What does trauma-informed practice look like in sport?

Sport has the potential to be an incredibly positive part of someone's life. It can provide connection, belonging, confidence, identity, purpose and opportunities to challenge ourselves.

But sport is not automatically a safe or positive environment for everyone.

For some people, experiences within sport may involve bullying, humiliation, discrimination, abuse, excessive pressure, injury, exclusion or the misuse of power. Others may bring experiences of trauma from outside sport into their sporting environment.

These experiences can influence how someone responds to pressure, authority, criticism, physical contact, competition, mistakes and relationships with coaches or teammates.

This is where trauma-informed practice becomes important.

Being trauma-informed does not mean treating every athlete as though they have experienced trauma. It does not mean avoiding challenge, removing competition or lowering expectations. Instead, it means recognising that people's experiences can influence how they feel, think and behave, and creating sporting environments that prioritise safety, trust, choice and respect.

Ultimately, it asks an important question:

How can we create an environment where people can challenge themselves, develop and perform without compromising their psychological wellbeing?

What is Trauma-Informed Practice?

Trauma-informed practice is an approach that recognises the widespread impact of trauma and understands that people may respond to difficult experiences in different ways.

Rather than focusing solely on what someone is doing, it encourages us to consider what might be influencing their behaviour and what they might need to feel safe and supported.

This does not mean making assumptions about someone's history or trying to identify trauma in every athlete. It means remaining curious, compassionate and aware that we rarely know the full story behind another person's behaviour.

For example:

• An athlete who appears disengaged might be struggling with anxiety or feeling unsafe
• Someone who reacts strongly to criticism might have previous experiences that make criticism particularly difficult
• An athlete who avoids certain training situations might be responding to something that feels threatening or overwhelming
• Someone who appears highly compliant might be uncomfortable challenging authority or expressing their needs.

None of these behaviours automatically indicates trauma. There may be many explanations. However, a trauma-informed approach encourages us to respond with curiosity rather than immediately labelling someone as difficult, unmotivated or lacking mental toughness.

The UK Government's working definition of trauma-informed practice identifies six key principles: safety, trustworthiness, choice, collaboration, empowerment and cultural consideration. These provide a useful foundation for thinking about how sport can become a more supportive environment.

Why Does Trauma-Informed Practice Matter in Sport?

Sport can involve intense physical and psychological demands. Athletes regularly experience evaluation, competition, uncertainty, pressure, physical contact, failure and the possibility of injury.

These challenges can be valuable. Learning to manage discomfort, respond to setbacks and perform under pressure is part of sporting development.

However, there is an important distinction between constructive challenge and experiences that undermine someone's sense of safety, dignity or control.

For example, a coach may believe that shouting at an athlete will motivate them. Another athlete might experience the same behaviour as intimidating or threatening. Public criticism might be intended to highlight an area for improvement, but it could leave someone feeling humiliated or exposed.

The impact of an interaction is not always the same as the intention behind it.

This is particularly important in environments where there are significant power differences. Coaches, managers, selectors and other authority figures can have considerable influence over an athlete's opportunities, identity and future.

The 2024 International Olympic Committee consensus statement on interpersonal violence and safeguarding in sport highlights the importance of trauma- and violence-informed practice, athlete voice, trust and collaboration. It also recognises that harmful behaviours and expectations can become embedded within sporting cultures.

A trauma-informed approach therefore goes beyond how one coach communicates with one athlete. It also involves considering the wider culture, expectations and structures within a club, team or sporting organisation.

Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Practice in Sport

So what might trauma-informed practice actually look like? Here are six principles and examples of how they can be applied within sporting environments.

Safety: Creating an environment where people feel safe

Safety is about more than preventing physical injury. It also includes psychological and emotional safety.

Athletes should feel able to make mistakes, ask questions, express concerns and seek help without fearing humiliation, punishment or retaliation.

In practice, this might mean:

• Challenging bullying, discrimination, intimidation and humiliating behaviour
• Avoiding unnecessary public criticism or personal attacks
• Establishing clear expectations around physical contact, changing facilities and personal boundaries
• Making sure athletes know who they can approach if something feels wrong
• Taking concerns seriously rather than dismissing them as part of the sporting environment

It is important to remember that a person can be physically safe but still feel psychologically threatened.

Trust: Being consistent, honest and predictable

Trust develops through relationships and repeated experiences. It is built when people do what they say they will do, communicate honestly and respond consistently.

For athletes, uncertainty around selection, expectations, feedback or consequences can create additional stress.

Coaches and sporting organisations can build trust by:

• Explaining decisions and expectations clearly
• Being consistent and fair in how rules are applied
• Following through on commitments
• Communicating changes as early as possible
• Responding respectfully when athletes raise concerns

Trust does not mean that athletes will always agree with decisions. It means they understand the process and feel that they will be treated fairly and respectfully.

Choice: Giving athletes a voice and a sense of control

Sport involves situations where athletes have limited control. They cannot always choose the opposition, selection decisions, competition conditions or the outcome.

However, there are many areas where meaningful choice can be encouraged.

For example:

• Asking athletes how they prefer to receive feedback
• Offering choices where possible within training activities
• Checking before using physical contact to demonstrate a technique
• Involving athletes in decisions about their development
• Respecting appropriate boundaries when someone feels uncomfortable.

Choice does not mean that every athlete gets everything they want. Coaches still have responsibilities, standards and decisions to make. The important point is to involve athletes wherever possible rather than assuming that authority automatically gives someone the right to make every decision without discussion.

Collaboration: Working with athletes rather than simply directing them

A collaborative environment recognises that athletes have valuable knowledge about their own experiences.

