How to Work Through Baseball Anxieties
Would you describe yourself as an “anxious” athlete? Do you also experience a great deal of anxiety in your personal life?
For many ball players, anxiety has a profound effect on their personal life and competitive life.
Athletes today feel overwhelmed by the circumstances surrounding the coronavirus. They experience a lot of anxiety during softball or baseball games.
Many players, coaches and parents from our Softball and Baseball Mental Toughness Survey identify anxiety as a major roadblock to consistent play on the field.
For instance, one player asked, “I tend to fall apart when the pressure is on. What are ways to relax and clear your head at pivotal moments in games?”
We receive similar questions frequently regarding anxiety. Recently, many players are experiencing a similar anxiety response dealing with the uncertain circumstances of the coronavirus:
“I have been a nervous wreck while being stuck at home. I have no idea what to do at home or why do anything if the season might be cancelled?”
The anxiety you experience is rooted in your focus on the future outcomes….
- What might happen in an at-bat?
- What might happen if I walk the bases loaded?
- What might happen if I make another throwing error?
More specifically, you play out possible scenarios in your head: “If I throw another wild pitch, my coach will lose faith in me and will replace me as the closer. If that happens, I may never earn a college scholarship.”
Or “If I strike out with the bases loaded, I will lose the game for my team and my teammates will be mad at me. My coach will probably bench me too.”
When you feel high anxiety, it is impossible to focus on trusting your pitch or swing. The tension in your muscles affects the fluidity in your mechanics and impedes performance.
The anxiety you feel due to the coronavirus is similar. When you focus on all the uncertain outcomes, anxiety increases…
What if my season is cancelled? Will I be able to play in college next year? How long will it take for my swing to feel right?
When you think about all the possible outcomes, the anxiety becomes overwhelming and will prevent you from putting effort into staying in game shape at home. Managing anxiety is critical to be on top of your game.
You can attack anxiety in two ways: (1) Focus on the process or what you can do right at this moment and (2) learn relaxation strategies to calm your mind and body.
Managing anxiety is an aspect of performance Boston Red Sox third baseman Rafael Devers has paid particular attention to over the past few years.
DEVERS: “[Anxiousness] is something I’ve been working on since I’ve been here. I’ve been working with previous people in the organization that led me to some of my breathing techniques that I do now. But it’s all about controlling myself. I know it. It’s still there and I’m still working on it. But I have gotten much better at it.”
Managing anxiety is a critical component of peak performance.
Learning to relax will help you minimize distractions, keep you immersed in the moment and give you the confidence necessary to play BIG in BIG moments.
Managing Your Anxiety Level
Learn how to use relaxation strategies during games, such as deep breathing, can give you confidence in your ability to maintain your poise under stress.
Progressive relaxation is a relaxation technique that will help to relax your body. And relaxing your body, can help you relax your mind and ease anxiety.
In addition, stay focused on your daily practice or training program. You will play ball again, it’s just a matter of time.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How to Counter Anxiety in Baseball
- How Pregame Anxiety Changes Your Game
- How to Manage High Expectations
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Instilling Confidence in Baseball And Softball Players
Confidence, more than any other mental game attribute, is vital for your team’s success. If your players have it and know how to keep it, they maximize their success. Your team cannot reach their full potential unless each player can harness the power of stable and enduring self-confidence–so your team can perform as a confident team.
Your players might possess a ton of physical talent, have great coaching, and train harder or practice more than anyone else in your league, but if they do not have the self-confidence to match, your team can’t utilize this talent.
“Instilling Confidence in Baseball and Softball Players” program consists of one 72-minute audio CD that includes 7 days of confidence-fueling exercises. You’ll also receive a simple-to-follow 74-page coaches’ manual that guides you through the 7 team session you’ll conduct!