Under pressure the mind does strange things and the athlete sometimes climbs aboard a mental roller coaster that renders that player out of control! How does this happen?
1. The pressure of wanting to win leads to a following thought; my opponent is trying to cheat me out of that win.
2. See above only it is the referee.
3. Commentators often point out the physical toll the game takes, but it takes a mental toll as well.
4. Having seen many champions in their prime, the mental part of their game was strong and mostly because they were playing well. It is fun to play that way. Some of those same champions when the skills started to deteriorate, were not the same mentally as they strove for any “edge” they could get including ref baiting, victimizing opponents with mind games, etc.
So how do you keep your cool? From personal experience in my playing days to now as a coach, these points or tips will help.
1. Keep your mind smooth with no ripples, like the calm-water surface of a pond.
2. Practice mental toughness in practice. Put yourself behind 8-0 or ahead 8-0 or at a 10-10 tiebreaker. Rehearse that shot selection. Often when in a panic, players take too many chances from deep court when they did not have to.
3. Practice process not outcome. Finish practice games with perfect passes or kills, not on an opponent’s mistakes. Soon you will do the same in tournaments.
4. Along with 3, stay in the now, not the past (how did I miss that setup?) or the future (only two more points to go!).
5. Practice the 3 Fs after a bad shot. (Fudge! Fixit! Forget it!) (this tip stolen from Mia Hamm)
6. Do not play an opponent; play the ball!
7. Find a ritual before serving and receiving serve and don’t copy someone else’s if you can help it. Make it yours!
8. Train harder to get in better physical condition. It is hard to focus mentally if you are physically tired.
9. Before your match, find a quiet place and mentally rehearse your strategies, and your match. short naps help immensely if you have the time.
10. Have fun, it is a game. Win or lose, it is a game!
Go get’em Tigers!