Coping with Competitive Anxiety

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COPING WITH PRE-COMPETITIVE ANXIETY IN SPORTS COMPETITION Amasiatu, Athan. N. & Uko, Ime Sampson, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria Cite this Paper: Athan, A. N. & Sampson, U. I. (2013). Coping with pre-competitive anxiety in sports competition. European Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences, 1(1), 1-9. ABSTRACT This paper discussed coping with pre-competitive anxiety in sports competition. The aim of the paper presentation is to provide explanation and reassurance to coaches, athletes and managers in the process of dealing with pre-competitive anxiety in sports competition. Five theories are used as the framework: the multidimensional theory which describes competitive sports anxiety in a model composed of two main subcomponent; cognitive and somatic anxiety, the general adaptation syndrome theory which describe the body’s short-term and long-term reaction to stress, the optimal arousal theory being one that predicts performance of athletes to be at best only if their level of arousal falls within the optimal functioning zone, and the Inverted ‘U’ Hypothesis theory which predicts a relationship between arousal to approximate an inverted ‘U’ shape. The concept of pre-competitive anxiety was defined as an unpleasant emotion which is characterized by vague but persistent feeling of apprehension and dread before an event. The paper traced the sources of pre-competitive anxiety to an imbalance between perceived challenges and capabilities. It also enumerated signs and symptoms of pre-competitive anxiety to include: paralyzing fear, inability to concentrate, sweating, shaking, shortness of breath, dizziness and increase heart rate. The effect of precompetitive anxiety on sport performance and techniques of dealing with pre-competitive anxiety which include: teaching the athletes to know what is fear; visualization, goal setting, relaxation, self confidence,
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