Stress Management

• Stress (characteristics):

  • can help with alertness, motivation to practice and to gain a competitive edge
  • helps and athlete focus + prepare, focus + perform at an optimal level
• Eustress:

  • positive aspect/type of stress
• Effects of too much Stress:

  • can cause performance anxiety -> doesn't allow you to play relaxed, confident + focused in competition
• Sources of Stress:

  • Environment Demands: coach, crowd or crowd pressure
  • Perception of Environmental Demands: individual makes judgements on specific requirements of a situation
  • Stress Response (physical + psychological): individual may experience a reaction -> cognitive or somatic i.e. worry, doubting ability, shaking
  • Actual Behaviour: individual will execute the skill -> how well will depend on psychological state
• Sources of Stress (Sporting Stressors):

  • performing a move that caused injury last time
  • competing in a match with a famous personality
  • referee making bad decisions
• Types of Anxiety:

  Cognitive: thoughts of worry or concernSomatic: physiological/behavioural response