This post was written by Hannah Sanders, ATC, certified athletic trainer, Parkview Sports Medicine.
Game days bring out the best in us. They are a culmination of everything we’ve been practicing in our sport or activity. Our adrenaline gets pumping, and we feel like we can accomplish anything. The flip side of the coin is that these opportunities are also full of high expectations, pressure and anxiety. In this article, we will discuss different techniques for calming nerves and anxiety that surround gameday performance.
Methods
The techniques I recommend most often are:
- Positive self-talk
- Imagery
- Thought stopping
- Breathing techniques
Utilizing these skills will help you control excessive worry and intrusive thoughts so you can perform at your very best. Just like your sport or activity, these skills will require practice and repetition, but over time you will develop a healthy habit of reframing your mindset before a big event. Having these tools in mind will set you up for success and, as Troy Bolton once said, “get’cha head in the game.”
Positive self-talk
Practicing gratitude and mindfulness are some ways to increase positive self-talk. Instead of doubting yourself or your abilities, try reframing negative thoughts into positive ones. Here are some examples:
Mindfulness
Negative thought: That team is so much better than us, there’s no way we can win.
Positive thought: I’m going to do my absolute best today because I’ve worked hard all week in practice. I’ve got this.
Gratitude
Negative thought: This field looks awful, and I know I’m going to get injured; we should’ve just canceled.
Positive thought: I’m so thankful I’m able to play in the game today and that the opposing team was able to make it.
Try this: Write out all your negative thoughts and feelings on a piece of paper. Take a bold marker/pen/pencil and cross out the negative thoughts. Rewrite positive thoughts underneath the negative ones and keep those positive thoughts handy for when you need a reminder.
Imagery
When practicing this skill, it’s important to ground yourself in a happy place. Think of your favorite vacation, your most amazing play of the game, coming back stronger from an injury, celebrating with friends, or any other scenario that makes you feel calm and relaxed. The imagery should include all five senses: smell, taste, touch, sight and sound. You can also pair this skill with the breathing techniques we will discuss next.
Here is an example of imagery, set on a beach:
Feel the ocean breeze, the warmth on your skin from the sun, and the smell of saltwater. Listen to the seagulls in the distance and notice the calm crashing of waves on the shore. The sand feels soft on your feet as you walk along the beach to your favorite spot.
Breathing techniques
Try one of these methods for calming breathwork:
Pursed lip breathing: Purse your lips as if you’re drinking from a straw and breathe through your mouth. Repeat 10 breaths in a row. This is a great breathing technique if you feel your anxiety rising to an uncontrollable level and you have difficulty breathing.
Box breathing: As you breathe, imagine you’re going around a box. Inhale for 5 seconds as you go up one side of the box. Hold your breath for 5 seconds as you travel across the top. Exhale for 5 seconds as you go down the other side of the box. Hold for 5 seconds as you travel across the bottom. Repeat as needed.
4-7-8 breathing: Inhale for 4 seconds, hold your breath for 7 seconds, exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat.
Practice these techniques before a big game or performance. Pick out 1-2 of your favorites and work them into your daily routine. Before you know it, these skills will become second nature and you will notice a huge difference in pre-game anxiety. If you find that you need additional resources, seek help from a trusted mental health professional.
