Pressure is pervasive in sports. The moment of performance is a time to "stand and deliver." Performance conditions produce pressure.

     Pressure-packed situations in sports are inevitable. Major events add pressure, distractions, and anxiety. Within events, critical points and pressure situations arise. Athletes cannot avoid pressure. Pressure is part of the fabric of competitions. The issue is managing the stress.

     Athlete’s behavior reflects the pressure in various ways. Under pressure, athletes frequently lose focus and concentration. The pressure of performance hits some athletes before a competition begins. These athletes become absent-minded or careless. They may lose focus and perform poorly.

     Other athletes feel the force of pressure in a competition, possibly after an error or a missed opportunity. They start to worry, then follow a rapid progression, becoming agitated, distracted, and confused.

     Athletes’ reactions to stressful situations vary widely. Confronted with pressure, some athletes handle it, and even use it as a catalyst to high performance. Others stress out and become overwhelmed, resulting in a decline in performance.

     Good pressure performers execute intelligent play under pressure. They see the whole field of action. They know which tactical strategy to use. They exercise good judgment and remain in control. These qualities do not leave or become absent under pressure. They become sharper.

     Athletes can be trained mentally to handle pressure. To develop resistance to pressure, athletes need to imitate the mental strategies that peak performers use to manage pressure. This process of duplicating the mental strategies of top performers is called modeling.

     Those who are highly effective under pressure are the Teflon performers. They act immune to the heat and pressure of critical situations. By learning certain mental strategies, athletes can replicate the reactions of top performers.

     With the season rapidly on the way, we need to begin this process of modeling now. I have enclosed the first exercise, which needs to be begun as soon as you receive it. This will take two weeks to complete. You will need to monitor your responses to stresses throughout your day; taking tests, dealing with teachers, parents, bosses, ect. Even though this isn’t a competitive setting, your reactions to stress are basically the same and what you learn from the exercise can be translated to athletics. If you are participating in a fall sport, you are at a distinct advantage. You can monitor your reactions to practice and game stress.

     My best suggestion is to get a small spiral bound notebook (they are about a buck in any drug store) and keep it with you throughout the day. At the end of two weeks, I will call a meeting to discuss our next step.