Hurdles Athletes Overcome: a Closer Look from Coaching Expert Linda Martindale

Hurdles Athletes Overcome: a Closer Look from Coaching Expert Linda Martindale

This is  the first of our two part series on the challenges athletes overcome, with Martindale Coaching’s Linda Martindale sharing her insights on athletes and the hurdles they face.

OnFocus: What are the biggest issues student-athletes face?

Martindale: Performance anxiety during competitions and managing everyday stress are some of the most challenging issues student-athletes face today. Many of my clients struggle to translate their strong performance in practice into successful competition outcomes. Athletes often tell me, “I get so nervous before a game that I can’t perform as well as I do in practice.” When this anxiety affects their game performance, they start to lose playing time, which leads to a drop in confidence. As their confidence wanes, it can negatively impact their practice performance, creating a vicious cycle. Developing a mentally strong mindset is crucial. By focusing on creating small wins, athletes can rediscover their “winning mindset” and get back on track.  I often ask my athletes what they tell themselves after making a mistake; this is crucial for resetting and staying positive. The ability to acknowledge a mistake and quickly move on during a game can be the key difference between success and failure.

See part two in our series: Performance Anxiety in Athletes: a Closer Look by Martindale Coaching’s Linda Martindale  https://wp.me/paGBhw-rwR

Additionally, balancing the expectations of coaches and parents is a significant concern for the athletes I work with. When a coaching staff fails to communicate effectively with the players, an athlete’s struggles can intensify.  It is so important for coaches to be clear about expectations and performance feedback.  

Other potential stressors for athletes include dealing with injuries and setbacks, managing time effectively, and navigating team dynamics. I talk to adults all the time who still struggle with issues they faced during their college sports careers; the impact is long-lasting for many. Injuries can be very complicated for an athlete who relies on their athletic accomplishments as part of their primary identity.

OnFocus: What should coaches know about how to best support student-athletes with their visible as well as hidden needs?

Martindale: It’s crucial for coaches to communicate clearly, honestly, and effectively. I really can’t say this to coaches enough.  The most frequent issue that I encounter when I meet a struggling team is a lack of transparent communication amongst the players and the staff. Coaches don’t need to be “dream crushers,” but they should be honest with athletes about their roles and what they need to do to increase them. Setting expectations consistently throughout the season is vital.  I can’t stress this enough.  Voids in communication can crush athletes and cause problems within a team that isn’t functioning well. When a coach doesn’t tell an athlete why they aren’t getting playing time, the athlete will search for answers elsewhere.  These answers aren’t always accurate or helpful and cause bigger problems down the line.

OnFocus: How do time-management stresses impact student-athletes? What are some possible solutions?

Martindale: “Time-management stress” can potentially lead to significant mental and physical health issues for student-athletes. Some of these issues include anxiety, lack of sleep, depression, and decreased academic and athletic performance. There are some good apps like Complete Sports Corp, (which was created and developed by a college athlete) that offer some practical solutions to help athletes stay on track. Most importantly, coaches can support their athletes by promoting a balanced approach to academics and athletics and regularly checking in on their well-being. Having authentic conversations and truly listening to athletes can make a tremendous difference.  It seems simple, but not addressing what athletes are going through makes them feel isolated and alone, which is the opposite of how we want our “team players” to feel.  Breaking the season down into manageable size pieces often helps athletes to become less overwhelmed.

OnFocus: The NCAA Transfer Portal was developed to help student-athletes and colleges navigate collegiate transfers. How has the portal had negative effects on student-athletes’ well-being?

Martindale: While the NCAA Transfer Portal aims to provide more flexibility for student-athletes, it has also introduced major challenges for athletes, coaches, administrators and parents of athletes. The portal has left many student-athletes without a school or program to play in. The number of players who did not find a new program to play in are staggering. Many athletes don’t have the guidance and support to navigate the Transfer Portal and are left wondering what went wrong.  There is so much uncertainty and instability in the process and there is often a lot of pressure on the student-athlete to make a quick decision.  

The constant changes also disrupt team dynamics and can create a power struggle between a coach and an athlete.  For example, if an athlete doesn’t like their situation, they can choose to leave rather than fix the problem.  All of these things can lead to an incredibly stressful and volatile environment. Not only for the athlete, but also for the parents of athletes and the coaching staff.

OnFocus: What can be done to help student-athletes with stresses from the transfer process?

Martindale: To help student-athletes manage the stresses of transferring, universities must offer comprehensive support services, including mental health counseling, academic advising, and career planning. These services need to be easy to find, easy to use and promoted enough so student-athletes understand how and why they are provided and what the benefits are. Clear communication about the transfer process and realistic expectations are critical and can ease the transition for everyone.  Athletes should not feel isolated in this process – they must have support during and after they transfer.

OnFocus: How are NIL issues impacting student-athletes negatively?

Martindale: NIL opportunities can become very complicated for young student-athletes to navigate. Without proper guidance, clear rules or some boundaries, these financial opportunities can create additional pressures, distractions, and potential jealousy or conflicts among teammates. While there is a consensus that athletes should receive compensation, establishing boundaries or guidelines is crucial to help navigate these complex contracts effectively. I’ve worked with several teams dealing with underlying issues of jealousy and fear—significant problems that are often overlooked. Jealousy shouldn’t lead to feelings of shame or inadequacy among teammates. It’s essential to address these issues before they escalate and cause more significant problems within the team.

OnFocus: What are some of the challenges coaches are facing as a result of NIL?

Martindale: When money enters the equation, things can become more complicated. Coaches already have challenging jobs, and NIL adds another layer of complexity. Navigating new team dynamics where athletes receive different payments (and some don’t receive anything), managing potential conflicts of interest, and ensuring NIL activities do not interfere with athletic performance and team cohesion can be tough. This is especially difficult for a coaching staff that also needs to focus on developing players’ skills and ultimately winning games.

OnFocus: How does the NCAA allowing more workout days negatively impact student-athletes?

Martindale: Increased workout days do not always mean improved win-loss records. Adding more workout days is definitely a balancing act and needs to be scrutinized carefully. Over-training can cause fatigue and burn-out both mentally and physically. If coaches don’t prioritize rest and recovery, there is a higher risk of injuries and poor performance. There is a tremendous amount of pressure on coaches to win and offering more mental fitness support along with more workout days makes more sense than just adding more hours in the court, on the field or in the pool.  Balance is critical to long-term success.

OnFocus: How has the increase in workout days impacted college coaches?

Martindale: I have spoken to many college coaches who feel like they are no longer just coaches; they feel like CEOs and Chief Operating Officers of the big business of sports.  The increase in workout days has placed additional demands on college coaches and similar issues like burn-out and fatigue are inevitable. These additional workout days ultimately can lead to increased stress and potentially compromise the whole teams’ well-being.  More is not always the answer and coaches need more support if they are expected to coach, scout, recruit, develop, mentor and all of the other things that parents and athletes hope for when they commit to play a college sport.

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Author: David Keech

David Keech is a retired teacher and works as a sportswriter, sports official and as an educational consultant. He has reported on amateur sports since 2011, known as 'KeechDaVoice.' David can be reached at keechertheteacher@gmail.com