Resources for Teen Athletes with Big Emotions
Feeling things and expressing big emotions isn't a character flaw — it's often the same engine that makes a kid competitive in the first place. Everything below treats composure as a trainable skill, so you can learn to respond, rather than react, when things don't go your way.
This list was curated by Licensed Professional Counselor Burket Kniveton.
These resources were chosen with one reader in mind: a middle or high school athlete (especially the guys, who don't always get handed books like these) who hates losing, gets frustrated fast, and would rather hear it from a coach or a pro than from a worksheet. Nothing here is preachy. Find the section that sounds most like what you're dealing with, and start with one thing — not the whole list.
Parents and coaches — these make great car-ride listens and "leave it on the kitchen counter" books.
How to Use This List
Lead with the mental game. For most competitive kids, "this is how the pros train their mind" opens doors that "this will help with your feelings" closes. Start with one sports psychology book or a single podcast episode — not the whole list.
Read alongside, not at. These work best when a parent or coach reads or listens too and brings it up casually, rather than assigning it. A shared episode on a drive to practice does more than a book left on a bed.
This list is a starting point, not a substitute for individualized care. If frustration is affecting school, friendships, or family life, counseling can help — and reaching out is a strong move, not a last resort.
Building the Mental Game: Sports Psychology for Young Athletes
For the athlete who wants to train their mind the way the pros do — confidence, focus, and handling pressure.
The Young Champion's Mind — Jim Afremow, PhD (Book · Ages 12–18) Written by a sports psychologist specifically for teen athletes. Short chapters on confidence, routines, self-talk, and recovering after a bad play. Start here. Find the book
Mind Gym — Gary Mack (Book · Ages 13–18) Forty short lessons built around stories from professional athletes. Each chapter stands alone, so you can open it anywhere — locker room, bus ride, night before a game. Find the book
The Mindful Athlete — George Mumford (Book · Ages 15+) Mumford taught mindfulness to Michael Jordan's Bulls and Kobe Bryant's Lakers. If "mindfulness" sounds soft, this book is the counterargument — it's about performing under the most pressure imaginable. Find the book
Compete Like a Champion — USTA Player Development (Podcast · Athletes, parents & coaches) Applied sports psychology from the U.S. Tennis Association — useful well beyond tennis. Browse the episode list for topics like composure, handling mistakes, and pressure, then share one episode at a time. Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Finding Mastery — Dr. Michael Gervais (Podcast · Ages 15+ & parents) A high-performance psychologist interviews world-class performers — including action-sports and mountain athletes — about how they actually train their minds. Browse the archive for snowboarders, skiers, climbers, and surfers. Listen at findingmastery.com
Managing Anger and Frustration as a Teen Athlete
For the kid who blows up after mistakes, can't let go of a bad call, or melts down when the scoreboard isn't going their way.
The Inner Game of Tennis — W. Timothy Gallwey (Book · Ages 15+) Not really about tennis. The classic on quieting the harsh inner voice that yells at you after every mistake — the same voice behind most blowups on the field or the court. Find the book
Chop Wood Carry Water — Joshua Medcalf (Book · Ages 12–18) A story, not a textbook: a young man trains to become a samurai archer and learns to fall in love with the process instead of the result. Tiny chapters, huge following among coaches and teams. Great for reluctant readers. Find the book
Do Hard Things — Steve Magness (Book · Ages 16+ & parents) A performance coach takes apart fake toughness — the yelling, the "suck it up" — and rebuilds real resilience around honesty and self-awareness. Equally valuable for parents and coaches rethinking how toughness gets taught. Find the book
10% Happier — Dan Harris (Podcast · Ages 15+ & parents) Hosted by a self-described skeptic who came to mindfulness the hard way — perfect for teens (and parents) allergic to anything that sounds too "zen." Pick episodes on anger, self-talk, or performance. Apple Podcasts
Fear, Anxiety, and Pressure in Mountain Sports
For skiers and snowboarders — fear at the top of the line, burnout, and coming back after a crash.
The Art of Fear — Kristen Ulmer (Book · Ages 16+ & parents) Written by a former pro big-mountain skier once called the best in the world. Instead of "conquering" fear, she makes the case for working with it — directly relevant to skiers and riders, and to any athlete whose frustration is really fear in disguise. Find the book
Moving Right Along — Mikaela Shiffrin (YouTube series · Free) The winningest alpine skier of all time films her own seasons — including the self-doubt, the feeling of being an "imposter" even at the top, and her comeback after a serious crash. Honest, high-production, and made for exactly the kid who thinks champions never struggle. Watch Episode 1 on YouTube
Chloe Kim on protecting her love of the sport (Video interview · Free) The two-time Olympic halfpipe champion talks about burnout, taking a full season off for her mental health, and rediscovering why she snowboards in the first place. A powerful permission slip for any kid whose sport has started to feel like a job. Watch the interview
The Crash Reel — Kevin Pearce documentary (Film · Older teens, watch with a parent) The story of snowboarder Kevin Pearce — his rivalry with Shaun White, the halfpipe crash that nearly killed him, and the long road of accepting a new identity when the sport you love is taken away. Emotional and intense in places, and it sparks some of the best conversations about risk, passion, and who you are beyond your sport. Streaming on Netflix, Prime Video, and Apple TV. Where to watch
Beyond Sports: Life Skills and Everyday Confidence
For the rest of life — friendships, awkward conversations, and becoming a capable human, without the lecture.
What Can I Say? — Catherine Newman (Book · Ages 10–14) A funny, genuinely useful guide to social skills: how to apologize, disagree, speak up, talk about hard things, and be a good friend. Find the book
How to Be a Person — Catherine Newman (Book · Ages 10–14) From the same author: 65 hugely practical skills, from writing a thank-you note to doing laundry to showing up for someone having a rough day. Builds the kind of quiet confidence that travels well. Find the book
The Manual to Middle School — Jonathan Catherman (Book · Ages 10–13) Short, illustrated how-to entries written for boys: handling a bully, recovering from embarrassment, managing your locker and your reputation. The kind of book kids actually pick up on their own. Find the book
The Manual to Manhood — Jonathan Catherman (Book · Ages 13–17) The older-teen follow-up: 100 practical skills — change a tire, tie a tie, shake a hand, hold a conversation. Competence is its own kind of emotional strength. Find the book
13 Things Strong Kids Do — Amy Morin, LCSW (Book · Ages 9–13) Mental strength, framed the way athletes like it: think big, feel good, act brave. Written by a therapist, with exercises short enough to actually finish. Find the book
OG Therapy (Podcast · Teens & parents) A longtime therapist co-hosts with a former NFL safety and friends, answering real questions from teens and parents. Straight talk from male voices with athletic credibility — a rare combination. Apple Podcasts | Spotify
On Our Minds — PBS Student Reporting Labs (Podcast · Teens) An award-winning podcast made by teens, for teens, about the real challenges of teen life and mental health. Peer voices land where adult advice sometimes can't. Apple Podcasts | Official site
The Happiness Lab — Dr. Laurie Santos (Podcast · Ages 15+) A Yale professor on the science of feeling better, with surprising research and great storytelling. Engaging enough that it never feels like homework. Apple Podcasts