Anxiety, Stress and Performance In Football

In today's football landscape, it's not sufficient to solely focus on physical preparation and skill development for players.

A holistic approach to development is now recommended, and in order to achieve peak performance in football, it is important to address not only the physical aspects but also the mental and psychological within a club's development programme.

Players and coaches, face high expectations, which can create immense pressure and occasionally lead to stress and various forms of anxiety. These challenges can impact individuals to different degrees.

Understanding the concepts of anxiety, stress, and their effects on sports performance is crucial for coaches. The relationship between anxiety, stress, and sports performance is a widely debated and researched area within sports psychology.

Here are a few tips to help you better understand and manage anxiety of the players you work with:

1. Normalise Emotional Challenges: It is normal for players to face emotional challenges and personal difficulties as they grow up. However, some individuals experience anxiety problems that significantly impact their lives, requiring additional support. Recognising that anxiety disorders are real and can affect young people, just like adults.
2. Recognise Different Responses: Players may respond to anxiety symptoms in various ways, which can make diagnosing the problem challenging. They might wonder if it's a passing phase or an anxiety disorder. Understanding these differences can help you better support and guide the players in your care.
3. Identify Triggers: Various stressful life events can trigger anxiety and anxiety disorders. Examples include starting a new school, moving to a new house, adjusting to a new sibling, experiencing loss, or changes in social groups. Recognising these triggers can help you understand and address anxiety symptoms.
4. Not Just Stressful Events: While stressful events often contribute to anxiety, it's important to note that some develop anxiety disorders without experiencing significant stressors. Anxiety can manifest without an obvious cause, so it's crucial to be attentive and provide support regardless of the presence of stressful events.
5. The Right Environment: It is essential to create a safe and empathetic environment where your players can openly discuss their feelings and seek appropriate help when needed.
6. Gain A Better Understanding: To understand how to reduce anxiety, it is essential to learn more about it. By understanding how anxiety works, you can help your players grasp why they feel the way they do. This knowledge empowers them to break free from the cycle of anxiety that worsens their problems.

Our course, Understanding Anxiety, aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of anxiety and stress in performance environments.

The course explores the theoretical foundations of these concepts and examines how they specifically apply to sports performance. By completing this course, you will achieve the following goals:

1. Develop an understanding of anxiety, stress, and coping mechanisms in performance environments.
2. Gain insights into the theoretical underpinnings of these concepts.
3. Relate the knowledge of anxiety, stress, and coping to your own experiences.
4. Increase your awareness of your role in supporting others during times of heightened anxiety and stress within the sports and performance context.

By taking a holistic approach and enhancing our understanding of these psychological factors, we can better support players, and optimise their performance on and off the field.