You’ve busted your butt all week at practice and it’s time for the last race of the season and your last chance to improve your time. But at the end, you look up at the clock to see yet another disappointment: No time came off.
If this feels familiar, you’ve probably experienced a common problem that athletes face: sports slumps.
“A slump is a mental game of losing confidence,” volleyball coach Nicole Grau said. “Most of the time, it’s just athletes plateauing in their abilities and not performing as well as they expect.”
A variety of factors could contribute to a sports slump: A bad day at school, external pressure to perform at a high level, frustration with past performances or experiencing feelings of imposter syndrome.
Another significant contributor to athletic burnout is comparison culture. It is common for athletes to compare their stats to their teammates and other rivaling players, particularly in the recruitment process for college sports. The competition between playing varsity or junior varsity level sports in high school is another prominent outlet for comparison.
Regardless of the cause, it is critical to recognize and prepare to overcome these mental obstacles For those who are overloaded with academic work and practice, maintaining a calendar and to-do list can be a handy organizational tool to compartmentalize the tasks at hand.
“Organization helps me to stay on top and on track with my academic workload, which allows me to participate in my athletics without stress,” soccer player sophomore Howard Jung said.
Mindset is also an underrated aspect of athletics. Sometimes “reprogramming” thoughts from negative to positive—shifting from “I can’t” to “I can—” and refocusing on their passion for the sport is key for athletes to battle a sports slump.
“Last year I was so afraid of disappointing my coaches, parents and teammates that I lost love for the sport a little bit,” varsity girls soccer junior Elle Kivo said. “I learned that you need to understand that you’re going to want to please everyone, but that you need to act against it.
Another preventative measure an athlete can take is process and performance-based goal setting. Claremont McKenna College explains that setting goals that tackle aspects of the sport, like improving team communication or practicing a specific skill, rather than the ultimate win or loss can allow athletes to assess their growth over time because they have more control over their actions.
“Athletes who know how to deal with failure are some of the most dangerous players,” Kivo said. “I want athletes to know that being in a slump is a part of the process, understand that it will pass, and when you come out on the other side you will be a better and more mature player.”
