Emotions are a double-edged sword in sport: they can catalyze extraordinary feats—think the surge of adrenaline in a come-from-behind win—or they can spiral into destructive patterns when left unchecked. Athletes regularly face emotional spikes: anger at a referee’s call, frustration after a missed play, or anxiety in clutch moments. Left unmanaged, these reactions hijack attentional resources, narrow decision-making, and lead to compounding errors —one flare-upbreeds another, degrading performance and morale.
Emotions are a double-edged sword in sport: they can catalyze extraordinary feats—think the surge of adrenaline in a come-from-behind win—or they can spiral into destructive patterns when left unchecked. Athletes regularly face emotional spikes: anger at a referee’s call, frustration after a missed play, or anxiety in clutch moments. Left unmanaged, these reactions hijack attentional resources, narrow decision-making, and lead to compounding errors —one flare-upbreeds another, degrading performance and morale.