We often hear this scenario from sports parents…
“My son is a top player but cannot perform any longer in matches when there is a crowd watching. He is 17, however he is as tight as a drum when playing matches now.”
“He still wins but says he only gets 20% of his ability to come through because he’s so tight. He loses to better players because of tightness. What can we do?”
This young athlete–like many others–struggles with social approval, which means he worries about how others may be judging his game.
When he worries about what others think about his performance, he is distracted from the game at hand and unable to focus and play his best.
He might worry about looking foolish in front of so many people or making a mistake in matches. Either way, such worries cause kids to perform tight and try to avoid mistakes.
When young athletes worry about what others think, they can’t focus 100% on the game. They become afraid to make mistakes and take risks. They struggle with playing intuitively and freely, which is when they play their best.
The first step is to talk to your athletes and find out what they’re thinking… Are they worried about:
- Making mistakes in front of the crowd?
- Losing the game?
- Looking foolish in front of others?
- Embarrassing themselves?
- Gaining your approval?
- Not letting down coach or teammates
Next, find out when they think about others and what assumptions they are making about what others MIGHT BE thinking. This is key.
We call this process mind reading. Identifying the assumptions they make is a big step in helping them avoid worrying so much.
Once you have identified your athletes’ assumptions, it’s time to help kids focus on the game at hand. They need to challenge these assumptions and you can help inject some reality. How do they really know others might be judging them?
Remind your athletes to focus on performance cues, such as footwork, committing to the game plan, and tactics. Remind them to focus on seeing the ball early and anticipating each shot.
By focusing on the small important objectives, your athletes are less likely to worry about others’ judgements.
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One-on-one mental performance coaching is the fastest and most effective method to improve your athletes’ mental game, boost their performance, and make lasting changes. And as a bonus, parents learn what to say to help young athletes feel confident and thrive in sports. Please call us at 888-742-7225 with your questions.
Contact Peak Performance Sports Today
Please contact us today to learn more about individual mental coaching programs for serious young athletes on a mission to greatness. Contact us at Peak Performance Sports or call us toll-free: 888-742-7225 for details.
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