How Do Emotions Affect Sport Performance?
Playing sports can be filled with emotions. Athletes might feel nervous about try-outs or before a big competition, upset about losing or performing poorly, or excited and happy after a big win or a major accomplishment. To perform well in sport, athletes can learn to manage their emotions and cope with stress. However, some emotion regulation and coping strategies might be more useful than others. So, how can athletes learn to deal with their emotions and cope with stress in sport? In this article, we review what emotions are and how they influence athletes’ thoughts and behaviors in sport, as well as their impact on sport performance. We also review types of coping strategies that athletes can use to deal with stress and emotions in sport, and we explore ways that athletes can learn to develop better coping skills for sport performance.