How Coaches Can Help Athletes With Performance Anxiety

If you coach youth athletes, you've seen how pre-race anxiety can derail even the most prepared competitors. You want to help, you offer reassurance, encouragement, reminders of their training, but nothing seems to stick. The nerves persist, and sometimes your attempts to calm them down seem to make things worse.

Research shows reassurance often bounces right off anxious athletes and sometimes makes things worse [1]. When an athlete's nervous system is activated, their brain isn't in a state to process rational reassurances like "You've done the work" or "You'll be fine." The well-meaning phrases that work for calm athletes often intensify anxiety for those already spiraling.

The problem isn't that you care too much. Most coaches simply haven't been taught what actually works when an athlete is caught in the grip of performance anxiety. The traditional coaching toolkit: pep talks, reminders of past success, encouragement to "just relax" wasn't built for the neuroscience of anxiety. But there's good news: evidence-based strategies exist that genuinely help anxious athletes perform better. And they're more practical than you might think.

Pre-Race Anxiety Is Common (And Normal)

Research shows that 30-60% of youth athletes experience pre-competition anxiety with physical symptoms [2]. Stomach issues, racing thoughts, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating are the most common complaints coaches hear on race day.

Anxiety disorders affect about 1 in 5 adolescents [3]. When you add the unique pressures of competitive sport, pre-race anxiety becomes one of the most challenging issues coaches report seeing. Adolescent brains are still developing. The frontal cortex responsible for planning, impulse control, and emotion regulation doesn't fully mature until the mid-20s [4]. Puberty activates genes related to anxiety, and hormonal changes intensify emotional experiences. For many youth athletes, performance feels like identity. How they do in sport feels like who they are as a person.

The Problem Isn't the Anxiety. It's the Interpretation.

Athletes who view anxiety as helpful consistently outperform those who view it as harmful [5]. This distinction matters more than most coaches realize. It's the athlete's interpretation of what those butterflies mean that determines whether nerves become fuel or friction.

When an athlete interprets pre-race nerves as "my body is getting ready to perform" or "this matters to me, so I'm feeling activated," they experience focused energy and better performance. But when that same athlete interprets those exact same physical sensations as "something is wrong with me" or "I'm not ready," they experience avoidance behaviors and worse performance.

Your job as a coach isn't to eliminate performance anxiety. It's to help athletes reinterpret what pre-race anxiety means.

6 Evidence-Based Strategies to Help Athletes With Pre-Race Anxiety

1. Build Pre-Race Routines

Pre-race routines are one of the most effective tools for managing performance anxiety [6]. They give anxious athletes something concrete to do, shifting focus from outcome to process and creating a sense of control. Work with each athlete to develop their personal routine: a specific warm-up sequence 10 minutes before, three deep breaths plus one process goal 5 minutes before, and a cue word at the start line like "Trust the work."

The key is practice. Athletes should use this routine before hard training sessions, not just competitions. The more automatic it becomes, the more effective it is when anxiety peaks.

2. Teach the 4-4-6 Breathing Technique

This simple breathing pattern activates the parasympathetic nervous system and reduces cortisol [7]. By practicing low and slow breathing, the longer exhale signals safety to the brain. Give it a try: Inhale through the nose for 4 counts, hold for 4 counts, then exhale through the mouth for 6 counts, repeat 3-5 times.

Athletes should use this method five to ten minutes before competition, when they notice physical anxiety symptoms, or after a mistake during their event. To take it one step further, model this practice yourself. Do it alongside your athletes, and show them how you use these tools too.

3. Emphasize Process Goals Over Outcome Goals

Outcome goals focus on results outside your athletes' control: "Win the race," "Make the podium," "Beat my personal record." When anxious athletes fixate on outcomes, anxiety intensifies because they're trying to control the uncontrollable.

Process goals shift focus to what athletes can actually control in the moment: "Stay smooth on the technical parts," "Keep steady breathing," "Focus on the next play," "Execute my race plan." This distinction matters because process goals reduce anxiety by directing attention toward actionable steps instead of feared outcomes.

