How Can an Athlete End Up in a Dark Place?
I’d say it’s mostly due to a lack of quality communication.
There are nuances, of course, and every case is individual, but communication is the bridge that connects people with everything within them.
From early childhood, especially during adolescence, the presence or absence of quality communication determines whether a young athlete carries their burdens silently or is able to express themselves, potentially freeing themselves from the unnecessary and focusing on training.
Our days are busy and, naturally, there’s not always time to deal with unpleasant or uncomfortable things.
Still, that doesn’t change the fact that many people — including high-level athletes — carry unimaginable burdens: addictions to alcohol, drugs, dark thoughts, even suicidal tendencies, loneliness, and more.
If these things aren’t acknowledged and processed in an accepting and motivating environment, over time they creep into an athlete’s daily life and training like a kind of poison.
Even if the situation isn’t fully resolved, with the right support, an athlete can still feel lighter and more focused on what moves them forward.
In this case, the recommendation is not to be just a mechanical coach, but a mentor.
Not only younger athletes, but also experienced ones need people who build real relationships with them.
Not much is needed — just honest conversations about life. A heart-to-heart talk — without alcohol, without drama.
Any person who is truly heard, seen, and encouraged will be capable of doing much more — and doing it better.
This includes athletes. Especially young athletes.
While the system continues to pull in new workhorses, we must understand that professional sport is no longer and should not be about fulfilling the ambitions of parents and coaches.
In a healthy case, professional sport will be the athlete’s conscious choice and motivation to go that path — fully aware of what it entails.
I’d say that even in sports — just like in other fields — whether we like it or not, we have to start seeing the human being as a value.
In places with many people and big systems, individuals often aren’t seen as valuable — but just as cogs. These systems can afford that.
However, today’s world is teaching us to see people as valuable.
As a result, harshness and impersonal hierarchies are slowly being replaced with respect, honesty, and openness.
Yes, maybe professional sport won’t have as many people as before — but those who remain will have clarity and genuine motivation.
Video version of the topic you can watch here:
https://youtu.be/hTuI6yDBQek?si=NIXD7zOoVhjtfVJb