When we talk about success in sport, we usually think of physical fitness, technique, and tactics. But what happens when an athlete who is in peak physical condition simply cannot perform at their best? Petra Rajković Vuletić, a coach with experience working with young athletes, shared her thoughts on the role of mental health in sport — and why coaches must be part of that conversation and how Mindfit project helped her.
Mental Health Is Just as Important as Physical Preparation
“For me, mental health in sport is just as important as physical preparation, maybe even more so,” says Petra at the start of the interview. “An athlete can be in perfect physical shape, but if their mind is full of worries, fear of making mistakes, or they are under great pressure — they won’t give their maximum on the field.”
According to her experience, mental health means that an athlete has the capacity to deal with losses, recover from pressure, and stay motivated in the long term. Without that, Petra says, “you will lose your athlete in the long run.”
Sports Organisations Still Don’t Give Equal Importance to Mental Well-Being
When asked whether sports organisations currently attach equal importance to mental well-being as they do to physical performance, Petra was direct: “There is honestly no progress in any way visible. Because of that Mindfit was an innovative approach because included missing topics”
While there is increasing talk of psychological support at the highest levels of sport, at club level — where most coaches work — mental health only becomes a topic when something has already gone wrong. “Mental health still comes only when something has already happened — when an athlete breaks down or leaves,” Petra explains. “There is almost no stand-alone and preventive approach. We focus more on physical injuries, but on mental health we do not have any approach or tools.”
The Biggest Obstacle: A Culture of Silence and Stigma
Petra believes the biggest obstacle to open conversation about mental health is the culture within sport itself — a silent norm that dictates that a coach must be strong, that problems are solved through work alone, and that showing vulnerability means weakness.
“The stigma exists among athletes and us coaches,” she emphasises. “I worry about it sounding unconvincing or wrong, or somehow doing more harm than good.” Even when she wants to help, Petra admits to feeling unsure of her own competencies: “I am not educated for that. I don’t always know how to open that conversation, what to ask and what not to ask — and when I can actually do it.”
A Practical Approach: Small Steps with a Big Impact
Despite the challenges, Petra has found ways to incorporate mental health care into her everyday coaching practice. “It will never be a priority that takes up the whole training session, but thirty minutes at the end, or even a minute or two, five minutes after training for some individual conversation — that’s something I can do, because of that Mindfit is very good.”
Her approach is discreet and empathetic: “When I notice something, I talk quietly without a group, asking if everything is okay, if they need someone to talk to.” This, she says, gives athletes permission not to pretend that everything is fine if it is not.
Petra pays particular attention to warning signs in younger athletes — increased irritability, excuses, changes in their communication, a player who makes a mistake and runs away from their teammates rather than staying with them. “A lot passes by me that I don’t see clearly now, but through the conversation I start to see more clearly.”
What Would Actually Help Coaches?
Petra is clear about what she lacks: concrete materials and tools tailored to the sports context. “I have almost no materials. Nothing is served to me,” she says. Rather than general exercises in psychology, Petra would like content that addresses specific scenarios and situations that happen in sports — how to react when a player makes a mistake, how to build resilience in a team, how to recognise when an athlete is struggling.
Format matters too: “Short videos, something simple, visually appealing and tailored — especially for the younger generations.” Such modules would facilitate general mental health care without requiring any special preparation, making them more accessible than going to a psychologist.
“That would actually facilitate the implementation of those thirty minutes,” Petra concludes, hopeful that projects like MINDFit will help bridge the gap between need and practice.
Key Messages for Coaches
Three key messages emerge clearly from the conversation with Petra for all coaches who want to support the mental health of their athletes:
Resilience doesn’t come from gritting your teeth — it comes from a sense of safety, support, and the ability for athletes to be honest about how they feel. Coaches don’t need to be psychologists, but they can create an environment where athletes feel comfortable seeking help. And finally, even small steps — brief conversations, attention to changes in behaviour, simple tools — can make a huge difference.