How to Reduce Competition Anxiety

   It’s Day 2 of Nationals and your team has a great shot at winning. They had a great performance Day 1 and are currently in the lead. Everyone on the team is very excited and ready to show what they have been working so hard for all season. During warm ups, several athletes on the team are talking about how important this performance is and how much the team needs to hit the routine to win. Unfortunately, once the team hits the floor, they have a less than stellar performance and end up dropping several places.
    This example can be very frustrating for the coaches, athletes, as well as the parents and spectators. While some amount of anxiety is a normal and can be a good way to improve performance, too much anxiety can hinder performance and result in negative effects.
    There are several strategies that a coach or athlete can use to help reduce the occurrence of high levels of competition anxiety.
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Reduce the Importance of Winning

• Yes, this is a competitive sport and winning is and should be important. But if too much emphasis is placed on winning, this could cause an increase in the amount of anxiety an athlete experiences.
• Focus on hitting the routine first. Hitting a flawless routine should be the main focus.
• Athletes can’t always control if they win or not. There are times where a perfect routine does not win, and the athletes need to understand that.
• Focus on the individual and team goals that have been set. While these goals may include winning, it may also include no stunt bobbles or tumbling touch downs. These smaller aspects of competing can make an athlete feel like they succeeded, even if they did not win the competition.
• Reward the efforts of the athletes, not just the outcome of the competition.
• As athletes realize that you are happy with their effort and good performance, regardless of outcome, this will help to reduce their anxiety on competition days.​

Recognize the Individual Needs of Team Members

• Observe your athletes, you may notice that some athletes have their own unique way to prepare for competitions
• Some athletes may need to be calm and relaxed prior to competition, while others may need to be more energized or psyched up. Recognizing these differences will allow you to adapt your coaching style to fit all personality types.
  • Build confidence and try to calm the athletes who need to relax
  • Use high energy, motivational remarks to energize the athletes that need to be psyched up
• Build some time into your pre-competition routine to allow time for these athletes to get themselves mentally ready individually

Reduce Uncertainty in a Competition Environment

• Help athletes prepare for all possible competition scenarios, including “worst-case” situations
  • Music cutting off mid routine
  • Longer or shorter time between warm up and performance
  • Stunt/pyramid falls and how to get back into the stunt
  • Injuries, illnesses, other scenarios where the routine may be stopped
• Develop and practice coping strategies for each situation so the athletes will know how to respond
• If the situation arises in real life, the athletes will be better prepared, more confident, and less anxious, thereby increasing their chances of performing well under non-ideal circumstances

Conclusion

• Eliminating all anxiety completely in a competitive environment is not possible, nor beneficial. A little bit of anxiety is a good thing.
• Managing anxiety and limiting the likelihood of athletes experiencing too much anxiety will benefit performance
• Practicing coping strategies for difficult situations will help to reduce anxiety
• As competition anxiety is reduced, athletes will feel more comfortable in competition situations, leading to more confidence in their abilities, therefore performing better.