Question:
Coach calls me a "Wednesday All-American." I am a great performer in practice, but on game day I fall apart. I get really nervous before a game - my hands sweat, I have butterflies in my stomach, and my heart races. This usually goes away after a while but it really interferes with my performance early in a contest and somtimes comes back during high pressure situations later in the game. Is there anything I can do?
Answer:
The reactions you have noticed in your body are normal responses of your body to situations that you perceive to be important. You should know that most athletes have this response to competition, although all athletes have their own stereotypical ways of responding. Some athletes look at this "activation" of their body as signs of excitement and exhiliration, others see it as signs of anxiety or fear. Thus, one thing you can do is try to change your attitude about the meaning of the activation. Accept it as a normal consequence of competition and try to enjoy it. If you still decide that you want to relax a little more, good-old deep breaths are still one of the best ways to calm down. Take as much air into your lungs as you can through your nose, then slowly blow it out your mouth to a count of ten. A few of these should help slow your racing heart and calm the butterflies. (By the way, regular practice of deep breathing will make this more effective). Lastly, try focusing your mind on what you need to do during the first few minutes (or moments) of the competition. Often, athletes become over-anxious because they are focusing too much on the possible outcome (win or loss). If you concentrate on the things you actually need to do, you will probably become less anxious. After all, you have practiced your sport thousands of times and you should have confidence that you can execute whatever it is you need to do. To review:
- change your attitude about signs of "nerves."
- take a few deep breaths.
- concentrate on the early parts of the game.
For more help learning psychological skills for dealing with
anxiety, please contact HSPS.