Nurturing Youth Athletes: Balance, Confidence, and the “Less is More” Approach
In this episode of the Inner Athlete Podcast, Trent Pirihi chats with Brandon from Soma Performance and Fitness about supporting youth athletes in today’s high-pressure sports environment.
From preventing overtraining to fostering confidence, their conversation is packed with practical insights for parents, coaches, and young athletes alike.
Connecting for Long-Term Success
Trent and Brandon emphasize that youth athletes are human beings first, not just performers on the field.
Their shared goal is to prepare kids for long-term success, not short-term accolades.
Brandon works with athletes aged 10–18 across a variety of sports, including basketball, hockey, soccer, swimming, and more.
“Sport is part of their life, but not their life essentially.” – Trent
The Three Pillars of Development
Brandon’s approach centers on three key pillars:
Speed – enhancing athletic performance
Strength – building physical resilience
Confidence – naturally emerging as skills improve
“As we help athletes get stronger and faster, they naturally become more confident.” – Brandon
Supporting Adolescents Through Complexity
Adolescents juggle school, training, competitions, and social growth.
Key strategies for supporting them include:
Monitoring signs of overtraining (fatigue, mood changes, decreased performance)
Educating parents to observe daily patterns
Ensuring downtime for creativity, play, and social interaction
“Parents’ words carry weight. Even if kids seem resistant, they absorb encouragement or pressure.” – Trent
Addressing Eating Disorders and Athlete Health
Brandon highlights his work with an athlete-focused eating disorder program.
Integrating training into recovery can help prevent relapse and teach athletes to manage intensity effectively.
Common factors leading to disordered eating include:
Environmental pressures and trauma
Desire for control
Overtraining and restrictive eating
“Early on, performance might peak, but without balance, overtraining catches up.” – Brandon
Recovery: Less Can Be More
One of the most important lessons is the “less is more” approach.
Over-motivated athletes often train too much, which can hinder progress.
Effective strategies include:
Treating recovery as part of training, not a break
Listening to the body to know when to push and when to rest
Offering low-intensity, enjoyable alternatives on off-days (skill practice, recreational play, or fun exercises)
“If you never give yourself time to recover, you’re never going to see the true benefit of training.” – Brandon
Bringing Joy Back to Sport
Structured training dominates modern youth sports, leaving little room for unstructured play.
Programs like Joy in Sport encourage kids to enjoy movement without competition, helping combat stress and perfectionism.
“Sometimes the best thing we can do is let them enjoy being a kid again.” – Brandon
Key Takeaways for Parents and Coaches
Focus on balance, confidence, and long-term health
Monitor training loads and watch for early signs of overtraining
Encourage recovery and unstructured play
Remember: words and support from parents carry real impact
By prioritising these principles, youth athletes can thrive on and off the field, building not just performance, but resilience and joy in sport.
Listen and Learn More
To dive deeper into these insights, listen to the full podcast episode 121 - Why Less Training Can Lead To More Success:
🎧 Listen on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/4rKc2kWC6WfsCSOdGKJf6T
👉 Watch on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TgMXK-LAzUY
Got questions? Contact our team to see how we can support your child’s athletic journey:
📧 [email protected]
