What to Do When Your Athlete Wants to Quit Sports

It’s a moment many sports parents struggle with:

“I don’t want to play anymore.”
“I’m not good enough.”
“It’s not fun like it used to be.”

When your athlete starts talking about quitting, it can be heartbreaking, confusing, and honestly—pretty disappointing.

But here’s the truth: A dip in confidence doesn’t always mean it’s time to walk away. In fact, it could be one of the most important growth moments in your athlete’s journey.

Let’s talk about how to support your athlete when their confidence crashes.

1. Listen—Really Listen

Before offering advice or trying to “fix” the situation, pause and get curious.

Ask open-ended, pressure-free questions like:

• “What’s been hard lately?”

• “Do you feel like you’re not playing well, or is it just not fun anymore?”

Often, athletes don’t need solutions right away—they need someone to hold space while they untangle what they’re feeling.

2. Look Deeper Than “I Want to Quit”

When an athlete says they want to quit, it’s rarely just about the sport itself. More often, it’s about:

• Comparison to others

• Fear of failure

• Burnout

• Feeling pressure to be perfect

• Not believing they’re good enough

You can help uncover what’s really going on by asking questions like:

• “When did it start feeling different for you?”

• “What part of practice or games do you find the hardest right now?”

• “Do you feel like you’re constantly trying to prove something?”

• “Do you compare yourself to teammates a lot?”

• “Do you feel pressure to be perfect or never mess up?”

These aren’t meant to interrogate. They’re meant to help your athlete feel safe enough to open up.

3. Normalize the Struggle

Even elite athletes—Olympians, pros, college players—experience dips in confidence. That doesn’t make your athlete broken. It makes them human.

Normalize it. Talk about it. Let them know they’re not alone.

4. Offer Tools, Not Pressure

Instead of pushing them to “just get over it,” help them build internal skills to navigate low-confidence moments.

Mental performance tools like:

• Confidence journaling

• Visualization

• Pre-performance routines

• Working with a mental skills coach

…can help your athlete rebuild belief in themselves in a lasting, meaningful way.

👉 Want support for your athlete? Explore 1:1 coaching and group programs here.

5. Let Them Choose—But Don’t Let Confidence Make the Decision

It’s okay to take a break. But it’s not okay to quit just because confidence is low.

Try saying something like:

“It’s okay if you need to step back—but let’s make that choice for the right reasons, not just because it feels hard right now.”

Why? Because learning how to work through these confidence dips is a life skill—one that extends way beyond the playing field.

Whether your athlete continues playing or takes a step back, remind them:

Their value is not based on their performance. Their confidence isn’t gone—it just needs a reset.

And you don’t have to figure it all out on your own. I have another free resource that you can use to support your athlete called the “Confidence Checklist” - sign up for it below in the footer!

💬 If you’re looking for support, mindset tools, or coaching that empowers your athlete from the inside out, I’d love to help - book a call with Coach Margaret and we can create a strategy together.