{"id":4743,"date":"2015-12-30T19:08:05","date_gmt":"2015-12-30T19:08:05","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports_psychology_blog\/?p=4743"},"modified":"2025-06-10T07:52:04","modified_gmt":"2025-06-10T11:52:04","slug":"how-to-mentally-prepare-for-the-big-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-mentally-prepare-for-the-big-game\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Mentally Prepare for the Big Game"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/preparation-for-big-games.jpg\" alt=\"Big Game Preparation\" class=\"wp-image-5600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/preparation-for-big-games.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/12\/preparation-for-big-games-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Are_You_A_Gamer\"><\/span>Are You A Gamer?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-transparent ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Article Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0769bf;color:#0769bf\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-mentally-prepare-for-the-big-game\/#Are_You_A_Gamer\" >Are You A Gamer?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-mentally-prepare-for-the-big-game\/#Most_teams_fail_to_win_the_big_game_because_of_expectation_and_pressure%E2%80%A6\" >Most teams fail to win the big game because of expectation and pressure&#8230;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-mentally-prepare-for-the-big-game\/#Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\" >Related Sports Psychology Articles<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-mentally-prepare-for-the-big-game\/#The_Composed_Athlete\" >The Composed Athlete<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>Are you a gamer and raise your performance in the \u201cbig\u201d game?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why is it that some teams play great all season long but can\u2019t seem to pull out a victory when it matters most?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Most_teams_fail_to_win_the_big_game_because_of_expectation_and_pressure%E2%80%A6\"><\/span>Most teams fail to win the big game because of expectation and pressure&#8230;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You tell yourself, \u201cThis is the Championship game; the biggest game of the year.\u201d The pressure builds&#8230; You have never played in a more meaningful game&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By the time the game starts, you feel an overwhelming amount of pressure to win&#8230;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Throughout the game, you just can\u2019t seem to get into a groove and you play well below expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After the game you wonder, \u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, you changed your <strong>mental approach<\/strong> to the game: You tried harder to tried to have the perfect game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The big game for the championship is the same game as you played all regular season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By labeling it, the \u201cBIG game,\u201d the importance increases and you feel more <strong>pressure<\/strong> and this can affect your performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best way to <strong>approach<\/strong> championship games is to stick to what you have done all season long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You need to prepare for championship moments all season, practice championship scenarios and imagine those moments so when you are in those situations, you feel like you have been there before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Nebraska Huskers faced the University of Texas at the 2015 NCAA Women\u2019s Volleyball National Championship. The Huskers won the championship in impressive fashion 3-0 (25-23, 25-23, 25-21).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When asked how the team was able to execute during critical points in the game, Nebraska Head Coach John Cook stated his team prepared for that moment from the beginning of the season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>COACH COOK<\/strong>: <em>\u201cMy whole message tonight was we do four drills pretty much every day in practice and I call them national championship drills. And I told them, I said, just pretend you&#8217;re in the drill, because it&#8217;s going to happen. And every situation where it was close, the situations those drills that we work on happened and we executed. I said, just trust your training that you&#8217;ve been doing for the last three months and we executed really well.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Of course you will feel some degree of pressure&#8230; You played all season for the opportunity to advance to the championship game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The key to winning prime time games is to <strong>consistently prepare<\/strong> for those big moments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you feel like you have been there before, you feel less overwhelmed and you can <strong>focus<\/strong> on playing your game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Tip for Playing Your Best in Championship Moments<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you set your <strong>goals<\/strong> in the beginning of the season, ask yourself, \u201cWhat do I need to do to, not only get to that point, but to succeed in that moment?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Maybe, it\u2019s staying loose when you are playing game point. Then create little mental scenarios during practice games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Tell yourself, \u201cThis is game point, stay loose and relaxed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>By rehearsing big time moments, you will place less <strong>pressure<\/strong> on yourself and increase your chances of succeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"block-979ef383-5bc7-43ee-b8f9-249663ca1a6c\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Sports_Psychology_Articles\"><\/span>Related Sports Psychology Articles<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul id=\"block-05642731-8752-4dbf-9c18-5cc4d276e821\" class=\"wp-block-list has-normal-font-size\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/coping-with-teammates-who-make-mistakes\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-mentally-prepare-for-adversity\/\"><strong>How to Mentally Prepare for Adversity<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-overcome-adversity-for-athletes\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-be-mentally-prepared-for-the-unexpected\/\"><strong>How to Be Mentally Prepared for the Unexpected<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/3-ways-to-quickly-rebound-from-mistakes\/\"><\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/one-method-to-be-mentally-prepared\/\"><strong>One Method to Be Mentally Prepared<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-5726d13f-f715-4ca4-8813-2f8a9ebd8bc3\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-281f5afb-980b-4c71-9aa0-11d606b5f7c9\"><strong>Download a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/mental-toughness-report-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">free sports psychology report<\/a>&nbsp;to improve your mental game!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-normal-font-size\" id=\"block-94138e75-d591-4645-bb1d-212cf57a8841\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sport-psychology-training-athletes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Learn more about our one-on-one mental game coaching.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Composed_Athlete\"><\/span>The Composed Athlete<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"225\" height=\"250\" src=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/03\/composed-athlete-small-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4434\" style=\"width:200px\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe Composed Athlete\u201d is presented on<strong> 80-minute Audio Programs<\/strong> with a <strong>70-page step-by-step workbook<\/strong> that guides you through the program each day. It\u2019s a complete system for conditioning your mind to have <strong>maximum composure in competitio<\/strong>n.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c<strong>The Composed Athlete<\/strong>\u201d was developed for <strong>any level coach, parent, or junior to professional athlete<\/strong> who wants to improve performance and gain a competitive edge. It does not matter if you are a fledgling junior athlete; or a seasoned professional, plagued with distractions; or you just wanting to learn how to improve your composure\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"gb-container gb-container-8fee86ee\">\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-df6f9eb5 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/the-composed-athlete-cd-program\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GET DETAILS<\/a>\n\n\n\n<a class=\"gb-button gb-button-9e238db0 gb-button-text\" href=\"https:\/\/shop.peaksports.com\/collections\/the-confident-athlete-series-digital-download\/products\/the-composed-athlete-digital\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BUY NOW<\/a>\n\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Are You A Gamer? Are you a gamer and raise your performance in the \u201cbig\u201d game? Why is it that some teams play great all season long but can\u2019t seem to pull out a victory when it matters most? Most teams fail to win the big game because of expectation and pressure&#8230; You tell yourself, \u201cThis is the &#8230; <a title=\"How to Mentally Prepare for the Big Game\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.peaksports.com\/sports-psychology-blog\/how-to-mentally-prepare-for-the-big-game\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about How to Mentally Prepare for the Big Game\">Sport Psychology Article&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5599,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[142,27],"tags":[296,625,297],"class_list":["post-4743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports-psychology-tips","category-performing-well-under-pressure","tag-big-game-pressure","tag-championship-pressure","tag-mental-game-for-athletes"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- All in One SEO Pro 4.9.6.2 - aioseo.com -->\n\t<meta name=\"description\" content=\"You need to prepare for championship moments all season, practice championship scenarios and imagine those moments, it is called visualization. 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