Strategies for Coping with Sports/Performance Anxiety

It is normal to feel anxious before tryouts, a big game, or a test in school. Our mindset can have a major impact on us achieving our goals. Being able to understand our anxiety and learn strategies to manage that anxiety can help us reach our full potential. A healthy amount of anxiety can help us prepare for the important event. Too much anxiety can lead to feeling overwhelmed and wanting to avoid activities or even shutting down.

Here’s 5 strategies to help us manage our anxiety:

1. Be mindful of symptoms of anxiety

When we are feeling anxious our fight/flight/freeze response is activated. We can pay attention to how your body feels (heart rate, shaking, sweating, feeling on edge, nausea, muscle tension). Understand that these feelings are normal and our body’s way of getting us prepared. Be aware of when these symptoms start. It could be days in advance, the night before, or the hours leading up to the event. Try to reflect on previous stressful situations to better understand how your body responded so that you can be more aware for the next time. Remember that sports are supposed to be fun. If our anxiety is leading to us having panic attacks, not sleeping at night, or feeling overwhelmed, it is a sign that our anxiety is too much.

2. Develop relaxation strategies

Relaxation skills (deep breathing, muscle relaxation, mindfulness, meditation) are a great way to keep calm. When we are already feeling anxious it can be hard to remember these strategies, so it is best to practice them beforehand when feeling calm. If our nervous system can remain calm we are better able to live in the moment and think in a more rational way.

3. Positive self-talk

When feeling anxious it is easy to engage in negative self-talk (What if I fail? or What if I let my team down?). Our thoughts impact our feelings and behaviours. If we can catch ourselves engaging in negative self-talk and shift our thoughts to something like “I got this” or “bring it on,” we can improve our confidence and reduce our anxiety.

4. Establish a pre-game/test routine

We can reduce our anxiety by making sure that we are prepared as much as possible. Getting a good night’s sleep, eating healthy, and practicing/studying can help us feel more prepared. Making sure that we have everything prepared and organized the night before can help. Set alarms or reminders to ensure we do not feel rushed beforehand. Creating a playlist of positive and upbeat music can help keep us relaxed and in the moment. All of these strategies can help set us up for a better, more calm experience which can reduce anxiety overall.

5. Set realistic expectations

Setting the bar too high can lead to excessive pressure and anxiety. Be sure to set realistic expectations and celebrate our successes, no matter the size. In the days leading up to the game or exam, we can determine what we think is realistically attainable and what we would be satisfied with achieving. We will not win every game or ace every test, but we can work towards improvement. Sometimes, we can feel pressure from parents or peers. Having open communication with others about expectations can also reduce our anxiety.

Written by: Justin Beahm, Social Worker with Wildflowers