Start discussing emotions, such as nervousness, as a natural phenomenon, and emphasize that everyone reacts differently in various situations, but that ALL feelings are valid. Encourage children to share their emotions before competitions/matches and guide them on how to focus on the right aspects. Sometimes, having a consistent routine can provide a sense of security, such as always performing the same warm-up before competitions or matches.
How it works:
Before competition/match:
- “How do you feel before the competition?”, “It is perfectly fine to have many emotions! I usually get nervous too.”
- Question: “What can we do to feel less nervous?” (breathe, encourage each other, focus on having fun, try to accept that feeling nervous is okay)
- Normalize feelings: “Nervousness means it’s important to us. That’s good!”
Afterward:
- “How did the nervousness feel? Did it disappear when the competition/match started?”, “Is there anyone who would like to share?”. As a leader, normalize emotions but also help direct attention toward a behavior that the participants can focus on to prevent negative feelings from taking over.
