Erasing Fear From Your Game
Last weekend, I participated in volunteering my time to help a young player’s tournament.
At the event, I was inspired from the enthusiasm and concentration displayed before me. Children from all walks of life converged inside the small arena to showcase their talent for all to see.
It always amazes me when I see young people embrace the sport I love. Their innocence isn’t unnoticed as they strive to become superstars in the sport of table tennis. Their confidence may come from them not understanding what fear is all about. After all, they had to conquer other fears such as falling and loud noises first.
Fear can handicap your game to a point where you are playing against two opponents – the player opposite from you and the fear in your head.
From this fear, many continue to suffer in developing their game. This fear can cause you to play too conservative, make mistakes you normally don’t do, or even become injured.
The most important thing you must do to beat your fear is to deal with it.
Realize that while it’s perfectly normal to be nervous, there’s nothing to fear but fear itself. If it goes unchecked, it will rob you of enjoying the sport you love playing.
Take a moment to breathe deeply for a minute. Breathe in through your nose and exhale out of your mouth.
It helps to also give a pep talk to yourself. Tell yourself that you are the best. I personally do this while I’m brushing my teeth in the mirror. This will help you play better during crunch time situations in a match.
Stretch out to loosen up. Visualize yourself as being the champion. By practicing these steps, you’ll start to focus on what’s important and perform at your peak.
