Forrester PE Dept

Fear

 

Fear Description:

Fear is an emotion induced by a perceived threat, which causes you to quickly pull away or, in sporting terms, usually hide.

 

Impact on Performance:

Fear produces negative thoughts, which directly impact on a sportspersons confidence. Winning and losing is so important in most competitive settings that fear of failure or fear of not performing well is at the forefront of an athletes mind. Athletes that are full of positive energy and excitement, relishing every challenge, are always the ones that outperform their negative and fearful counterparts. Confidence has a direct response to performance. If you fear an opponent or opposition then it is likely that your own performance level will drop significantly which will make it easier for opposition to compete. Having a fear of failure and lack of confidence can cause a player to become convinced that the coach will drop him for the next match. He will feel uneasy when the coach watches him play, because of a constant worry of what the coach is thinking. This will damage his performance, therefore forces the coach to replace him for the next match. The fear has been brought to life! Fear of failure prevents a player from pushing them outside the comfort zone. All top players take sporting risks even at the potential cost of jeopardising their performance. Risk taking is a fundamental component of being successful and it is only through bold and committed actions that sporting contests are won and lost. Fear of failure can cripple the player’s sense of adventure and the ability to take match-winning risks. The thought of making mistakes in front of teammates, coaches and spectators can be so paralysing that the player sits inside their comfort zone just doing the bare minimum. When the player refuses to push outside the comfort zone performances become reactive instead of proactive. Instead of taking positive risks, which empower the athlete to influence the contest, they allow the opposition to take control and dictate the direction of play.