s exactly why I choose to work with them!

That’s when an inner revolution begins. A period in which the child is no longer a child, but not yet an adult. Authorities begin to be questioned — not because they are useless, but because the teenager is searching for themselves, for their identity. They no longer believe the words of their parents or coach the way they used to. They believe in the look of a teammate, in the silence of the locker room, in the reaction on social media. And if these “mirrors” are distorted, because others are also confused, this creates a distorted image of the self.

That’s when the slow and often invisible process of self-esteem collapse begins. The confidence that was once built through family suddenly isn’t enough anymore. It’s no longer important what mom, dad, or the coach says — what matters is how others see me. And when that “seeing” isn’t supportive but critical, a downward spiral begins — often silent, hidden behind smiles and jokes. But inside, it’s endlessly painful.

That’s why working with teenagers in sports isn’t just about technique, tactics, or even discipline. It’s about building an inner foundation, a stable base — an inner confidence that doesn’t depend on likes, on being in the starting five, or on the number of medals, awards, or achievements. True confidence doesn’t come from the podium. It comes from effort — from those cold mornings when you got up at 6:00 to go train. From the moments when you refused dessert because you know your body is your instrument. From the muscle pain that no one sees, but you carry silently and turn into motivation. From the journey — not from the medal at the end of it!

And something else important — confidence is also built outside the gym or the field. Sometimes it appears when you manage something small — when you cook for yourself, learn something new, help someone else. THE FEELING THAT YOU CAN. That you are capable. That you are enough. This feeling has no team, no coach, no audience, but you carry it with you everywhere — including onto the field.

The teenage years are a road with many crossroads!

Between 13 and 17, young athletes move along the border between childhood and maturity. It’s a time when their bodies grow fast, but their inner world moves even faster. This is when the questions arise: “Who am I?”, “Am I good enough?”, “Does what I do have meaning?”
And sport, often seen as a stage for victories and medals, actually becomes a place for deep inner work.

Research by Gould and Carson (2008) shows something we often forget:
Sport is not just training the muscles — it’s training the heart and the mind!

When a young person faces difficulty — a loss, a missed game, an injury — they have the chance not only to grow stronger but also to discover that inside them there is strength they never knew existed.
But that strength doesn’t build itself. It doesn’t come from praise or from quick results. It’s born from a process, from conscious development over time — OUR GREATEST AND MOST IMPORTANT FRIEND!

A supportive environment is required — starting with coaches who don’t shout but listen. Parents who don’t demand victory at any cost, but care about the person behind the athlete. Teammates who are more than competitors — brothers and sisters in a shared journey.

Motivation in young athletes doesn’t come from trophies and medals.
IT COMES FROM THE FEELING THAT WHAT THEY DO HAS MEANING.
That EVERY CHOICE THEY MAKE MATTERS.
That SOMEONE BELIEVES IN THEM, EVEN WHEN THEY THEMSELVES DOUBT.

Building inner confidence — that strong, lasting, deep confidence — doesn’t come only through athletic achievements.
It’s created in the quiet moments when a child gets up at 6 a.m. for training, while their friends are still asleep.
In the moment when they refuse unhealthy food — not because someone pushed them to, but because they know why they’re doing it.

In the look with which they face challenges and don’t give up.

According to research, lasting motivation comes from three things:
A sense of autonomy — “I choose this myself.”
A sense of competence — “I’m getting better.”
And a sense of connection — “Someone believes in me.”

When the sports environment provides these three experiences, even THE QUIETEST CHILD BEGINS TO RISE.
NOT JUST AS AN ATHLETE.
AS A HUMAN BEING.

Resilience is born in the process of stepping out of the comfort zone — not through pressure, but through invitation. Through respect.
Some of the strongest lessons in life don’t come from championships, but from the small moments when a child realizes they have the right to make mistakes and still be accepted.

Working with young athletes is not just preparation for the next game.
It’s work with identity.
With that inner voice inside them that will remain even after the crowd leaves.

And if that voice says: “I have worth, even when I lose,” then we have built not just an athlete.
But a HUMAN BEING.

Psychological work with adolescents is like laying the foundation of a house — invisible but crucial.
This is the age when either an inner scale of self-worth is built, or it remains dependent on the applause of others.
And TRUE VICTORY BEGINS WHEN YOU CAN APPLAUD YOURSELF!

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Polina Drumeva

(Bulgarian psychologist, sports psychologist).

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