Press Release Summary = Pressure is part of all sports and its impact in youth
sports is something we need to carefully evaluate. Is there simply too much pressure
put on kids to early? I don’t think so. As we evaluate the physiological aspects of
pressure, the kid’s psychology, our own beliefs, and effective ways to deal with
pressure, I’ll let you know why.
Press Release Body = Pressure is part of all sports and its impact in youth sports
is something we need to carefully evaluate. The spotlight is brightest in baseball;
there is simply no place to hide. For the pitcher, batter, catcher and anybody the
ball is hit to, all the attention of parents and peers is riveted on that player. In
soccer, basketball or other sports, it’s easy enough to “blend in”, but not in
baseball. I have tremendous respect for every kid who takes the risk and goes out to
play ball – especially the kids who are not as talented; it’s not easy. Is there
simply too much pressure put on kids to early? I don’t think so. As we evaluate the
physiological aspects of pressure, the kid’s psychology, our own beliefs, and
effective ways to deal with pressure, I’ll let you know why.
Understanding Each Child – There are genetic, constitutional, and other factors that
influence the pressure an individual will feel in any situation and their reaction
to that stress. Some of us may have been born "nervous", “happy”, “emotional”, or
even "grouches." Almost certainly we are by nature prone to be shy or outgoing, and
we also inherit a propensity for certain psychological effects, including our
reaction to stress. So, we have to expect that each child will be impacted by and
deal with pressure situations differently. It is imperative to judge each child as
an individual.
The easiest thing to do is very simple – just ask the kids. You may be surprised at
how honest the answers will be. Here are some questions to try:
1. When the game is tied and you’re playing in the field, do you want the ball
to be hit to you or would you prefer that the ball is hit to one of your teammates?
2. If your team is losing by one run in the bottom of the last inning, the
bases are loaded, and there are two out, do you want to be at bat?
3. If you’re on deck in the same situation, do you want your teammate to win
the game or do you want a chance to get to the plate?
4. Would you prefer your teammate make the last out of the game so that you
don’t have to bat with the game on the line?
Projection of Parents, Friends and Relatives – Projection is one of the defense
mechanisms identified by Freud and still acknowledged today. According to Freud,
projection is when someone is threatened by or afraid of their own impulses so they
attribute these impulses to someone else. I know many parents who prefer their child
not come to bat in a tough situation just in case their kid makes the last out.
While this is very easy to understand since we all want to protect our children, it
often isn’t the kids feeling the pressure, but the rest of us.
Dealing With Pressure – One misconception though with performing under pressure is
that stress always has a negative connotation. Many times, "the stress of
competition may cause a negative anxiety in one performer but positive excitement in
another". That is why one frequently hears how elite players' thrive under pressure,
when most others would crumble. As individuals, our nervous systems differ; however,
according to Richard Dienstbier at the University of Nebraska, we may be able to
modify our physiological reactions by learning coping skills. Not surprisingly,
exercise and sports participation are commonly considered as activities to reduce
stress from other areas in life. However, if a child is feeling pressure while
playing sports, here are some solid stress relief techniques they can employ:
1. Visualization – Before a game, visualize yourself in stressful situations
and dealing with them successfully. During the game, you can remember back to how
you’ve already dealt with this situation and are mentally prepared for it,
visualization is simply a shorter version of meditation.
2. Breathing – If a kid is feeling stressed during a game, feeling less anxious
can often be as simple as taking a few deep breaths. Deep breathing is a very
effective method of relaxation. It works well in conjunction with other relaxation
techniques such as Progressive Muscular Relaxation, relaxation imagery and
meditation to reduce stress.
Conclusion - A lot has been made of the impact of pressure in youth sports and the
negative impact, but much of this is simply projecting a parent or relative’s
individual beliefs on the situation. While you can argue that I’m doing the same
thing, but in reverse, I in fact take a different position which is: 1) to
acknowledge that pressure does exist, but 2) to determine how each individual child
can deal with the situation. Only by knowing each child can you determine if the
situation is, in fact, distress rather than an adrenaline producing pressure moment
which the kid loves.
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