Tips for Staying Cool Under Pressure
by Melinda Burris

All athletes struggle at one point or another with anxiety before a big game or competition. The reasons for this can vary from knowing you are in a tournament or level of play where you are one loss from elimination to a competition that brings heavy media and exuberant fan reaction due to a long-standing rivalry between schools and/or conferences. Whatever the reason for the added pressure and the challenge to maintain mental focus that it causes, there are certain strategies athletes must adhere to if they are to succeed in stressful situations.

Physical therapist, athletic trainer and certified strength and conditioning specialist Alan Tyson has seen many athletes strive to cope with these added pressures and offers the following advice:

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Ultimately, playing well under pressure depends on you and your ability to remain cool and calm. Becoming emotionally high-strung before or during play can have a direct effect on your ability to perform because your body reacts to mental stress. The muscles tighten and you lose flexibility and agility just when you need them the most.

This can cause you to get caught up in a self-defeating cycle because your emotional response to your physical limitations increases your stress level and further undermines your confidence. As Tyson notes, “This is what it means to CHOKE! The athlete gets so nervous that he/she ends up performing tight and tentatively — a mere shadow of his or her normal self!”¹

External Factors Aren’t the Real Culprit

Tyson contends it isn’t a loud home team fan base, the high stakes or a particular game or competition, or even being outmatched by players that are larger and more aggressive that most affect your level of play. Instead, he argues “the true cause of your performance-disrupting nervousness” or “out-of-control nerves is you!”¹

Your ability to avoid psyching yourself out in the hours, days, and moments before competition begins is key to avoiding an elevated heart rate and blood pressure that can cause your performance to suffer and contribute to a loss of the composure and concentration you need to keep your head in the game. Tyson explains, “Nervousness is always caused by our inner response to the things that are going on outside of us.”¹ Whether you have trained to maintain focus and control your response to external stressors will ultimately determine if you prevail in these circumstances.

Even Elite Athletes Need a Routine

Three-time Olympic medalist and giant slalom champion Mikaela Shiffrin confirms she has had to confront her own issues with pre-competition nerves and bouts of low self-confidence. She has applied purposeful living principles to her approach to sport, even being spotted by television cameras doing yoga poses or napping between runs. Shiffrin admits that she still has “pre-race jitters” from time to time but asserts it is much more in control at this point in her athletic career.²

Shiffrin advises fellow athletes to find and stick with a pre-competition warmup that isn’t rushed or overly time-consuming. She encourages competitors to “Find your ideal sweet spot” to establish a preparation routine that allows you to begin each challenge at your very best.

Eight Tips for Keeping Cool and Calm Under Pressure

1. Concentrate on the here and now. Loose and relaxed play allows you to keep your focus on what you need to achieve in the moment.¹
2. If you notice your concentration is moving away from your current state of play to things that have happened in the past or a preoccupation with what the future could hold, you need to have the mental fortitude to return your focus to the present.¹ Failure to do this will cause a break in your concentration and result in poor performance.
3. Avoid the pitfall of comparing your abilities or performance to your opponents. This triggers nerves and takes your focus off your game plan for victory.¹
4. Once you find a routine that works for you, make sure to follow it, regardless of challenging external factors.²
5. Many athletes, including Shiffrin, find listening to music that boosts your energy level while also helping you to remain calm and focused is a powerful tool to help you ‘get into the zone.’²
6. Use the power of visualization to assist you in overcoming distractions caused by a frenzied environment.²
7. A support system that consists of people who will give you truthful, constructive feedback while also giving you the reassurance necessary to make you feel truly confident in your ability to succeed is essential.²
8. Remember to have fun! When you allow concerns over what is at stake to eclipse your joy and love for the sport, nerves are apt to kick in and make you lose the ability to harness your talents to effectively go for the win.¹

Don’t allow your thoughts to dwell on the upcoming challenge in the days and hours before the game or competition. Obviously, this can be easier said than done when the stakes are high, but by focusing your energy on other endeavors, you can avoid going into the competition with a preoccupation with all that may or may not happen and what the repercussions will be dragging you down before you even begin to compete.

It is a fact that no matter how well prepared you are, many factors will be out of your control. For instance, you can’t control weather conditions, unexpected illness or injury, the calls of the referees or judges, the reactions of the crowd watching, or coaching decisions. Tyson recommends making a list of these factors and placing them “in a highly visible place in your room.”¹ This list will serve as a reminder that there are many uncontrollable factors and if you let them, these challenges can lead you to fall into “mental traps”.¹ Recognizing that these challenges will arise will help you to take them in stride and remain focused on the things that are within your control, namely how you react to (or disregard) external stressors. By not allowing yourself to get caught up in the intangibles, you can concentrate on your game plan and perform to the best of your ability.

References:

1. Tyson A. (29 June 2020). Seven Tips to Maintain Your Focus during the “Big Game”

2. Athlete 365. (2022). How to Remain Focused During Competition.

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