Healthy Sports Parents How ADHD Shows Up In Kids and Impacts Youth Athletes (with Dr. Joey Case; Sports Psychologist)
Nov 19, 2025
Dr. Joey Case, Assistant Athletic Director of Counseling and Sports Psychology at Mississippi State, shares his expertise on ADHD's impact on youth athletes. He clarifies that ADHD isn't a character flaw and can be reframed as a challenge rather than a barrier to success. Dr. Case discusses how ADHD traits can actually be strengths in sports, while also providing practical strategies for parents and coaches to support kids. He emphasizes the importance of understanding behaviors misinterpreted as laziness and encourages focusing on the joy of sports rather than outcomes.
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Performance vs Clinical Mental Health
- Sports psychology and clinical mental health overlap but serve different purposes in athletes' lives.
- One optimizes performance while the other treats disorders that impair functioning across settings.
Mental Health Is A Continuum
- Mental health exists on a continuum just like physical health and changes day to day.
- A diagnosis doesn't mean life is over; people can live full lives while managing conditions.
Delay Early Specialization
- Avoid specializing children too early because it can create ego identity around sport.
- Preserve play and developmental focus before increasing competition and pressure.