Is Sport Burnout a real thing and how does being in a sport affect a student’s life?
Most people love watching sports games. Watching a gaming-winning drive in football, a last-second buzzer-beater in basketball, or even a walk-off home run in baseball. All those big moments make sports worth trying out for, but there are plenty of things that go on behind the scenes that might make one reconsider this large commitment alongside a student’s school life.
So what happens when this once passion and love a student has for a sport, turns into an overwhelming and stressful disaster? This can be referred to as sports burnout. At Galena High School, we have had many students experience burnout in their sports and this often comes with a lot of questions and concerns from others. Recently basketball standout, junior Mya McCoy quit playing basketball midseason. She was feeling the burnout of her beloved sport. Coming out of a long and treacherous post-volleyball season and the responsibilities of junior year, McCoy had to come to the decision to let go of basketball. “I was burnt out and wanted to put myself first,” McCoy shared. “It wasn’t an easy decision but I knew it was something I had to do.”
Andrew Koenigs ‘26 also had a similar experience when it came to his sports burnout. Coming into junior year, Koenigs had to make some tough decisions about what commitments he wanted to keep and get rid of. “I quit football because I was tired of being on a team where I felt I wasn’t valued and being used,” Koenigs comments. “Football’s always been my least favorite sport so this is why it was an easy decision. I’m also taking a lot of hard classes this year so more time to study has been nice and has positively reflected in my grades.” For his academic and mental well being Koeings had to reassess and consider if playing football would be the best choice of action.
To avoid sports burnout, some choose to not participate in any school sports at all and just keep their love for sports a casual hobby. Sports can be played without any commitment and still be enjoyable. Caleb Kevern ‘26 loves to play rec basketball with his friends and isn’t affected by this burnout typically associated with any sport. “I love playing sports like basketball and football, but I don’t like competition and all the commitment that comes with high school sports.”
Playing a sport at the collegiate level is a big deal and takes a lot of sacrifice, but some athletes at Galena High School believe it is worth the sacrifice. Some athletes understand this and are willing to put in the work because of their love for the sport. “I am very passionate about football and I can show my strengths, not just physically, but also as a leader and as a teammate,” says Josh McNett ‘25. He plans on playing football at Upper Iowa University. His fellow classmate Gracie Furlong ‘25 is going to play volleyball at Bradley University. “I decided to play volleyball in college because I’ve worked my whole entire life to be able to continue my career outside of high school. I enjoy the sport so much and can’t wait to grow my abilities as a player and continue to play in college”. This shows that with the right amount of passion and determination one can avoid sports burnout, but recognizes the undertaking of avoiding the burnout entails.
In our world today it has become more acceptable than ever to admit that we are burnt out and overcommitted and that it’s okay to step back and say – I have to stop this because it doesn’t bring me joy anymore. With this knowledge, we can have understanding and empathy for those who choose to quit due to burnout but also commemorate those who aspire to take their sport to the next level.
