Overcoming Juvenile Pre-Race anxiety

Domer

Looking for some advice:

I coach kids, up to U.18 and some of them are not performing in races, eventhough they are doing great in training. I think it is caused by pre-race nerves and anxiety. I have tried to get them to take about 5 minutes before their race to clear their head and relax using autogenic techniques. This used to work for me. Are their other things that people do to help them relax before a race. I am thinking events from 400-1500.

Thanks in advance.
Domer

notsofast

Think the attitude of the whole group affects this, the athletes themselves as a group, the parents and the coaches. Anxiety can be a result of fear of failure because

- other kids in the group will slag them if they do "badly"
- they feel they have let their parents / coaches down because of pressure they are being put under to perform

Talk to the athletes as a group and encourage them to encourage each other, no matter how they perform, no slagging in training or competition.
Communicate with the parents (not easy I know, maybe indirectly via email) and let them know that the "Fun" element is being encouraged and that winning is not the be all and end all. There's always another race. A group that is having a bit of craic together are more likely to stick together and at athletics also.

ecoli

Domer wrote: »

Looking for some advice:

I coach kids, up to U.18 and some of them are not performing in races, eventhough they are doing great in training. I think it is caused by pre-race nerves and anxiety. I have tried to get them to take about 5 minutes before their race to clear their head and relax using autogenic techniques. This used to work for me. Are their other things that people do to help them relax before a race. I am thinking events from 400-1500.

Thanks in advance.
Domer

These are just a few general things and some may not apply

- Get the group to warm up away from the races as a group. Race atmosphere can be good but being exposed to it for too long nerves start to sink in and counteract the race day adrenaline.

- Don't discuss the races after. Whether an athlete did good, bad or indifferent congratulate them. If there are aspects of the races that need to be reviewed and worked on wait until the next training night to discuss them. Some athletes dread the thought of facing their coach after a race knowing they botched it more than the race itself.

- The odd inter club time trial can be no harm in terms of using it as a pressure free practice run for the kids so that they become more confident in race day routine.

- Get the athletes used to the venue if possible. Training sessions at tracks/ XC courses can just help an athlete think that the race is similar to a previous training session and can ease the nerves.

- Music and headphones can put an athlete in a world of there own and for me usually this is one I grew up on I would zone everyone and thing out during my warm up. For some it can focus them on task at hand while others it can offer a distraction. This would depend on the athlete.

- Try to remind them of the good training they have put in and remind them of their strengths as they can tend to focus on their weaknesses at times

- Remind them that a bad run is not the end of the world and just go out and do their best.