Videos
Watch how these young athletes and sports participants tackle pre-game anxiety, decreased performance and support each other through mental health challenges.
I’ve got this
Watch as 12-year-old Russ learns how to manage his pressure and pre-game anxiety with the help of his coach.
12-year-old boy: I’m nervous about our game tomorrow.
I made a lot of mistakes at practice this week. What if I make the same mistakes during the game? I don’t think I want to play today… I’m afraid I’ll be the reason we lose. I don’t want to cost us the game.
Oh, hey Coach.
Coach: Let’s do a little exercise together.
Imagine breathing around a box. [A box appears on screen]
Breathe in slowly as you imagine going up one side of the box until your lungs fill with air. [An arrow goes up the left side of the box]
Hold your breath for up to 5 seconds as you picture going across the top of the box. [The arrow goes across the top of the box]
Breathe out slowly as you imagine going down the other side of the box. [The arrow goes down the right side of the box]
Pause again for up to 5 seconds as you travel across the bottom of the box. [The arrow goes across the bottom of the box]
Now let’s do that again.
12-year-old boy: Thanks, Coach, I feel better.
You’re right. I am ready to play. I got a good night’s sleep last night. And I had a good breakfast today. I made a couple of good saves yesterday. And I have been practicing a lot lately.
Like you always say, everything gets easier with practice.
Text appears on screen: Keep your head in the game by taking care of your mental wellness and asking for help when you need it
[The CMHA logo appears. The Ontario logo appears: Paid by the government of Ontario.]
Mental health is the everyday journey of our brain; it includes all our ups and downs. Learning to manage stress in healthy ways keeps our minds and bodies balanced and well.
You can maintain your mental wellness by:
- Eating healthy meals
- Getting a good night’s sleep
- Talking to someone you care about
- Getting exercise
- Doing something you love or are proud of
In sport, we often remind ourselves to “get our head in the game”, which means paying careful attention to what we’re doing. It’s also important to pay careful attention to both our physical and mental health.
Remember: Mental wellness takes practice, just like sports.
I’ve got this
(1:47)
Watch as 12-year-old Russ learns how to manage his pressure and pre-game anxiety with the help of his coach.
Focus on what’s strong
(1:29)
Watch as 17-year-old Jasmine battles to regain her winning mindset when her performance is impacted by an injury.
Reaching out is always a good play
(1:32)
Watch as 21-year-old Samantha’s friend learns how important it is to reach out to a friend who’s struggling with mental health concerns.
