“Performance anxiety is a commonly shared experience among athletes. The sooner you talk about it, the sooner you will be able to accept it and move on.”

The pressure to perform on game day can be debilitating, exhilarating, and testing. 

As female athletes, not only do we aim to perform to our utmost ability, but we also have something to prove.

In 1973, American tennis sensation, Billy Jean King, accepted a challenge that would bring women’s sports equality to the spotlight. 

King battled the retired male professional tennis star, Bobby Riggs, a known misogynist and anti-female sports voice, in an event known as the Battle of the Sexes. 

90 million people watched as King beat Riggs with confidence and skill. In this match, she proved to the world that women should have an equal place in sports. 

The amount of pressure on King was immense, but she was a leader for women in sports and needed a warrior mindset to carry her to victory. 

King did not focus on the win or loss, her opponent, or the millions of eyes on her. She focused on what she could control: the way she plays her game.

Female athletes in every sport can learn from King’s mindset. 

In high school, I had an experience with a cutthroat coach. 

The kind who would substitute players after one mistake. 

The pressure to not make a mistake made me make more mistakes. 

I constantly felt insecure in my ability to perform, but I’d remind myself that I could only control how I play – not the decisions of my coach.

Finding the right mindset to push through game day anxiety takes time and thought.

But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. 

Today, I’m going to share my Top 4 Tips for managing performance anxiety.

If you struggle with a racing heart, anxious thoughts, and the fear of messing up on game day, please keep reading.  

Be Present

Look beyond scrutiny and hold onto confidence.

When you are competing on game day, the only thing that matters is the present moment. 

Though easier said than done, being present allows you to focus on the current play at hand. 

Try to center your attention on the moment’s thoughts, actions, and feelings. Embrace your past mistakes as learning opportunities and move forward with a clear mind.  

Doing so will keep your previous errors in the past and block them from haunting your future.

Positive Visualization

My biggest fear as an athlete was making crucial errors in games. 

As a team captain and lead scorer on my water polo team, I had to play my best in every single game. 

Competing at a high level in every moment required serious mental strength. Somehow, I was able to push through the pressure and lead my team all the way to state finals. 

Visualization helped, a lot.

Try This:

During playoffs, I would visualize epic game-time plays before and after each practice. I’d watch YouTube videos of Water Polo Olympian, Maggie Steffens, out-play all of her opponents. 

Afterward, I’d close my eyes and visualize what she did, but replace her face with mine. 

Instead of the pool at Stanford, I would be at the high school championship pool. 

It would be my teammates passing the ball, and me shooting for the win.

Positive visualization prepares your mind for what’s to come. If you can focus on your execution before competition, your actions will follow suit.

Support Your Teammates

Your teammates are your biggest fans. 

Supporting your teammates and being confident for them can be the most effective tool for winning games. 

A good teammate is one that instills faith in the players around them. 

Show your teammates that you trust them and they will do the same for you.

Try This:

If you feel anxious or insecure before games, find relief in the players around you.

Talk about your game day jitters with your teammates. 

You might find that one of your teammates feels nauseous before games, while another gets sweaty. Some of my former teammates ate entire bags of Skittles to help them calm down. 

Not sure how that helped.

But still…

Performance anxiety is a commonly shared experience among athletes. 

The sooner you talk about it, the sooner you will be able to accept it and move on.

Focus on Fun

Most of us began playing sports because it’s fun!

Stressful tryouts and games can be difficult to overcome, but having fun enables you to play freely. 

The best practices are the ones where you drown out all external stressors and fully immerse yourself in your love for the sport. 

Don’t allow the scoreboard or an error stop you from enjoying the game. 

All in all, just focus on competing with yourself and having fun with those around you. 

Remember that every athlete gets a little jittery before games. 

Remember these tips before you next big match, and the rest will follow.