Anxiety

• What is anxiety?

  A negative aspect of experiencing stress and can be caused in sport by apprehension
• What is competitive anxiety ?

  Worry / apprehension experienced during or about competitive experiences
• What is trait anxiety ?

  General disposition of a performance to perceive situations as threading

  Naturally anxious individuals will feel apprehensive
• What is state anxiety ?

  Occurs in particular situations

  Linked to performers mood and therefore varies from moment to moment
• What is SCAT ?

  Sport competition anxiety test

  Measures sport anxiety and how individuals responded to a stressful environment
• What is somatic anxiety ?

  physiological response

  Increase heart rate

  Sweating

  Blood pressure rises
• What is cognitive anxiety ?

  Thought of worry and concern over a perceived lack of ability to complete a task
• What is the zone of optimal functioning?

  Peak flow experience

  Area where performer feels movements are effortless and make right decisions quickly
• How to maximise ZOF?

  Relaxed

  Confident

  Completely focused

  Effortless

  Automatic
• What is cue utilisation ?

  Focus on relevant cues

  Not being distracted

  Linked to arousal levels

  Under or over arousal leads to focus on irrelevant cues