As the weather cools and sports light up our screens almost every night of the week, it’s the perfect time to spotlight an important, yet often overlooked aspect of youth athletics and competitive sports: performance anxiety. No sport is immune to performance anxiety—whether you’re on the basketball court, soccer field, tennis court, golf course, swimming pool, gymnastics mat, track, or ice rink, athletes in every discipline can experience the pressure to perform.
While being an athlete comes with many perks: team camaraderie, discipline, resilience; it can also bring significant mental and emotional stress. Perfectionistic tendencies, pressure to perform, and fear of failure are just a few of the psychological hurdles young athletes often face.
So how can we support both athletes and their families as they navigate these challenges?
A typical day in the life of a young athlete often involves early mornings, grueling training sessions, strict diets, and constant competition. While physical demands are obvious, it’s the mental pressure that often weighs the heaviest. In fact, the mental piece is often what sets apart the “good” athletes from the “great” athletes who excel both on and off the field; resilience, focus, and the ability to manage stress can be just as crucial as physical ability in achieving success.
Performance anxiety is often referred to as “choking,” “mental blocks, “freezing under pressure,” or “balking” and is a form of stress or nervousness that occurs before or during athletic performance that typically shows up before or during competition or games, but can also make an appearance at practices. It can cause physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweaty palms, or trouble focusing, and mental symptoms like negative self-talk, indeciveness, self-doubt, and overthinking. While a little anxiety can sometimes fuel better performance, excessive anxiety can be a major obstacle. So where does it come from?
Common Triggers of Performance Anxiety:
- High or unrealistic expectations (from coaches, family, or themselves)
- Fear of failure or letting others down
- Previous negative experiences (like a poor performance or injury)
- Intense internal pressure to “always win”
- Competing in front of large crowds or audiences
- Comparisons to other athletes
- High-stakes competitions, championship games, or tryouts
Understanding these triggers is the first step toward helping athletes manage anxiety and thrive. The good news is that performance anxiety isn’t just manageable—it’s something you can overcome and even harness to your advantage. With the right mindset and strategies, those nerves can fuel your focus, sharpen your edge, and propel you to new heights, turning what once felt like a hurdle into a powerful tool for success.
Strategies like positive self-talk, mindfulness, and breathing exercises can help athletes stay calm, confident, and focused. Creating routines, strategic goal setting, reframing pressure as opportunity, prioritizing recovery, and working with a sports psychologist or mental skills and sports performance coach can also be a game changer!
Parents play a key role too, by normalizing conversations about mental health, emphasizing growth over results, maintaining balance, planning ahead, and prioritizing sleep, they can support their child’s well-being and performance.
At InSight, we believe peak performance is about more than just physical training, it starts with mental strength. Our Sports & Performance Psychology team helps athletes build confidence, manage pressure, and find balance on and off the field.
Resources and Reminders:
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988 (U.S.)
Can call or text
988 Lifeline
Semicolon Society
Encourage anyone to reach out to a trusted adult if they experience overwhelming stress or thoughts of self-harm.
Mental health is part of athletic performance. Seeking support is a strength, not a weakness.
