For neurodiverse young athletes, struggles on the field, court or in the gym may have little to do with effort or motivation. Lisa Richer, founder of Journey to Bloom, says that coaches and parents need to look beyond performance and understand the individual athlete.

Richer, a former elite gymnast who competed on the U.S. national team in the 1980s, draws on her own experiences as an undiagnosed neurodivergent athlete. She now works with families, athletes and coaches to identify obstacles that can affect both athletic performance and confidence.

"Diagnoses inform; they do not define how we work with a student, an athlete, or a professional," Richer said.

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Craig Young, author of Growing Up Young: One Family's Faith Journey to the NFL and father of Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young, says he damaged his relationship with his son by being overbearing about Bryce's success in sports.

"I was just hell-bent on, 'he is not going to squander this gift,'" he said.

His wife told him that Bryce felt increasingly uncomfortable around his father.

"To hear that my behavior was pushing my son away was just like a dagger to my heart," Young said. "And I immediately just sought the help that I needed and then also made those changes."

Young now advises parents to separate their children's confidence from playing time, rankings and performance. Sports, he said, offer lessons that extend far beyond competition, including teamwork, perseverance and the ability to perform under pressure.

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Money has always played a role in youth sports, from club fees and private lessons to travel costs and college scholarships. But as athletes gain access to name, image and likeness (NIL) income at increasingly younger ages, financial decisions are becoming part of the mental game, as well.

Tom Henske, a former two-time All-American and three-time national champion at the University of Virginia who now teaches personal finance, said young athletes often receive money before they have learned how to manage it. NIL opportunities, once concentrated among college stars, are spreading across sports and even reaching high school athletes.

That can create a new source of stress. According to Henske, athletes who have some financial education are more likely to "master the pause" before spending. Making thoughtful decisions can boost confidence. But athletes who spend impulsively may experience regret and guilt—and those emotions do not necessarily stay off the playing field.

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