The pressure to be exceptional has become almost unavoidable for student athletes.
Between maintaining grades, practices, games, and expectations from parents, coaches, teachers, and even social media, many students feel like being “average” is the same as failing. In both academics and sports, there can be expectations that might be too far out of reach, pushing students to go faster, work harder, and achieve more. But somewhere in the middle of all of it, students are beginning to lose the ability to simply enjoy learning or playing the sport they once loved.
Some Brunswick student athletes were interviewed but kept anonymous to portray authentic responses without bias over any specific sports teams or gender of athletes.
For many student athletes, the fear is not necessarily failing completely, but it can be being forgotten, or being the player who sits on the bench, or being a student with decent grades instead of perfect ones. The pressure to stand out can become mentally exhausting, especially when success stories on social media normalize excellence and make average seem unacceptable. A student explained that “when I look online at apps like TikTok or Instagram, I see these people with all of their achievements and it sometimes makes me feel worse because I feel like I have to do better.”
According to the American Psychological Association, teens today report significantly higher levels of stress tied to achievement, academics, and future success. Researchers have also found that student athletes often struggle balancing sports performance with academic expectations, leading to anxiety, burnout, and sleep deprivation.
One sophomore student-athlete shared that expectations are always high.
“Coaches and teachers today have such strong expectations for athletes or students that aren’t always reachable.”
Their response shows how deeply performance and self-worth can become connected for teenagers balancing both academics and athletics.
Another student agreed saying that “between coach and teacher expectations and just being competent to other student athletes while also trying to get into college can build up pressure.”
Still, some students argue that pressure can create discipline and motivation. Competition can encourage athletes and students to improve themselves and push beyond limits they never thought possible. The issue begins when self-worth becomes attached to performance alone. A bad race, missed assignment, or poor test grade can feel personal instead of temporary.
However, many students believe success should not define someone’s worth.
Even though pressure can create motivation and discipline, students are beginning to realize there must be a healthier balance.
One student’s advice to students struggling with pressure was simple but meaningful, “You don’t always need to be the best and you’re doing amazing just as you are and don’t put that much pressure on yourself because it’s your first time living too.”
Another student shared a similar perspective, saying that “at the end of the day your grades don’t define you, how you do doesn’t define you, but it’s the hard work, effort, and dedication that does.”