Читать книгу The Performance Mindset - Anthony J. Klarica - Страница 29

It is worth considering why promising athletes, young or otherwise, leave a sport. Many reasons to leave are situational or personal; however, mindset challenges may also contribute. I have seen athletes leave their sport for a wide range of reasons, including:

 competing demands such as education and schooling

 conflicting social interests

 lack of or stress about finances

 perceived or actual lack of support

 challenging family or personal circumstances

 injuries

 lack of confidence about performing at higher levels

 difficulty with transition from junior to senior sport

 lack of access to programs

 negative experiences

 lack or loss of enjoyment

 low or diminished peer relationships in the sport

 dejection from not being selected into talent pathways or programs

 personal or behavioural challenges that arise from maintaining a sporting lifestyle and feeling they are ‘missing out’ compared to non‐sport peers

 perceived lack of success or not valuing performance in the sport

 choosing and preferring to spend time doing something else.

Certainly, there's nothing wrong with leaving a sport to pursue other interests. It is a choice many people happily make. However, two questions should be considered. First, are they leaving their sport with positive, enduring experiences, relationships and memories? Secondly, if they were managed differently, or were introduced to mindset education, might they have chosen to remain in the sport for further enjoyment or to realise further potential? Both questions should be considered by people in sport development roles. Working with athletes on these questions aids a smooth transition away from sport, if that is the choice they make, rather than leaving them with regrets. Not being selected for a squad or team may be another reason athletes leave a sport. The key is that they can appreciate, recognise and take away positive experiences and can benefit from having been involved.