Their father pulled them off the mats and took the family to Costa Rica. No schedule. No competition. When they came back, the passion that had driven them since age three returned stronger than ever. They went on to become two of the most decorated grapplers of their generation.
Not Tired. Burned Out.
Burnout is not the same as being tired after a hard practice. It's a distinct clinical condition — and one of the primary reasons children stop playing sports permanently.
A state of physical or mental exhaustion and a reduced sense of accomplishment that leads to devaluation of the sport itself — identified as one of the primary reasons children stop participating in athletics altogether.
Extended training that exceeds the body's ability to recover can disrupt endocrine, neurological, cardiovascular, and psychological systems simultaneously. In children, whose bones, muscles, and tendons are still developing, this toll compounds in ways it never does in adults.
“Even though we were little kids just starting off, our parents told us we were unstoppable. We genuinely thought, 'Alright, we're the best then.'”
— Kade Ruotolo
Research finding: Young athletes who experience severe burnout are more likely to develop negative associations with physical activity that persist into adulthood — long after the sport is over.
Seven Signals to Watch For
Many of these can be mistaken for laziness or attitude problems. They're not. Tap each sign to learn more — and flag the ones you've noticed in your athlete.
0 of 7 flagged — tap to mark signs you've noticed
The AAP is explicit: burnout is a physiological condition, not a character flaw. Pushing through the signs typically makes it worse.
The 1-Hour Rule
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a simple ceiling: a child should not train more hours per week in organized sport than their age in years.
How old is your athlete?
The AAP “1-Hour Rule”: max weekly training hours = athlete’s age in years — a 1:1 ratio
Early sport specialization — focusing on a single sport year-round before ages 12–14 — is one of the strongest predictors of burnout and dropout in youth athletics. A 6-year longitudinal study found it also impedes broader motor development that makes athletes more durable and adaptable over time.
Why the Break Worked
The Ruotolos didn’t just rest — they did the opposite of training. It turns out this is precisely what the science prescribes. Tap each moment to expand it.
Four Principles for Every Parent and Coach
Burnout is identified as one of the primary reasons young athletes leave sport permanently — and the window to intervene is narrow.
Watch enthusiasm, not just performance
An overtrained child often still performs — for a while. The early warning signs show up in attitude and affect before they show up on the scoreboard.
Protect their other sports
Surfing and skating weren't distractions for the Ruotolos — they were part of what made them. Multi-sport athletes have fewer overuse injuries and lower burnout rates.
Honor the break
Two months off felt like a risk. It was a rescue. The AAP recommends 2–3 months away from a primary sport per year. Rest is not the enemy of development — it is part of it.
Let them own their sport
Children who feel their participation is their own choice are significantly less likely to burn out. The sport should feel like theirs. Because it is.
“The goal of youth athletics is not to produce champions at 12. It is to produce people who are still training, still competing, and still in love with physical challenge at 22, 32, and beyond.”
— Calhoun GA Grappling Club