Behind every confident, resilient, high-performing athlete is a system, a structure of habits, routines, mindsets, and support. And at the heart of that system? Often, it’s you, the parent.

High-performance athletes aren’t just playing a game, they’re doing a job. A demanding one that requires physical preparation, mental focus, emotional regulation, recovery, discipline, and leadership. But unlike a regular job, they don’t clock in and out. The job is lived, on the field, in the locker room, the gym, at the dinner table, at school, and in how they sleep, eat, and think.

When parents understand the athlete’s job description, they can better support their athlete’s mental performance, mental health, and long-term development.

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The High-Performance Athlete Job: More Than Just Showing Up

A true high-performance athlete does more than attend practice or chase outcomes. Their job includes:

• Training & Preparation: Executing skill work, conditioning, and tactical development.
• Mental Performance: Using mindset tools like focus, visualization, breath work, and self-talk.
• Rest & Recovery: Prioritizing rest, sleep, nutrition, recovery, prehabilitation and emotional decompression.
• Team & Leadership: Being a supportive teammate, a culture carrier, and a communicator.
• Lifestyle Habits: Managing school, relationships, and healthy daily routines.
• Weekly Contact Hours: Managing their total physical and mental load.

This structure doesn’t just build performance, it protects it by creating clarity, routine, and a sense of control.

According to Self-Determination Theory (Deci & Ryan, 2000), athletes thrive when they feel:

• Competent (they know how to succeed),
• Autonomous (they have some control), and
• Connected (they feel supported and valued).

A job description helps athletes feel all three. And parents play a critical role in reinforcing that support.

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How Parents Can Support Their Athlete’s “Job” (Without Doing the Work for Them)

High performers don’t need rescuing. They need scaffolding, a structure that helps them hold it all together. Here’s how to provide it:

1. Understand Their Workload

Ask your athlete:

• “How many hours a week are you training?”
• “What do you do for recovery or mental prep?”
• “Where do you feel overloaded, or under-supported?”

Create a shared understanding of their weekly contact hours (physical, mental, school, social). This helps reduce burnout and keeps things in perspective.

2. Normalize the Invisible Work

Talk about the “invisible” parts of their role such as sleep, hydration, nutrition, mental prep. Show interest and ask questions like:

• “What helps you reset mentally after a tough game?”
• “How is your recovery doing this week?”

When you show value for these parts of their job, they will too.

3. Be a Calm, Consistent Anchor

Your tone, questions, and presence set the emotional climate at home. Athletes under pressure need a place that is predictable, safe, and supportive. Try:

• Avoiding “post-game breakdowns” unless invited
• Praising effort, consistency, and character, not just results
• Asking, “How can I support you today?” more than “What happened out there?”

4. Co-Create a “Home Support System”

Make things easier to stick to:

• Plan meals around training
• Support healthy rest / recovery routines
• Help schedule breaks and social time
• Reduce unnecessary noise or stress on game day

You’re not doing the job for them, you’re protecting the conditions they need to do it well.

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Action Step of The Week

Sit down with your athlete and talk openly with them about their “job description.”​
Use the following categories:

• Training expectations
• Recovery commitments
• Mental preparation routines
• Leadership or team roles
• Weekly time commitment (contact hours)
• One value or mantra that defines their approach

Ask: “Where can I be most helpful in supporting you with this job?”

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Resource of the Week

Podcast: Raising Competitors by TrueSport – Short, practical episodes on parenting high-performance youth athletes and supporting mental health.

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Final Reflection

Being the parent of a high-performance athlete isn’t easy, but it’s incredibly meaningful.

You’re not the coach. You’re not the teammate.
You’re the foundation.

When you help your athlete define their job and support them in doing it, without micromanaging or taking it over, you’re giving them one of the greatest competitive edges of all: the ability to succeed without losing themselves in the process.

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Self-Reflective Question for Parents

Do I truly understand the daily demands of my athlete’s role, and how am I helping them carry it, not control it?

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