What is a ‘Sophomore Slump’ in Sports?
A “sophomore slump” is when an athlete performs worse in their second season than in their first season. Sophomore slump is often used to “explain” why a player struggles to maintain their high level of performance after a strong rookie year.
In such scenarios, the sophomore slump seems to take on a mystical quality, as if it is unavoidable and unexplainable. However, if a sophomore slump was a natural occurrence, all athletes would suffer the same fate.
Underperformance in an athlete’s second year has a more plausible explanation. After a highly successful rookie season, mental factors significantly impact an athlete’s second season, such as increased pressure, self-demand for perfection, unrealistic expectations, and an over-reliance on talent above work.
By tending to these influential mental factors, you can avoid the sophomore slump altogether. The first step is to set realistic season goals and focus on the process of improving steadily through the season.
This mentality or approach is referred to as a “growth mindset.” The second step is to dedicate time to learn and develop mental skills such as building confidence, managing stress and pressure, letting go of the perfection ideal, setting realistic expectations, and committing to the work and preparation necessary to achieve your goals.
UCLA Gymnast Katelyn Rosen found early success to start her collegiate career. During her freshman year, Rosen competed in the all-around seven times and ranked as the best freshman in the Pac-12 all-around standings.
However, Rosen performed well below her expectations for the majority of her sophomore year.
ROSEN: “After having such a phenomenal dream-type freshman year, there were a lot of expectations put on me. Usually, I welcome those expectations, and I thrive under that sort of pressure. But for whatever reason this year, it kind of cracked me a bit.”
After poor performances, Rosen stepped away from competing in the floor event to work on her fundamentals, improve her mental health, and rebuild her confidence.
ROSEN: “I am someone who’s going to spiral if something goes wrong. I’m going to overanalyze it from every single angle, and that usually takes me down into a dark place that I really don’t need to be.”
Later in the season, Rosen confidently returned to competition, performed a season-high 9.875 score on her floor routine, and helped UCLA win the 2025 Big Ten Women’s Gymnastics Championships.
The “sophomore slump” concept is an excuse, a way to shed responsibility for the level of an athlete’s performance.
The key is to take back control of your season. Start by recognizing that bad luck or some predetermined phenomenon doesn’t cause underperformance.
Taking responsibility for your physical and mental training, preparation, and performance is empowering and significantly improves the likelihood of achieving your goals.
To avoid the sophomore slump trap, follow these three steps:
- Focus on consistent growth rather than chasing perfection
- Take nothing for granted and know that success requires work.
- Build a strong mental game by learning effective goal-setting strategies, stress management techniques, and confidence-building habits.
These mental skills can help you consistently perform at your peak.
Related Sports Psychology Article
- How Athletes Can Use Self-Talk for Performance
- How this Self-Talk Hurts Athletic Potential
- How Self-Talk Can Help You Rebound
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