You've practiced. You put in the work. You know the plays, the drills, the skills. But the moment game day hits, everything changes. Your heart races. Your stomach flips. Your hands even start to shake. And suddenly you're not just playing the game. You're fighting your own mind. What if I mess up? What if I let my teammates down? What if all the work I'm putting in still isn't enough? If you've ever felt that pressure, that fear of falling apart before you even step onto the field, the court, or even the stage, this episode is for you. Today, we're talking about sports anxiety and how to stop the game day nerves with a routine design to help you feel calm, focused, and ready to show up like the athlete you are. Let's go! Let's go! And welcome back to Block Out the Noise, the go-to podcast for teens and young adults who are ready to quiet the noise of anxiety, self-doubt, and overthinking. I'm Jessica Davis, a licensed therapist, mindset coach for teens and young adults, and the creator of The Courage Method, a framework designed to help you take control over your thoughts, trust yourself, and build the confidence to move forward. If sports or performance anxiety has ever made you question yourself, shut down, or want to And just a quick reminder, this podcast is here to support and guide you, but it is not a replacement for talking to someone in real life. If you're struggling with mental health, please reach out to a therapist. And if you're in a crisis, contact emergency services or a local helpline. You don't have to go through it alone. Also, if you need more support between episodes, you can download the free anxiety survival toolkit linked in the show notes. It's full of practical tools you can use when anxiety starts to take over. All right, let's cut through the noise and get started. Sports anxiety doesn't mean you're weak. It means you care. And you wouldn't be alone in that. Simone Biles, one of the most decorated gymnasts of all time, once said, I say put mental health first, because if you don't, then you're not going to enjoy your sport. Michael Phelps talked about the weight of expectations and how it impacted his performance, saying he struggled with depression and anxiety for years, even while winning gold medals. Naomi Osaka stepped away from tournaments to prioritize her mental health, sharing that the pressure from media and competitions had taken a serious toll on her well-being. These athletes aren't weak. They're world class and they still struggle. This should tell you that at some point, every athlete will go through some type of anxiety or mindset issues. Because when you care about something, when you've trained for it, dreamed about it, and push yourself to the edge for it, it can feel really intense when you're going through performance anxiety. It's not about a lack of skill. It's about managing the mental game that comes with the physical one. I was a pretty good basketball player growing up, but I didn't think I deserved recognition. I thought I was just supposed to play a supporting role, honestly, to kind of just stay small, but still seen, but not really seen. Looking back, I now know that that mindset wasn't about humility. It was fear. Fear of not feeling supported by the coaches that I had. Fear of standing out. Fear of the weight that comes with a great game and the expectation that comes along with it. Sometimes it's not the fear of failure that holds us back. It's the fear of success. If you're in that place right now, afraid to show your full talent, unsure if you're good enough, or letting the nerves take over your performance, this next part will help you. It's all about building a mindset that supports your performance instead of tearing it down. The best part of what I'm going to share is you can use it not only in sports. It can help in every aspect of life. But I think that's the power that sports can have in your life. The skills, the routine, the resiliency that you build when you play sports can be used to overcome and manage life challenges. So this routine that I'm going to share with you is inspired by elite athletes all around the world. It's designed to help you feel more grounded, confident, and focus under pressure. Let's walk through it step by step. One, lock in your pregame ritual. Find two to three consistent actions that calm your body and settle your nerves. It might be putting on your gear in the same order every time, listening to a specific playlist that you you in the zone, or doing a short warm-up you've memorized. Serena Williams ties her shoes a very specific way before every match. NFL quarterback Tom Brady is known for his detailed pregame routine, including body prep, mental visualization, and breath work. He has said these rituals help him feel mentally locked in before every game. These small rituals tell your brain, we're safe, we've done this, we're ready. Step two, visualize like a pro. Spending two to three minutes before every game, picturing yourself performing with confidence. This can look like you imagining making the shot. It could be you communicating with your team effectively, or it could even look like you recovering from a mistake with focus, not frustration. Jack Nicklaus, one of the greatest golfers ever, used visualization before every swing. He saw the shot before he took it. Kobe Bryant was also known for using visualization as a key to his mental preparation. He would mentally rehearse entire games, visualizing the crowd, the plays, the pressure. So by the time he stepped on the court, it felt familiar. He once said, visualization is the key to success. You have to see it first before it becomes a reality. Your brain responds to mental practice almost just as much as physical practice. The more you see it, the more your body believes it. Three, create a power statement. Have a phrase you repeat to yourself before you compete or even while you're competing. Something like, I've done the work, I trust myself. Breathe, focus, let's go. Or, I belong here. Olympic sprinter, Alison Felix, used the phrase, I'm enough, to silence her doubts, not just on the track, but in life. Ralph Nadal is known for repeating mantras and using body language rituals before serves to stay mentally ready. Your voice is the one you hear the most. Make sure it's cheering you on. Four. Focus on the next play. Mistakes will happen. And that's not a maybe. That's a promise. The key isn't to avoid mistakes. It's to not let them take you out of the game. When something goes wrong, acknowledge it. Take one breath. Focus on the next play. Novak Djokovic said... I had to learn how to forgive myself quickly. Every second I stayed mad at myself, I wasn't present for the next point. Peyton Manning emphasized how his team focused on one play at a time, saying dwelling on past plays would only lead to more mistakes. You don't win games by being perfect. You win them by staying present. What's one thing you want to feel more of during your next game? Is it confidence? Is it calm? focused. Now ask yourself, what part of this routine can help you build that? Pick one tool today. Practice it during a practice, a scrimmage, or even just a tough school day. Because this isn't just about sports. It's about showing up in your life with the same focus, confidence, and care you bring to the game. Let's recap. You don't need to get rid of nerves to play well. You need to know what to do with those nerves. Today, you learned how to build a pregame ritual that signals confidence, use visualization and power statements like elite athletes do, and focus on the next play, not the last mistake. Anxiety likes to make you think that you're not ready, especially in these type of situations, but really you just care. If this episode gave you something to try before your next game, I would love it if you shared it with a teammate who might need it too. Because in all honesty, we all can use a boost of mindset when it comes to managing some new challenge. And I believe every game is a new challenge. And if you haven't already, go grab the free anxiety survival toolkit in the show notes. It's packed with strategies to help you feel calm and confident no matter what life throws at you. Until next time, keep moving forward, trust yourself, and never forget you have what it takes to block out the noise.