The Development of Identity in Youth Sport

How can we support young people in their identity development?

• Encourage young people to consider who they are as a person and as an athlete
• Helping young people gain a clear understanding of who they are ‘off the pitch’ will enable them to:
  • Widen their sense of self
  • Gain clarity over their other strengths
  • Protect them from longer term psychological difficulties

And for those thinking that this may take their focus away from their sport I would argue it’s quite the opposite.

• Having a clearer understanding of who they are will allow athletes:
  • to ‘switch on and get in the zone’ at the appropriate times
  • and ‘switch off’ thereafter,
  • this fits with the knowledge that successful athletes need to be in the here and now and have the ability to maintain concentration.