Keeping it fun: burnout and mental health for Maui’s young athletes

Published 2026-11-09

Why so many kids walk away from sports, what burnout and overtraining look like, and simple ways Maui families and coaches can keep the game fun as fall seasons end and winter seasons begin.

General information, not medical advice. If you’re worried about your child’s mood, sleep or energy, talk with their pediatrician or a mental health professional.

This is a big week of change for a lot of Maui families. Fall seasons are wrapping up after MIL and state championships, and winter sports and club seasons start right behind them. It’s a good moment to step back and ask a simple question: is my kid still having fun?

Why so many kids stop playing

The American Academy of Pediatrics says research shows about 70% of kids drop out of organized sports by age 13. A 2019 Aspen Institute Project Play survey of parents found the average child spends less than three years in a sport and quits by about age 11. The most common reason, 36% of the time, was that the child stopped enjoying it or lost interest. Only 15% of the time did a child quit to try a different sport.

Kids say the same thing in their own words. In a 2026 Project Play report built on a national survey of more than 3,800 young people ages 10 to 17, “having fun” (48%) and “playing with friends” (47%) were the top things current players love about sports. Only 12% put earning a college scholarship or roster spot among their favorites. Among kids who had quit, feeling “I’m not good enough” (29%) and “bad coaching” (21%) were the top complaints.

What burnout and overtraining look like

In its 2024 clinical report, the AAP describes burnout as physical or mental exhaustion and a reduced sense of accomplishment that leads a young athlete to stop valuing the sport. It calls burnout one of the main reasons kids leave youth sports.

Overtraining is related. The AAP describes it as a drop in performance from too much training and not enough recovery, often with ongoing tiredness, poor sleep and changes in mood. Too much training and an overloaded schedule are two possible risk factors for burnout, and the AAP notes it has become more common for young athletes to play on several teams at once and train year-round.

Signs worth noticing at home include:

• Being tired all the time, even after rest days
• Trouble sleeping
• Mood changes, such as being more irritable or down than usual
• Performance slipping even though they’re working hard
• Dreading practice or no longer talking about a sport they used to love

It isn’t only about how many sports a child plays. “Whether training is specialized or multisport, it becomes a problem when an athlete no longer has any free play time or opportunity to engage in other non-sport-related activities,” Dr. Andrew Watson, a co-author of the report, said in the AAP’s announcement.

What helps

These ideas come from the AAP’s recommendations, with a few Maui-family touches:

• Celebrate effort, not just the scoreboard. The AAP recommends measuring success by participation and effort. After a tough loss, “I loved watching you play” goes a long way on the drive home.
• Leave room in the calendar. Avoid overscheduling and keep some unstructured time each week, whether that’s the beach, the backyard or just hanging out with friends.
• Take real breaks. AAP authors encourage time away from sports. The gap between fall and winter seasons is a natural spot for a few days off.
• Keep practice playful. The AAP suggests age-appropriate games to keep training interesting and fun, especially for younger keiki.
• Stay involved in a positive way. In the 2026 Project Play survey, 86% of current players had parents who came to games or practices, compared with 58% of kids who had quit. Former players were also more than twice as likely to say they had been pressured to play when they didn’t want to (21% vs. 9%).
• Start with a checkup. The AAP recommends a pre-participation exam with your child’s own doctor, who can look at the whole picture.

When it might be more than burnout

If you see signs of burnout or overtraining, the AAP advises changing what’s causing it and bringing in a mental health professional if needed. If your child seems sad or withdrawn for weeks, or ever talks about hurting themselves, reach out for help right away. You can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, any time, day or night.

The bottom line

Sports are supposed to be good for kids, body and mind. In the 2026 survey, 81% of current players said their mental state gets better when they play. Keeping it fun, keeping the schedule sane and cheering for effort are some of the best ways to make sure our keiki keep playing for years.

Coaches, athletic trainers, counselors or health professionals on Maui with tips for young athletes and their families? Send them to us and we may feature them in a future story.

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