Do your palms get sweaty before a game? Do you get butterflies in your stomach? Is it hard to focus? If you answered yes to any of these questions then you may have had pre-game jitters. 

Here are 4 things you should do before a game:

1. Establish a routine. The game day routine starts when you wake up, and ends when the buzzer or whistle goes off. You should determine how many hours before the game you need to get up to accomplish all of the steps in your routine. A few of the components in the routine are calorie intake, fluids, travel time to game location, warm-up, stretching, equipment check, mental exercises, etc.... Some components will vary depending upon the type and length of the game, but the basic framework will remain constant. Every game is different, but developing a consistent routine will provide a familiar base from which to compete in your game. It will also give you confidence that you know you are ready to perform

2. Mental exercises. You will often see top athletes close their eyes and engage in seemingly strange behavior, appearing either catatonic or moving to some unseen rhythm. The latter is especially evident in downhill skiers who sway and gyrate. They are rehearsing all the elements required in the race. This mental imagery helps you focus and plan each stage of your race. This takes the over-energized concept of “PLAY HARD, WIN”, and changes it into a series of steps, calmly planned and executed. Sometimes music (via headphones) is useful but it must not be distracting nor result in the wrong mood.