Coaches bring expertise, experience and technical understanding. Athletes bring their own perspectives, feelings, needs and ambitions.

Both matter.

Collaboration might involve regularly asking athletes how they are finding training, inviting their views on development goals, discussing challenges together and making space for honest conversations.

It also means recognising that an athlete's experience of a situation may be different from the coach's intention.

A simple question such as “How did that feel for you?” can sometimes open up a much more useful conversation than immediately telling someone what they should have done differently.

Empowerment: Recognising strengths and building confidence

Trauma can leave people feeling powerless, particularly when difficult experiences have involved control, coercion or a loss of choice.

Sport can offer opportunities to develop confidence, agency, connection and a sense of achievement. However, this is more likely when athletes feel that their contributions and perspectives are valued.

Empowerment might involve:

• Recognising effort, progress and personal strengths rather than focusing exclusively on results
• Encouraging athletes to express their opinions
• Supporting them to set meaningful goals
• Helping them develop confidence in making decisions
• Avoiding language that makes an athlete feel defined by their difficulties.

The aim is not to make athletes dependent on a coach or support professional. It is to help them develop the confidence and skills to understand themselves, make decisions and take an active role in their own development.

Cultural consideration: Understanding that experiences are different

There is no single way that people experience, understand or respond to trauma.

An athlete's experiences may be influenced by their background, culture, gender, disability, sexuality, age, family circumstances, previous experiences and wider social environment.

A sporting environment that feels welcoming and supportive to one person may feel uncomfortable or inaccessible to another.

Trauma-informed practice therefore involves being willing to listen, challenge assumptions and recognise that one approach will not work for everyone.

It also means considering the sporting culture itself. Are certain behaviours normalised? Are some athletes given more opportunities to speak than others? Are stereotypes influencing how people are treated?

Creating an inclusive environment requires more than expecting individuals to adapt to the culture. Sometimes the culture itself needs to change.

What Does This Look Like During Everyday Sporting Situations?

Trauma-informed practice is not necessarily about introducing complicated new programmes or changing every aspect of training. Often, it is reflected in small, everyday interactions.

Consider a few examples:

An athlete makes a mistake during competition.

Rather than publicly humiliating them or questioning their commitment, a coach can provide clear, constructive feedback and help them understand what they can learn from the experience.

An athlete becomes visibly distressed during training.

Rather than immediately labelling them as weak or unprofessional, the coach can check in privately, listen and explore what support might be helpful.

An athlete is reluctant to participate in a particular activity.

Rather than assuming they are being difficult, the coach can ask whether there is a concern, explain the purpose of the activity and explore appropriate alternatives where possible.

An athlete raises a concern about a teammate or member of staff.

Rather than dismissing the concern or protecting the reputation of the team, the organisation should take it seriously and follow appropriate safeguarding procedures.

These examples are not about removing accountability or avoiding difficult conversations. They are about recognising that the way we communicate and respond can have a significant impact on how people experience sport.

Trauma-Informed Does Not Mean Trauma Therapy

This distinction is particularly important.

Coaches, managers and sport psychologists can all contribute to creating trauma-informed environments. However, being trauma-informed does not mean that everyone working in sport should attempt to provide trauma therapy.

There is a difference between recognising that someone's experiences may be influencing their wellbeing and attempting to treat the effects of trauma.

Coaches should not feel responsible for investigating an athlete's history or trying to resolve traumatic experiences. Equally, sport psychologists need to work within their professional competence, training and scope of practice.

Some athletes may benefit from psychological support around confidence, performance anxiety, emotional regulation, identity, relationships or the challenges of participating in sport.

Others may need specialist assessment or trauma-focused treatment from an appropriately qualified mental health professional.

Where necessary, collaboration and referral are important. An athlete should not have to choose between receiving support for their sporting development and accessing appropriate help for their wider mental health.

Confidentiality, safeguarding responsibilities and clear professional boundaries also matter. If someone discloses abuse, harm or an immediate risk to themselves or others, appropriate safeguarding and referral procedures must be followed.

The Role of Sport Psychologists

Sport psychologists have an important role to play in supporting trauma-informed practice.

This may involve helping athletes understand how difficult experiences influence their thoughts, emotions, physical responses and behaviour within sport.

It may also involve working with coaches and teams to develop communication, improve psychological safety, strengthen relationships and create environments where athletes feel able to speak openly.

For some athletes, the psychological challenges they experience in sport may be connected to experiences outside sport. For others, the sporting environment itself may have contributed to their difficulties.

The starting point is not to make assumptions. It is to listen, understand the individual's experience and work collaboratively within appropriate professional boundaries.

As sport psychologists, we should also be prepared to reflect on our own practice. Are we creating opportunities for athletes to have a voice? Are we respecting boundaries? Are we making assumptions about what resilience, confidence or commitment should look like?

Being trauma-informed is not about getting everything right. It is about remaining open to learning, recognising the impact of our behaviour and being willing to adapt.

FINAl thoughts

Sport should challenge people. It should provide opportunities to develop resilience, learn from mistakes, manage pressure and discover what they are capable of achieving.

But challenge should not come at the expense of someone's dignity, safety or wellbeing.

A trauma-informed sporting environment does not remove standards, expectations or accountability. It recognises that people are more likely to develop and perform when they feel respected, supported and able to contribute.

Perhaps the most important shift is moving away from asking:

“What's wrong with this athlete?”

And becoming more curious about:

“What might this athlete be experiencing, and what can we do to support them?”

That small change in perspective can make a significant difference.

Because ultimately, sport should be about more than performance. It should be an environment where people can develop, belong, feel valued and thrive; both as athletes and as individuals.