Developing Young Leaders: Performances Anxiety
September 23, 2024
Developing Young Leaders: Performances Anxiety
How to identify when you are preparing for practice vs the game
This week, we talked with the kids about performance anxiety—a normal and even helpful response when the stakes are high, like in a big game or competition. Anxiety helps us focus and prepare, but the problem arises when we feel it in everyday situations, like practice or small tasks. This creates unnecessary stress and stops us from taking risks, limiting growth.
Giving ourselves space for growth
One of the kids shared how they felt anxious every time they had to write, no matter how small the task. Another talked about how practice felt as stressful as a real game because they didn’t want to make mistakes. We discussed how this mindset affects their ability to improve. When we treat practice or small activities like the high-pressure moments, we don’t give ourselves space to learn and grow.
Practice in the parking lot before hitting the highway
Our analogy for this week was learning how to drive. When you first start driving, you learn in a parking lot, not on the highway. The parking lot is a place to make mistakes, take risks, and build confidence through little wins. As we continue to gather those wins, we eventually feel ready for the highway—the big moments that require all we’ve learned. It’s okay to take risks in the parking lot because that’s where you grow the most, you are driving slower and there really isn't anything to hit.
Below are pictures of the Westborough 7th and 8th grade girls' soccer team, with whom we focused on strength, stabilization, agility mobility, along with a lesson on performance anxiety in our Young Leader Development series. Caroline Queenan helped lead the session and shared her own experiences, which provided valuable insights and made the lessons even more relatable and beneficial for the players.
Don’t forget, we’re hosting a Youth Resiliency Workshop this Friday from 1-2:30pm. We have less than 10 spots left, and it’s free to all members. We’ll dive deeper into managing anxiety, stress, and building mental strength. This workshop will help kids learn how to approach challenges both in practice and in life with confidence. Sign-up here.
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