“I think I’m the only one out there who is nervous.”

That’s a quote I hear from young athletes all the time.

Even in practices, some kids believe they’re the only one with butterflies in their stomach, a racing heart, or worries about making mistakes. From where they’re standing, it feels like they are stranded on an island all by themselves.

The reality? Nervous Island is way more crowded than they think.

From my work as a clinician and sport psychology consultant, I know that even the athletes who appear calm, confident, and fearless often experience nerves before they compete. Feeling nervous doesn’t mean an athlete isn’t prepared or mentally tough. I make sure to remind athletes that it means that they care about what they are about to do — and that part of their mind is trying to tell them they aren’t ready for what’s to come.

Here’s the bottom line: Young athletes often compare how they feel on the inside to how everyone else looks on the outside. They see teammates smiling, joking around, or acting relaxed and assume no one else is feeling those same emotions. As a result, they start believing something might be wrong with them.

One of the biggest lessons we can teach young athletes is that nerves are a very normal part of competing and being an athlete. When we normalize these feelings, athletes begin to stop wasting energy by trying to fight or hide them. I work with young kids to teach them how to acknowledge their nerves, and maybe even “set their nerves aside,” and focus on what they can control during competition.

Once young athletes realize that everyone – even Olympians and Professionals – visits Nervous Island from time to time, it becomes a much less lonely place, and much easier to leave.

Written by Maddie Wood, M.Ed., Sport Psych Consultant and Mental Health Specialist

Maddie@greenepsych.com