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Sport Psychology: Three Steps to Improve Performance in High-Pressure Situations
In high-pressure situations, an interesting thing happens to many athletes. Their ability to focus narrows. That is, they are able to focus less on things that are peripheral to their main task.
This can be benefit certain sports, such as shot putting. For example, the focus of shot putters might narrow to the point where they become oblivious to crowd noise and other distracting events taking place on the track.
However, when complex tasks are involved, this narrowing of focus can become a liability. For example, quarterback must be aware of blockers, rushers, linebackers, defensive backs and the pass patterns of several receivers. It's not unusual to hear quarterbacks say, when they were intercepted on a pressure play, that they didn't see the defensive back who picked off the ball. In fact, that defensive back may literally have been unseen because he was outside the newly narrowed attentional focus of the quarterback.
TENDENCY TO USE INGRAINED SKILLS
Another implication of this narrowing of focus is that players tend to use their best developed skills when in pressure situations - these are the skills that are most ingrained and require the least thought to perform. For example, a right-handed basketball player might always go to her right side in pressure situations.
IMPLICATIONS FOR THE COACH
Players with more experience are usually better able to deal with pressure situations. As a result, their focus tends to narrow less than that of inexperienced athletes. However, coaches can take steps in improve their inexperienced players' chances for success. Here are several ways to use the phenomenon of narrowed attentional focus to your advantage.
1. KEEP THINGS SIMPLE
With your own inexperienced players, use simple plays that involve the least number of opponents. For example, call a sideline pass as opposed to a pass down the middle. The former involves fewer potential defenders.
2. BE AWARE OF TENDENCIES UNDER PRESSURE
Since players revert to their most ingrained skills when under pressure, design plays that use those skills. For example, for a last-second basketball shot, design a play that goes to your to scorer's best side.
3. DEFEND AGAINST THE OPPONENT'S TENDENCIES
In contrast, when defending in high pressure situations, be aware of your opponent's strengths and make your defenders aware that there's a higher probability that the player their defending will use their most ingrained skill. For example, a right-handed player will probably (although not always, of course) go to their right side on a pressure play.
Reference: Dr. John Bartholomew, PhD, Performance under stress: What every coach should know. Championship Videos, 2000.
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