Swimming is More Than Laps: 5 Ways Parents Can Protect Their Swimmer’s Mental Health

This Friday, we observe World Mental Health Day, a reminder that mental well-being is just as crucial as physical health. Youth competitive sports, such as swimming, offer numerous benefits, including building confidence, developing discipline, fostering social connections, and providing stress relief through physical activity. However, the intense pressures associated with youth athletics can also pose risks to a young athlete’s mental health, sometimes making a sport that was once a source of joy turn into a source of stress or anxiety. As a company dedicated to young swimmers, we aim to provide parents with practical, actionable ideas on how to create a supportive and healthy environment, prevent burnout, and ensure their child thrives, both in and out of the water.

We reached out to Elli Overton — a three-time Olympian for Australia and former SwimTopia Director of Sales and Marketing — for her perspective on this important topic. Elli recently launched Peak Parent Performance, where she works one-on-one with sports parents to help them navigate the ups and downs of supporting their young athletes. As she pursues her master’s degree in Professional Counseling at Texas State University, her own experiences in elite athletics have inspired her passion to help today’s young athletes and their parents build healthier, more positive experiences in sport.

5 Ways to Support Your Swimmer’s Mental Wellness

Supporting a young swimmer’s mental wellness doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. Small, consistent actions from parents can make a big difference in helping kids build confidence, resilience, and a lasting love for the sport. Below are five simple but powerful ways to help your swimmer thrive — both in and out of the pool.

1. Prioritize Fun and Effort Over Outcomes

While a competitive drive is important for athletes, focusing intensely on winning, medals, or specific times can increase pressure and anxiety for young swimmers. The “win at all costs” culture can strip the joy right out of the sport.

Practical Advice for Parents:

• Focus on the Process: When discussing a practice or a meet, shift the focus from the outcome (wins/losses) to the effort they put into it. Ask if they tried their best or learned something new.

• Validate Emotions: If your child is upset about a poor performance, avoid jumping into immediate problem-solving, such as suggesting ways to improve their stroke this weekend. Instead, acknowledge and validate their feelings by saying things like, “Man, that sounds disappointing. Tell me more about how you felt?”.

• Keep it Enjoyable: Regularly check in with your athlete by asking, “Did you have fun?” and “What is your favorite part about playing this sport?”. The sport should remain a source of joy, not dread.

2. Watch for Subtle Signs of Distress or Burnout

Mental health struggles in young athletes can be subtle and often manifest as behavioral or physical changes rather than outright emotional distress. Overtraining, especially when combined with perfectionistic tendencies, is a significant risk factor for burnout, anxiety, and depression.

Practical Advice for Parents:

• Monitor Behavioral Changes: Be attuned to shifts in behavior, such as reluctance or dread toward practice/meets, withdrawal from friends or family, increased mood swings, or loss of interest in activities they once loved.

• Identify Physical Indicators: Stress and anxiety often manifest physically. Be alert if your swimmer frequently reports fatigue, vague physical discomfort, sleep disturbances (sleeping significantly more or less), or frequent headaches or stomachaches that don’t have a clear medical cause. These may be mistakenly attributed to the physical demands of training when, in fact, they are signs of psychological strain.

• Listen to Excuses: Reluctance or dread toward practice, or trying to find excuses to avoid showing up, can be early signs of burnout.

3. Promote Open Communication and Validate Feelings

Creating a space where your child feels comfortable discussing their emotions without fear of judgment is foundational to supporting their well-being.

Practical Advice for Parents:

• Start the Dialogue: Use open-ended questions regularly to prompt discussions about their experiences, such as asking, “How did that feel?”. Car rides to and from practice are often an excellent time for these conversations. Show up curious.

• Normalize Stress: Remind your child that feeling anxious, scared, or stressed is a common experience, even for highly successful athletes.

• Validate, Don’t Dismiss: When your child shares a difficult feeling (such as sadness, frustration, or anger), validate it by saying, “I understand why you’re feeling sad right now. It’s tough,” rather than dismissing it with, “Don’t be sad.” Allow and accept negative emotions.

4. Ensure Balance, Rest, and Identity Beyond Swimming

When a young athlete’s sense of self-worth becomes solely tied to their performance in the pool, an imperfect competition or an injury can feel like a devastating personal failing. An overly narrow identity tied only to the sport increases mental health risks, particularly if injury occurs.

Practical Advice for Parents:

• Encourage a Balanced Life: Help your swimmer maintain a well-balanced life by prioritizing academics, social life, and other hobbies or interests. Swimming should be a part of their life, not their entire identity.

• Prioritize Rest and Sleep: Adequate rest and sleep are essential for both physical and mental recovery, and are directly linked to improved athletic outcomes and reduced injury rates. Help your athlete establish healthy habits, such as a regular bedtime, and be mindful of overly intense training schedules, which can lead to overtraining.

• Explore Other Passions: Ask your swimmer about aspects of their lives outside of the pool, such as their family or their weekend activities. These conversations show that you value them as a whole person.

5. Remember Your Role: Parent First, Not Coach

Parents are the architects of their children’s experiences and play a critical role in shaping their mental health within the athletic journey. Your support and care should never be dependent on whether they are participating in the sport.

Practical Advice for Parents:

• Leave the Coaching to the Coaches: Avoid comparing your child to others and refrain from coaching during competitions. Your primary role is to be a supportive parent, letting the coaches do their job.

• Model Positive Behavior: Your actions on the sidelines speak louder than words. Be aware of how your emotional expressions before, during, and after competitions may affect your athlete, and always model respect for coaches and officials.

• Partner with Coaches: View yourself and the coach as teammates working to create a positive environment for the athlete. If you have concerns about overtraining or belittling language, speak up about these unhealthy practices with the coach.

When to Seek Additional Support

While parental support is vital, sometimes challenges—such as persistent anxiety, deep discouragement, or emotional exhaustion—become too much to manage alone. It’s important to remember that asking for help is a sign of strength, not weakness. If you notice a persistent pattern of mental health symptoms lasting two to four weeks, or if your child expresses a desire to quit a sport they once loved due to dread or feelings of being overwhelmed, it may be time to consult a professional.

Elli: I love everything about this article, but I am so glad to see this last paragraph is included. If you’re worried about your kid’s mental health, there is no need to try to solve anything by yourself. A trained mental health professional can help your athlete be happier, healthier, and ready to thrive. There is professional support out there for you and your family.

Resources for Parents

• Start with Your Child’s Doctor: Your primary care provider is a great first point of contact for guidance and referrals.

• Sport Psychologists: These licensed professionals specialize in the unique mental challenges faced by athletes and can assess and treat both performance-related and underlying mental health concerns.

• Local Therapists or Counselors: Seek professionals specializing in youth mental health who can help your child manage issues like anxiety, depression, and burnout.

• Crisis Hotlines: If you or someone you know is in crisis or considering suicide, please call 1-800-273-8255 (National Suicide Prevention Lifeline/988 in the U.S.).

Remember, the ultimate victory is raising a well-adjusted, resilient, and confident individual who loves the journey of sports 💚

Published 10/10/2025. Please visit our website for more information about SwimTopia and the many ways we can help you manage your swim team or league.

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