New Year, Same Sport? Why It Might Be Time to Reset More Than Just Goals

There’s something about January that makes everything feel like it’s up for review. Closets get cleaned, planners get purchased, smoothies get made—and for a brief moment, we believe we can get it all together.

But while adults are chasing their own version of a fresh start, something often gets overlooked: our athletes might need a reset, too.

Not just in their stats or skills, but in how they’re feeling about their sport. And in how they’re carrying the emotional load of being an athlete, especially in a world where sport rarely takes a break.

Because let’s be honest: the calendar flipped, but the pressure didn’t.

They’re still training. Still juggling school. Still trying to protect a spot, recover from injury, impress coaches, or simply keep up. And they’re doing it all without the natural pauses we used to have between “seasons”—because for most athletes today, there are no true seasons anymore. It’s just constant. Club. High school. Extra training. Repeat.

And while they may not say it out loud, the new year can bring with it a quiet wave of dread: “How am I going to keep this up?”

As parents, we want to encourage them. Motivate them. Tell them this is the year they level up. But before we jump straight to goal setting, maybe we pause and ask a different question:

“How are you actually feeling about your sport right now?”

Because if we’re being real, athletes aren’t machines. They don’t hit January 1st ready to grind with perfect mental clarity. A lot of them are still tired. Still doubting. Still carrying the weight of pressure—spoken or unspoken—to keep going.

And yet, sports culture rarely makes space for that.

The narrative is usually: new year, new PR. No excuses. Keep working. Don’t fall behind.

But what if January wasn’t about doing more? What if it was about doing it differently?

This is the perfect moment to teach your athlete that rest isn’t a reward—it’s part of the plan. That reflecting on what worked and what didn’t is just as important as setting goals. That reconnecting with joy matters just as much as improving skill.

Go on a walk with them. Ask how they’re feeling—not how they’re performing. Let them talk about what feels heavy, what feels exciting, what they hope this next chapter looks like. And then listen without jumping into fix-it mode.

Let them know it’s okay to start the year slowly. That resetting doesn’t mean giving up—it means showing up more fully. That they’re allowed to prioritize their mental game, not just their physical performance.

Because the athletes who thrive long-term? They’re not the ones who white-knuckle their way through every month. They’re the ones who know how to pause. Reflect. Shift. Reconnect.

So if your athlete seems a little off right now—more irritable, less motivated, more stressed than usual—this might be the perfect moment to zoom out.

To check in on how they’re doing, not just what they’re doing.

And if that conversation feels tricky—or if they don’t have the words yet for what they’re feeling—there’s help for that. Quiet, steady, stigma-free support that won’t treat them like a project to fix, but a person to care for. The kind that reminds them they’re more than their next tournament or time trial.

It’s a new year. Let’s help them step into it as a whole person—not just an athlete trying to keep up with the pace.