Why Your Athlete Crushes It in Practice But Struggles in Games - And What to Do About It
You’ve seen it happen too many times.
Your athlete dominates at practice — confident, relaxed, and performing at their absolute best. But the moment game day arrives, it’s like a completely different kid shows up. They hesitate, overthink, and play tight.
It’s frustrating. You know they have the talent. You see it every week in training. So why can’t they bring that same version of themselves to competition?
The truth is, the problem isn’t physical — it’s mental. And the good news? The mental game can be trained just like any other skill.
The Real Reason This Happens
Most athletes don’t lose their ability on game day — they lose access to it.
In practice, the environment is comfortable and predictable. There’s no scoreboard pressure, no parents watching, and no fear of letting teammates down. The brain is relaxed, which allows athletes to perform freely and instinctively.
But when the stakes feel higher, the brain shifts into “survival mode.”
Instead of focusing on what they want to do, athletes start focusing on what they don’t want to happen — making a mistake, getting pulled from the game, disappointing someone.
That pressure triggers the same stress response the body uses for real danger: muscles tighten, breathing changes, and the mind starts racing. It’s called performance anxiety, and it’s one of the biggest barriers to consistent performance for youth athletes.
Practice Mindset vs. Game Mindset
In practice, athletes play with freedom. Mistakes are part of learning.
In games, athletes often play with fear. Mistakes feel like failure.
Here’s the key difference:
Practice mindset = growth and learning.
Game mindset (under pressure) = judgment and fear.
When an athlete focuses on outcomes — hits, points, wins — they lose presence and trust in their training. But when they focus on controllables — effort, body language, breathing, and attitude — their performance follows.
The best athletes don’t play harder under pressure. They’ve trained their mind to stay calm under pressure.
What Parents Can Do
As a parent, your role is powerful. You can’t remove the pressure, but you can help your athlete respond to it better.
Here are a few simple shifts that make a huge difference:
Stay calm and consistent. Your energy sets the tone.
Praise effort, not outcomes. Celebrate courage, composure, and resilience as much as results.
Reframe pressure. Help them see big moments as opportunities, not threats.
Don’t rush to fix it. Let your athlete process frustration and reflect before jumping in with advice.
“PRO PARENT TIP: The goal isn’t to protect them from pressure — it’s to help them learn how to handle it.”
Training the Mind Like the Body
Every athlete trains physically — strength, speed, skill. But few train mentally.
Mental training teaches athletes how to manage nerves, build confidence, and stay composed under pressure. It’s what allows them to play their game no matter the situation.
Simple tools like visualization, breathing routines, and positive self-talk are powerful ways to calm the mind and access full potential on game day. And the earlier athletes start building those skills, the stronger their confidence becomes.
Final Thoughts
If your athlete performs great in practice but struggles when it matters most, they don’t need more reps — they need mental reps.
Once they learn how to manage their thoughts, emotions, and focus under pressure, their performance in games will finally match the potential you see every day in practice.
That’s exactly what we help athletes do at Next Level Athletes — develop the mindset, confidence, and mental toughness to rise to the next level.
If your athlete struggles to carry their practice skills into games, confidence may be the missing piece.
Get your copy of Next Level Confidence for Athletes - the complete guide to building your athlete’s confidence to help them unlock their true potential.