Elite sport psychology/anxiety/overview

The football World Cup of 2014, held in Brazil, was expected to end in triumph for the host nation. The team had a successful build up, winning the 2013 Confederations Cup, seen by many as a rehearsal for the real thing.

At the World Cup, Brazil made it through the group stage successfully, if a little unconvincingly at times. Talismanic star player Neymar was playing well and team spirit was good. The already high expectations of the Brazilian public increased to fever pitch as the tournament progressed. In the 88th minute of the quarter final against Colombia, disaster struck as Neymar fractured a vertebra in his back and was out of the tournament. The Brazilian team went into the semi-final without their key player and their captain Tiago Silva, who was suspended.

The semi-final was perhaps the darkest day in the history of Brazilian football as they were thrashed 7-1 by eventual World Cup winners, Germany. The nature of Brazil’s sorry performance suggested that severe anxiety had got the better of the team.

• All the goals: Brazil 1 Germany 7

Both before and during the World Cup, a number of Brazilian players admitted that they were feeling the pressure of the competition:

• David Luiz feeling anxious ahead of home World Cup
• Ramires admits Brazil squad are feeling the pressure

Was anxiety a major factor in Brazil’s disastrous World Cup campaign?

Anxiety, the enemy within

Some sport psychologists believe that anxiety influences athletic performance more than any other emotional state, often causing the performance of highly skilled athletes to fall to pieces during competition.

Sport psychologists are frequently requested to assist athletes to cope with feelings of anxiety on the field of play. Feeling some sense of apprehension or tension is normal for an athlete prior to competition and indeed often assists a good performance, although such feelings can lead to poor performance.

This module will explore the concept of anxiety and suggest strategies for managing anxiety levels in elite sport. In particular, you will:

• Be introduced to the causes of anxiety.
• Gain an understanding of the control model of anxiety.
• Learn how relaxation techniques can help to alleviate anxiety.
• Experience some self-control techniques.

Module topics

• What is anxiety?
• Responses to stress
• Relaxation techniques
• Summary and go further