OVERTRAINING IN STUDENT-ATHLETES: DO COACHES AND PARENTS “PUSH TOO HARD?”

The occurrence of the overtraining syndrome emerges as one of the most important issues in sport. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence of overtraining in sport university students and to examine the connection between the occurrence of this phenomenon and the behavior of coaches and parents. The study includes 107 students who have been competing in sport disciplines for more than two years. The results indicate that 19.6% of them have experienced overtraining syndrome and that the syndrome is more likely to occur in men and athletes who train individual sports. Overtraining occurs in one third of the athletes by the age of seventeen. Overtrained athletes perceive coaches and parents as individuals who push too hard. Suggestions for changing the behavior of coaches and parents of young athletes with the aim of preventing the occurrence of overtraining have been discussed.