A student told me the other day that he was having a tough time controlling his nerves before a match and that he was getting so worked up that he couldn’t think while he played and it was feeling all like a blur. He was hitting the wrong shots at the wrong time and felt like he had no control over the outcome. I am getting ready to head down to Charlottesville, VA tonight for the US 45+ Nationals, so the subject of how you prepare for a match is very much on my mind.
There are several keys to focusing yourself effectively for a match, and there are several things to avoid:
1) Focus on your strategy. A key component of “nervousness” is focusing on things that you cannot control, so don’t get consumed by what your opponents may or may not do. Instead of thinking of how you will respond to an opponent, think about the game you will impose on them.
2) Realize that your nervous thoughts are just that – thoughts. Thoughts are not reality, and you have the ability to pay attention to them or not. Great champions don’t pay attention to nervous thoughts – they realize that the brain will create these thoughts whether of not you want them and they just tune them out.
3) Develop a pre-match routine. This might involve light drilling, stretching, a good steam, healthy food and plenty of sleep – figure out what works best for you. Again, focus on your own preparation and don’t worry about your opponent. They are probably more nervous than you anyway.
Good luck!