But here's what makes process goals truly powerful: they connect to what athletes actually value. An athlete who values growth might focus on "trying one new strategy today." An athlete who values courage might focus on "staying in the moment when it gets hard." When process goals align with personal values, they become intrinsically motivating rather than just another performance demand.

Before each competition, have athletes identify 2-3 process goals that connect to their values. When pre-race anxiety spikes, redirect: "What's your process goal right now?" This simple question shifts their brain from threat-scanning to action-planning.

For a comprehensive framework on building process-oriented habits that stick, check out our complete athlete habit guide.

4. Use the "Anxiety as a Passenger" Metaphor

Imagine anxiety is a passenger in your car. You're driving to the competition. Anxiety might yell from the back seat: "Turn around! This is too hard!" But anxiety is just a passenger. It doesn't get to drive. You can let it yell while you keep driving toward what matters. This approach from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy helps athletes create distance from anxious thoughts [8].

For younger athletes, have them draw their anxiety as a character and give it a silly name. Practice saying: "Oh hey, Nervous Ned is here. He's loud today. I'm competing anyway." This playful approach helps athletes develop a healthier relationship with difficult emotions, which is especially important when they also struggle with self-criticism after mistakes.

5. Help Athletes Sort Controllables vs. Uncontrollables

Before race day, sit down with your athlete and work through this sorting exercise together. Draw two columns on a whiteboard or paper.

Controllable: warm-up routine, nutrition timing and choices, hydration, where they direct their focus, level of effort, self-talk, attitude, race plan execution, how they respond to mistakes, breathing patterns, body language.

Uncontrollable: who shows up to compete, weather conditions, course conditions, how their body feels on race day, equipment malfunctions, officials' decisions, what competitors do, what parents or spectators think, race results.

The key is making this visual and concrete. When athletes see the list in front of them, it becomes harder for anxiety to trick them into believing they're powerless.

When anxiety shows up on race day, use this redirect: "What's one thing you can control right now?" Don't ask what they're worried about. Don't try to convince them the uncontrollable thing will work out fine. Just redirect to what they can actually do. For younger athletes, make it even simpler: "Can you control the weather? No. Can you control your warm-up? Yes. Let's focus there."

Practice this framework during training, not just competition. When an athlete complains about conditions, course setup, or how they feel, acknowledge it briefly, then redirect: "Yep, that's uncontrollable. What's one thing you can control?" The more they practice this redirect when stakes are low, the more automatic it becomes when pressure is high.

Anxiety operates by focusing attention on threat and uncertainty. When athletes fixate on uncontrollables, their nervous system stays activated because there's no action they can take to resolve the perceived threat. This creates a cycle: worry about uncontrollables → feel powerless → anxiety intensifies → worry more. The controllables framework interrupts this cycle by redirecting cognitive resources toward actionable steps.

This framework also builds resilience against perfectionism. Athletes who understand what they can and cannot control stop holding themselves accountable for things outside their influence. They're better equipped to handle perfectionism, which often fuels pre-race anxiety by creating unrealistic standards tied to uncontrollable outcomes.

6. Ask Questions Instead of Giving Commands

Research shows that drawing out athletes' own wisdom builds better problem-solving skills than telling them what to do [9]. When coaches ask questions instead of giving commands, they activate the athlete's prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for problem-solving and self-regulation. This is especially powerful for anxious athletes whose nervous systems are already activated. Questions create mental space for athletes to access their own resources rather than feeling overwhelmed by external directives.

Instead of "You should focus on your warm-up," try "What helped you last time you felt nervous?" Instead of "You need to calm down," ask "What's one thing you can control in this moment?" Notice how questions shift the athlete from passive receiver to active problem-solver.

