He's swimming faster. The lanky redhead from Salem, Mass. recently shaved two seconds off his 200-yard freestyle time, giving him confidence he may break away from his lackluster past. More and more teenage athletes are sinking into the couches of sport psychologists, hoping it will save them from mediocrity in a world that values champions. By high school, many teenagers feel they can't handle more than one sport, let alone be ordinary at it. So they go for a psychological edge, hoping to be mentally tweaked into shooting flawless free throws or sinking perfect putts.
Teenagers are at a critical age of developing character and forming new identities.
Daydreamers might be burned-out teenagers who shouldn't be made to feel mentally ill. Sulkers could be learning humility. Some students see sport psychologists as no different than SAT preparation coaches, college-admissions consultants, tutors, and trainers who help teenagers improve their performance. They tap into a teenage mindset that worries less about the stigma of seeing a therapist than the stigma of not being in the spotlight. No figures exist on how many teenagers visit sport psychologists.