Practice How You Play

Free image from Tania Van den Berghen at Pixabay

Are you experiencing game day struggles? Do you feel a wave of anxiety when you put on your uniform or competition gear? Do you excel at practice and crumble when it counts? Take a look at your routines for opportunities to refine your competition preparation in the following ways:

Look at the differences

Take a look at what elements are different about competition performances than practice. There may be differences in who is present or watching, the location, your warm-up, your mental preparation routine, your self-talk, what you wear, your eating habits, and many other factors. Think about how you can minimize these factors during practice. Try practicing in your competition gear once in a while in order to increase your comfort.

Practice with game day intensity

In order to get used to the adrenaline of game day, increase the intensity you play with in practice. Treat practice like competition. You can simulate the circumstances that may occur in your next competition such as down two points with one minute left on the clock or having to deliver a clear round to make it to the jump-off.

Examine what fuels your anxiety

Think about whether your nervousness builds when you are around other competitors or teammates that are anxious. The energy of those around us can have an impact. Parents, family members, friends, or crowds watching our performance or speaking to us before we compete can add additional stress. You may need some alone time to decompress and get grounded before you compete.

Utilize visualization

When it is not possible to simulate competition situations in your physical practice, you can practice mentally. When creating a mental image of game day, incorporate all of your senses. Think about what you will see, who will be there, what you will hear, what you will feel physically and emotionally, what you will smell, and what you will taste. Incorporating small details into your visualization practice can help you feel prepared and decrease performance anxiety.

For more information on creating routines that set you up for success on game day, contact Tonia at tonia@toniaandersonpsychology.ca or 587-224-4071.