"I used to have a lot of anxiety after a bad experience like a fall off my horse or a horse refusing to jump. I was taught techniques to visualize everything going perfectly and forgetting the past. Instead of focusing on the negative things I am afraid of, I relax and envision a perfect performance. By focusing on the task at hand and visualizing the perfect ride, I am able to let go of the fear and stay in the present."
- Allison (Horseback Riding)
- Allison (Horseback Riding)
"Last year I was playing a tennis match and I had a serious panic attack that almost put me in the hospital. I have struggled with anxiety for awhile now, but I knew I was better than my opponent in this tennis match and I was losing. It didn’t help that it was super hot in the tennis center with no fresh air. I started to wheez a little because I was so scared I was going to lose and felt like I was letting my parents, friends and coaches down. Then, I asked to stop because it felt like my wind pipe was closing up. Then, I went outside for like 30 minutes with my Mom and I just cried and released all of it. Later, I went to the doctor and she said it was a buildup of stress that you weren’t releasing and it did in fact affect my breathing."
- Audrey (Tennis)
- Audrey (Tennis)
"When I rode horses, I would get really stressed about executing my course perfectly, especially with my friends and family watching. The stress didn't usually help me perform, so I started to visualize my ride. By visualizing what I wanted to happen, I could focus on that and my rounds were much better."
- Shalini (Horseback Riding)
- Shalini (Horseback Riding)
"Freshman year I decided not to play varsity basketball because I didn’t want so much of a commitment. However, in the post season the coach asked me to play with them in games and in practice. I had never played with them and went into every practice and games with a lot of stress that I’m sure it negatively affected my performance. I was thinking too much about the mistakes I was either going to make or was making and not enough about the good things I was doing. Honestly it took me a long time to get over this anxiety. It took me not only improving my skills and becoming more confident, but overtime I realized that I was playing on the team for a reason and I was adding something good to the team. I think making relationships with people on the team and realizing that they were high schoolers too, helped me gain more confidence and grow as a player."
- Courtney (Basketball)
- Courtney (Basketball)