This approach builds genuine self-reliance rather than dependence on external validation or instruction. Athletes who learn to answer their own performance questions develop transferable skills they'll use long after their competitive careers end. The questioning technique is particularly effective for coaching defensive athletes who may shut down or become more anxious when given direct commands. When an athlete feels cornered by imperatives, their threat response intensifies, whereas, questions invite collaboration. Over time, athletes internalize this questioning process and begin coaching themselves through difficult moments.

Create a Team Culture Where Anxiety Isn't Shameful

Individual strategies for managing pre-race anxiety matter, but team culture matters more. Build an environment where performance anxiety is normalized. Share your own pre-competition nerves as a coach. Celebrate courage, not just outcomes. Normalize setbacks. Make space for all emotions. Model healthy anxiety management. Let athletes see you use breathing techniques and process goals.

When athletes feel psychologically safe, they take more risks, ask for help, and develop genuine resilience. We have a guide on creating psychologically safe teams that translates across all sports.

When to Refer for Professional Support

Pre-race anxiety and performance anxiety are normal parts of competitive sport. But watch for these signs that suggest an athlete needs additional support: intense anxiety that doesn't improve with coaching interventions over 2-4 weeks, avoiding practice or competitions for extended periods, physical symptoms interfering with school or daily life, significant changes in sleep or appetite, social withdrawal from teammates, self-harm comments, or panic attacks.

If you see these signs, connect the family with a mental health professional who specializes in working with athletes. Learn more about recognizing clinical-level concerns in our article on performance anxiety in athletes.

Teaching Young Athletes to Perform With Pre-Race Anxiety

Your athletes don't need to feel confident to perform well. They just need to show up anyway. The goal isn't eliminating pre-race anxiety or performance anxiety. It's helping athletes perform alongside it. When you teach young athletes they can feel nervous and still compete, you're not just improving their performance. You're teaching them a life skill they'll use long after their athletic career ends.

Ready to bring these strategies to your team? Skadi Sport Psychology offers evidence-based workshops designed specifically for coaches and parents who want to create healthier, more resilient athletes. Our team understands the unique pressures of youth sports because we've been there. We're athletes and coaches ourselves. Explore our coaching workshop offerings to learn how we can support you and your athletes with sport-related anxiety.

References

[1] Josephs, S. A. (2016). Helping your anxious teen: Positive parenting strategies to help your teen beat anxiety, stress, and worry. New Harbinger Publications.

[2] Green, K., & Smith, A. (Eds.). (2016). Routledge handbook of youth sport. Routledge.

[3] Faulkner, G., & Tamminen, K. (2016). Youth sport and mental health. In K. Green & A. Smith (Eds.), Routledge handbook of youth sport (pp. 406-423). Routledge.

[4] Green, K., & Smith, A. (2016). Teens and anxiety: A perfect storm. In Routledge handbook of youth sport (pp. 9-26). Routledge.

[5] Jones, G., & Hanton, S. (2001). Pre-competitive feeling states and directional anxiety interpretations. Journal of Sports Sciences, 19(6), 385-395. https://doi.org/10.1080/026404101300149348

[6] Cotterill, S. (2015). Preparing for performance: Strategies adopted across performance domains. The Sport Psychologist, 29(2), 158-170. https://doi.org/10.1123/tsp.2014-0035

[7] Ma, X., Yue, Z. Q., Gong, Z. Q., Zhang, H., Duan, N. Y., Shi, Y. T., Wei, G. X., & Li, Y. F. (2017). The effect of diaphragmatic breathing on attention, negative affect and stress in healthy adults. Frontiers in Psychology, 8, 874. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00874

[8] Thompson, B. L., Pilecki, B. C., & Chan, J. C. (2023). ACT-informed exposure for anxiety: Creating effective, innovative, and values-based exposures using acceptance and commitment therapy. New Harbinger Publications.

[9] Rollnick, S., Fader, J., Breckon, J., & Moyers, T. B. (2020). Coaching athletes to be their best: Motivational interviewing in sports. The Guilford Press.