Breaking the Silence: Empowering Youth Athletes Beyond the Game

How community, conversation, and mental wellness tools are reshaping youth sports

The Pressure No One Sees—but Every Athlete Feels

Let’s be honest: youth sports today look nothing like they did when many of us grew up. The pace is faster. The stakes feel higher. And our young athletes are carrying a quiet weight that most adults don’t see… until it’s too heavy to hide.

I’ve talked with countless parents and coaches who assume an athlete’s biggest battle is physical—speed, strength, conditioning. But when Tracey Currey joined me on the Generation Youth Podcast, she pulled back the curtain on the real story: mental and emotional strain is hitting our kids at levels we’ve never experienced before.

And the numbers back it up. Tracey shared research that made my heart sink—91% of youth athletes say they’re stressed, and 58% have faced mental health struggles tied directly to their sport. That’s not a small problem. That’s an epidemic playing out every single weekend on fields, courts, and tracks in every community.

The challenge? Most of this struggle happens behind the scenes. Behind the uniform. Behind the smile. Behind the “I’m fine, Coach.”

And far too often… in silence.

Why So Many Athletes Stay Quiet

When Tracey and I dug deeper, a pattern became painfully clear:
Our sports culture celebrates toughness but punishes vulnerability.

Kids are told to “push through,” “shake it off,” “earn your spot,” or “don’t let the team down.” Whether we mean to or not, we teach them that pain—physical or emotional—is weakness.

No wonder they stay quiet.

Yet the signs are there if we know where to look:

• Withdrawal from teammates

• Sudden irritability or anger

• Decline in performance with no clear cause

• A growing fear of mistakes

• A shift from loving the game to dreading it

As Tracey shared her own family’s experience, you could feel the heartbreak—and the hope. What opened the door for her daughter wasn’t a perfect speech or a quick fix. It was connection. Presence. A mentor who showed up consistently, listened without judgment, and reminded her she wasn’t alone.

In sports—and in life—silence often breaks when safety is present. And safety is built through relationships.

The Gamechanger: is Nation’s Mission to Give Athletes a Voice

What I love about Tracey’s story is that she didn’t stop at awareness. She built a solution.

is Nation exists for one purpose:
To create a culture where athletes don’t have to hide their struggles.

And they’re doing it in a powerful, practical way:

Daily doses of encouragement that feel personal, not clinical

Short, impactful videos from college athletes, Olympians, pros, and peers—talking about real challenges, real fears, and the courage to face them head-on.

Tools for parents and coaches who want to support—not smother

These clips spark meaningful conversations at home, in the car, or on the way to practice, without forcing awkward or heavy “We need to talk” moments.

A “share” feature that connects athletes directly to each other

Sometimes teens don’t want to talk to adults (shocking, I know). But they will open up to a peer who’s been there.

Live events bringing inspiration right to the field

Former NFL players and other leaders are stepping onto campuses to model resilience, identity, and mental toughness—without shame, pressure, or pretense.

This isn’t about adding more to a parent’s plate. It’s about giving families and teams simple, timely, trusted tools to help kids breathe again.

Why Community Matters More Than Ever

The more I work with teens, the more convinced I am:
Isolation is one of the strongest predictors of a young person’s decline.
Community is one of the strongest predictors of their comeback.

Athletes don’t just need a coach.
They need a village.

They need:

• adults who ask real questions,

• mentors who show up when life gets messy,

• teammates who know how to listen,

• and parents who focus more on connection than correction.

That’s what saved Tracey’s daughter.
That’s what strengthens today’s athletes.
And that’s what will reshape youth sports for the better.

Where We Go From Here

We can’t keep pretending our kids are okay just because their stats look good or their Instagram posts are filtered. The pressure they carry is real—and so is the hope we can offer.

As I told Tracey on the show, we’ve built an incredibly high-performance world for our youth without teaching them how to survive it, much less thrive in it. But that can change. It is changing.

And it starts with three simple steps:

1. Start conversations that go deeper than “How’d the game go?”

Try: “What felt heavy today?” or “What’s something you wish adults understood?”

2. Celebrate effort over outcome

Confidence rooted in performance alone is confidence on sand.

3. Make mental health part of the culture, not a crisis response

Use tools like is Nation to normalize conversations before the breaking point.

Because when silence breaks, healing begins.
And when healing begins, potential unlocks.

Want to Support Your Athlete’s Journey?

If you want resources that meet teens where they are—not where we wish they were—go check out is Nation. Explore their daily content, upcoming events, and opportunities for your athlete to connect with mentors who speak their language.

This is how we raise strong kids.
Not by pushing harder…
but by listening deeper.

And that’s a win worth celebrating.