Cant preform in games...how to deal with being nervous

[ive got sole]

Im a sophmore at my highschool and start and play basically the whole game on my scholls jv basketball team...im a beast in practice and basically hit whatevershot i want to take but when it comes to game time i get kind of nervous but not really nervous i just have a small case of stage fright...in the games i takegood open shots that i would knock down regularly any other time but i never seem to connect we have lost the last 3 games because me and our other shooterhave had terrible games...yesterday in my game i started but played like crap and rotted on the bench for most of the second and the whole 3rd quarter and imnot used to that...how can i cope with my nervousness and have the 15 to 20 a night that i should if i would make half of my shots and play like i should?

 

[soulofkuribo]

You Lack "Supreme Swagger".

 

[dyyhard]

dude learn to breathe normally and you will be able to attain "supreme swagger" like kid kuribo, me and others who don't wilt.

 

[cheamayn23]

Perform.

 

[jiggaman414]

do what MJ did before his games

 

[killmatic07]

Yeah that ++$$ used to happen to me, just go in game thinking that u don't give a f what happens.

 

[sooperhooper]

I know exactly how u feel bro. when I played freshman ball I was major confident in practice (wolf shirt status) but in the game id freeze up like acreamscicle. it was HORRIBLE, I would be trembling a bit, my mouth would get major dry and id just play terribly.

but I do remember it getting a bit better after every game. my boy gave me some good advice when I was feelin this way before a game last year (i was 23 thenand still happened). he said that nervousness is a sign that u want to do well, and your just afraid that u won't. so what I had to do was just relax andtry not to think I have to be spectacular, but just relax, stop focussing on the crowd and their expectations of me and play MY game.

 

[tmay407]

squeeze one out, word to johnny drama

 

[we get money]

Originally Posted by tmay407

squeeze one out, word to johnny drama

Don't take jumpshots at first either, drive to the hoop and try and get in a rhythm

 

[outbackbob24]

This was so serious for me before but now, Before a game when im off stretching and jogging I take deep breaths and close my eyes and forget everything.It's not hard The deep breaths are relaxing and clear my mind. By the time Im in the game I can't think about any thing other than what im doing. Oyea and another thing is you have to be confident, confident that your better than everybody else on the court.

 

[beallsfinest]

The game is faster in games then it is in practice. Anyone can go to the gym and sit around and knock shots down- in a game, it is totally different and youjust got to get used to the speed.

 

[stickyfingaz20]

I play jv baseball at my highschool, and I do the same thing, but recently, I've just been beleiving in myself more, and overall trying to relax befor I goup to bat and just forget about everything else, just breath and slow everything down, let the game come to you bro.

 

[stickyfingaz20]

I play jv baseball at my highschool, and I do the same thing, but recently, I've just been beleiving in myself more, and overall trying to relax befor I goup to bat and just forget about everything else, just breath and slow everything down, let the game come to you bro.

 

[rhythmentality]

Originally Posted by tmay407

squeeze one out, word to johnny drama

I don't know dude, that definitely didn't work for me back in 8th grade.

 

[18th letter]

watch a your favorite players highlights accompanied by really hyped up music

 

[cashoutkeith]

you should try shooting a hour before the game. I had a problem like this it had nothing to do with the crowd. I just wasnt warmed up.

 

[armanzaballa]

I'm in the EXACT same situation as you. I am also a sophomore and I am starting PG on JV. I started the year playing fine, putting up decent numbers but mylast two games I put up a DONUT. It's pissing me off also because I know I am better than that and I used to play almost the whole game but on thursdaysince i wasn't performing my coach took me out in the fourth. My problem isn't because I am nervous. my problem is that I feel that if I shoot too muchand miss, then I'm at fault. Last season I scored 9 points in a minute and a half, and didn't shoot the rest of the game because I felt I was shootingtoo much. So my past two games I have only shot the ball twice in each game. I need to get over this and gain more confidence to shoot the ball

 

[playmaker09]

Try to focus on what you need to do in the game instead of the outcome. Worrying about it during the game will make your performance suffer. It's hard todo at first but try to practice and focus. Also, I had a sports psych class and they said it works if you visualize yourself succeeding. It makes sense becauseif you can't even picture it, how are you going to do it in real life?
Good luck and hope you get out of your funk. Hopefully this and other people on here can help you out.

 

[doyung9]

No offense, but I doubt you're the "beast" you say you are, and that's just pointing out that if you were, you'd be on the varsity notthe JV.

And don't come with any of that MJ played on the JV, you're not Michael Jordan.

With that being said, I can give you some good advice. Hell, being on the JV even helps the situation. Consider it practice or a scrimmage, because that'sreally what JV is. When I was in high school, I was JV as a freshman and basically, we were the practice squad for the varsity.

Just relax in the game, shoot when you're open, the rest will come. You can't make shots you don't shoot.

And don't put so much pressure on yourself dude. You're not playing for anything much more than experience to try and get on the varsity next year.

 

[23brunswick dragons23]

"No offense, but I doubt you're the "beast" you say you are, and that's just pointing out that if you were, you'd be on the varsitynot the JV. "

im pretty sure the varsity coach looks at how you perfom in games, he said he was good in practice but that dont mean @@%+ if you cant show up in the games

 

[jakecuevas]

Originally Posted by armanzaballa

I'm in the EXACT same situation as you. I am also a sophomore and I am starting PG on JV. I started the year playing fine, putting up decent numbers but my last two games I put up a DONUT. It's pissing me off also because I know I am better than that and I used to play almost the whole game but on thursday since i wasn't performing my coach took me out in the fourth. My problem isn't because I am nervous. my problem is that I feel that if I shoot too much and miss, then I'm at fault. Last season I scored 9 points in a minute and a half, and didn't shoot the rest of the game because I felt I was shooting too much. So my past two games I have only shot the ball twice in each game. I need to get over this and gain more confidence to shoot the ball

good shooters keep shooting

 

[zerogravity23]

what position you play?

hit a few 5 footers and layups and things will get better also once you hit a few shots you will forget about your surroundings.

 

[rltballer15]

listen to music b4 everygame and KNOW that u are the best shooter out there.

 

[kickinheadz1010]

I didn't like HS basketball because kids were so damn hyper.....The game is just fast and out of control most of the time.
Too be honest, one would have to be more mature than your average teamates in order to slow their game down and
just take wha the defense gives them. You'll understand that when you're older.

Just keep playing and striving to better yourself.....AND.................................

Be better than Lebron.