{"id":9072,"date":"2023-05-04T22:14:34","date_gmt":"2023-05-05T02:14:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=9072"},"modified":"2025-07-08T06:57:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T10:57:14","slug":"how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games\/","title":{"rendered":"How Young Athletes Can Win Close Games"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/close-games.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/close-games.jpg\" alt=\"How Young Athletes Can Win Close Games\" class=\"wp-image-9073\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/close-games.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/close-games-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Seeing_The_Game_To_The_End\"><\/span>Seeing The Game To The End <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games\/#Seeing_The_Game_To_The_End\" >Seeing The Game To The End<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games\/#Heres_how_athletes_can_wear_down_opponents_during_close_games\" >Here\u2019s how athletes can wear down opponents during close games:<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games\/#However_Medvedev_continued_to_battle_outlasted_Zverev_and_won_the_deciding_set_tie-break\" >However, Medvedev continued to battle, outlasted Zverev, and won the deciding set tie-break.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games\/#Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\" >Related Articles on Youth Sports:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games\/#The_Composed_Sports_Kid\" >The Composed Sports Kid<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>More than physical factors, mental factors affect the outcome of close games. Back-and-forth games are often a game of attrition or who can wear down their opponent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some athletes feel more comfortable during <strong>close competitions<\/strong> than other athletes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, some basketball players are better able to focus when the lead changes hands several times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Some golfers remain confident when they rise or fall on the leaderboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Young athletes can battle until the end of a competition when they are mentally prepared for tough competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We recently received an email from an experienced tennis player who asked, \u201cHow can I stay confident, calm and focused during a close, long tennis match? The longer the match goes, the more I become nervous, which throws off my game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For many athletes, as highly-contested competitions go on, the fear of mistakes and losing becomes the focal point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of trying to score, kids try to avoid making mistakes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They <strong>play it safe<\/strong> during critical moments of the competition, but the stress causes their bodies to tighten, increasing the likelihood of mistakes and bad decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The player with a mentally tougher mindset during competitive contests often wins by physically and mentally wearing down their opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Heres_how_athletes_can_wear_down_opponents_during_close_games\"><\/span>Here\u2019s how athletes can wear down opponents during close games:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Fully Prepare<\/strong> &#8211; When young athletes are prepared for battle, they will feel comfortable even as competitions drag on.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Work on Confidence<\/strong> &#8211; Confidence doesn\u2019t appear out of the clear blue sky. It is a skill that requires attention and effort.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Embrace Determination<\/strong> &#8211; Playing each point with resolve wears down opponents and helps kids grind out the victory.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Remain Patient<\/strong> &#8211; One play doesn\u2019t determine the outcome of a contest. If athletes lose a point, they need to reset, refocus, maintain their poise and battle for the next point.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, Daniil Medvedev saved two match points and beat Alexander Zverev 3-6, 7-5, 7-6(7) at the 2023 Rolex Monte-Carlo Masters for a third-round victory. The match was back-and-forth in both the second and third sets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"However_Medvedev_continued_to_battle_outlasted_Zverev_and_won_the_deciding_set_tie-break\"><\/span>However, Medvedev continued to battle, outlasted Zverev, and won the deciding set tie-break.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThat was a crazy match,\u201d Medvedev said. \u201cHe served two times for the match\u2026I tried to watch a lot of tennis before playing in this tournament, and one thing that I saw is you can come back at any moment\u2026That\u2019s what I managed to do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In all sports, victory doesn\u2019t always go to the most skilled player, the more talented athlete or the team with a better record. The player who often wins has <strong>strong mental skills<\/strong> and is mentally tough enough to wear down opponents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Adding mental training to young athletes regimen increases their chances of winning the battle of attrition during close competitions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In other words, mental training gives young athletes a distinct <strong>advantage<\/strong> over their opponents, especially in the closing minutes of a competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s essential to remind your young athletes that the player or team that wins a competition is better able to battle under pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Winning the war of attrition is a matter of winning the small battles. When young athletes win the majority of the small battles, they are more likely to be successful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Youth_Sports\"><\/span>Related Articles on Youth Sports:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/help-your-athletes-close-out-competitions\/\"><strong>Help Your Athletes Close out Competitions<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/a-sports-dads-9-year-coaching-experience\/\"><strong>A Sports Dad\u2019s 9-Year Coaching Experience<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-confidence-expectation-connection-for-your-athletes\/\"><strong>The Confidence-Expectation Connection for Your Athletes<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Composed_Sports_Kid\"><\/span>The Composed Sports Kid<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/composed-sports-kid-small-1.jpg\" alt=\"The Composed Sports Kid\" class=\"wp-image-11173\" style=\"width:170px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>&#8220;The Composed Sports Kid&#8221; audio&nbsp;and workbook digital download program for young athletes and their parents or coach helps kids cope with frustration and anger in sports. Help your sports kids learn how to manage expectations and let go of mistakes so they can keep their head in the game.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><strong>The Composed Sports Kid system<\/strong><\/em>&nbsp;is really two programs in one\u2013one program to train parents and coaches how to help their kids practice composure, and one program that teaches young athletes\u2013<em>ages 6 to 13<\/em>\u2013how to improve composure, let go of mistakes quickly, have more self-acceptance,&nbsp;<strong>and thus enjoy sports more<\/strong>!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-26bcd9b3\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-903b6244 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-confident-sports-kid-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-3275f4fd gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/confident-sports-kid-series-digital-version\/products\/the-confident-sports-kid-bundle-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Seeing The Game To The End More than physical factors, mental factors affect the outcome of close games. Back-and-forth games are often a game of attrition or who can wear down their opponent. Some athletes feel more comfortable during close competitions than other athletes. For example, some basketball players are &#8230; <a title=\"How Young Athletes Can Win Close Games\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-young-athletes-can-win-close-games\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How Young Athletes Can Win Close Games\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9074,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[309,301],"class_list":["post-9072","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-confidence-in-youth-sports","tag-pressure-in-youth-sports","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9072","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9072"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9072\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9074"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9072"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9072"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9072"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}