I play well in recreation but often crumble in tournament conditions. How can I handle the pressure when it matters?
Great question! This is a common problem and attacking it means understanding the root of the problem. For most people, it stems from a fear of failure and subsequent performance anxiety. These two tend to snowball and quickly lead to self-doubt, manifesting in hesitation and unforced errors.
The good news is, you’re not alone. The majority of people experience these symptoms and outcomes when they first start playing pickleball tournaments and, if left unchecked, it can become a habit for years. Here are some simple tips to help you maintain your composure.
- Put yourself under increasing pressure leading up to the tournament: Challenge yourself against better players, invite family and friends to come and watch you play, put a little money on the game, or travel further than normal. During my career, the latter was my go-to move. I would drive a few hours to San Diego to play at Bobby Riggs with my men's partner. I wanted to make the very most of the time so it naturally put some pressure on me to perform. This allowed me to get the most relative repetitions as it altered my state of mind while I played. Whatever you choose, the important thing is how your relationship with pressure needs to be fostered. When you start having a positive relationship with pressure, it will bring the very best out of your game.
- Have a plan for each match and trust the process: If your mind is left to its own devices, it can wreak havoc on your paddle. Give it a break by going into each match with a basic plan so that you’re not saddled with the burden of choice too often. Decide with your partner who you are going to return to, who you are going to hit 3rds to, and who you want to target with your dinks. Be ready to change those choices during time-outs but make sure it is a clear and conscious choice that’s communicated with your partner. Once you do this, you will have given your mind simple marching orders to concentrate on. This means your mind won’t have the bandwidth for the circus of anxiety-inducing self-doubt that can easily come from indecision and hesitation.
- If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail: Fear of failure so often can be alleviated by trust in preparation. Put in the work: drill more than you play, eat well, use an effective conditioning program, and get to the venue early enough to dial into the conditions. These things alone will give you peace of mind that win or lose, you did your best to be ready for the moment. There is real power in that! That power lies in the confidence in your own game, and confidence breeds success.
I think there are three versions of everyone’s game: How you play in your rec games, how you play in the middle of a tournament, and lastly, how you play in the clutch moment in the final. Pressure breaks everybody at one stage or another, the key is to not fear it — anticipate it and prepare for it. Pressure is the privilege that most people never get to endure. It’s like an invisible sieve that separates the best from rest. Embrace it, and remember, your opponents are feeling it too!
Morgan Evans
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