[bradshawt]

I play a few sports but only cricket at a high level and was just wondering about other peoples nerves before and during a game for all sports.

I am a decent cricketer and get pretty normally nervous about batting but I have always been really nervous about fielding, in particular catching. It is a mixture of fear of letting people down and embarrassing myself. Ironically fielding is arguably my strongest point in Cricket and sometimes I am picked largely for my fielding. However, I get very nervous days before games, almost solely focused upon fears of dropping catches, and sometimes during fielding I am nervous which really ruins the experience. My first question is does everyone else get very nervous before sport.

More importantly is any advice on dealing with these nerves. With football I feel I settle down after the first couple of passes but with catching you might get one every four to five games and it is really ruining Cricket. I just cannot continue to spend four hours in the field worrying about catching. I know it is a confidence thing, I dropped a difficult chance at the weekend but it is really bugging me, but still it does me no favors worrying about it. The only advantage of my worrying is that i practice constantly, bordering on obsessively (whether this is a good thing is debatable) but in a match you have to be calm. I understand the logic solution of just being confident and not worrying about it but that is much easier said than done.

Thanks for the responses

[py0alb]

Cricket is one of the most mentally challenging games, I agree. Try to avoid superstition (the bane of a batsman's life), and make sure you prepare correctly in the off-season, between games, and in the warm-ups.

Catching a cricket ball is remarkably easy if you use the correct techniques and keep your eye on the ball. What is it you find difficult?

[CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK]

I play a fair bit of golf and have really noticed the difference between a friendly game with my mates and a competition match. In the latter I make mistakes I'd never make in a normal round which is extremely frustrating for me as more often than not I end up paying for them and getting knocked out of the competition.

For me I think I've just got to practice being in that situation more and more, act as if it doesn't bother me. Everyone blows 3 shot leads in golf just as every cricketer must have dropped a catch in his life.

[bradshawt]

(Original post by py0alb)
Cricket is one of the most mentally challenging games, I agree. Try to avoid superstition (the bane of a batsman's life), and make sure you prepare correctly in the off-season, between games, and in the warm-ups.

Catching a cricket ball is remarkably easy if you use the correct techniques and keep your eye on the ball. What is it you find difficult?

Thanks for the response. Honestly I am in fact a good catcher and catch much more than I drop. However, this does not stop me worrying about dropping them and if I do drop one going into a frenzied state. Saying that I did a big fielding session today and feel better. However, my worries have now changed course to another part of my game. The problem is neither worrying about catching or anything else really helps my game. Although forcing me to practice in a match situation I need to be calm and focused on the present rather than obsessing over a part of my game. When you say prepare correctly, what do you mean?

[Gary Barlow]

Aye golfs a kicker when it comes to nerves. After a fault creeps into your game its so difficult to forget about it. I started hooking the ball a year or 2 ago and went through a period of feeling nervous on the tee and only being able to think 'don't hook this'. Had to pack in playing for about 2 months as i couldn't hit any tee shots.

[CAPTAIN CAPSLOCK]

(Original post by Gary Barlow)
Aye golfs a kicker when it comes to nerves. After a fault creeps into your game its so difficult to forget about it. I started hooking the ball a year or 2 ago and went through a period of feeling nervous on the tee and only being able to think 'don't hook this'. Had to pack in playing for about 2 months as i couldn't hit any tee shots.

I've just had the most agonising golfing week. I got knocked out of 2 of my clubs comps, losing twice at the death. The first I was one down going up the 18th after leading by 2 early on and missed a birdie putt to take the game to a playoff by inches.

Yesterday I blew an early 3 hole lead to be all square at the turn. No problems though because I stormed the 10th only for my opponent to hit the luckiest shot I've ever seen, scuffing one off the tee on the par 3 twelfth to come to rest a foot from the pin. After that I was hanging on and won the 17th to be all square again up the 18th. Halved that to go to a playoff, both on the green for 3 and my opponent who hasn't holed anything all day duly rattles in his 20 footer for par. I miss mine again by inches.

I hate golf sometimes. Blowing substantial leads seems to be a trademark of my game.

[py0alb]

(Original post by bradshawt)
Thanks for the response. Honestly I am in fact a good catcher and catch much more than I drop. However, this does not stop me worrying about dropping them and if I do drop one going into a frenzied state. Saying that I did a big fielding session today and feel better. However, my worries have now changed course to another part of my game. The problem is neither worrying about catching or anything else really helps my game. Although forcing me to practice in a match situation I need to be calm and focused on the present rather than obsessing over a part of my game. When you say prepare correctly, what do you mean?

Nerves can be conquered by adequate mental preparation. Whenever you practice, imagine you're in a game situation and try to ramp up the tension within your own mind. Take it as seriously as you physically can.

Before a game, remember how well you did last practice. Visualise what it is that you did well and you want to do again. Have a plan in your head and mentally practice each shot/movement.

Then when you're in a game, simply imagine you're just practicing. Just relax and let your subconscious take over. Tell yourself its just an easy drill and you're going to take all these catches easily.

For me it's batting. When I'm in the nets, I imagine a hostile bowler running in and being in a tense situation surrounded by the opposition. I focus on playing straight and keeping the ball on the ground. Then when I go out there to bat, if I feel myself getting nervous I just pretend I'm in the nets, and all I have to do is what I did last time I was in the nets - play straight and keep the ball on the ground.

[redvinoandambien]

(Original post by bradshawt)
I just cannot continue to spend four hours in the field worrying about catching.

Have you ever tried any NLP? There are lots of books and CDs you can buy that you can use to self-help, or if you have the funds I strongly recommend visiting a practitioner. I have been to see one and it was life changing (no exaggeration). The person above me has already outlined some of the things you can do, but basically if you tell yourself 'I'm going to drop the ball' or 'Don't drop the ball, don't drop the ball', your brain can't process negatives so all your subconscious hears is 'Drop the ball' which you inevitably will. If you tell yourself 'Catch the ball' and you believe that you will, you will catch the ball.

A simple and effective exercise to help improve performance is the swish technique. You can learn to anchor positive thoughts onto your actions.
try this:
http://www.nlp-now.co.uk/nlp_swish.htm

pm me if you want any advice, I've been through it myself