I love the feeling of waking up on the day of my soccer games. Even though its spring season, and these games don't matter the competitor inside of me make them matter. The first thought that pops into my head when I wake up is, "it's today." It is impossible not to get the jitters and butterflies in your stomach. I'm sure someone who performs on stage or sings gets these same feelings as well. I love being able to mentally and physically prepare myself all day, by hydrating and eating pre game meals. Everything is different about game day; the way you think, act, the people around you, and you can even feel it in the air.
When it finally comes time to put the uniform on, and you get that adrenaline rush; everything you've suffered for to get to this moment makes it all worth it. The lights above you, the crowd, your teammates, the moment you step onto the field, I love this feeling.
I know exactly what you mean, Tori! Even though I'm only a recreational athlete and don't do team sports, I get the pre-competition jitters. It's almost funny: I usually don't stress about things that I should stress about -- like finding a job or getting tenure or presenting in front of big audiences -- but I have stress dreams before races and competitions.
ReplyDeleteLike both you and Mika, I absolutely know this feeling. In high school I was on the varsity track & field and tennis teams. While these are somewhat individual sports in the sense that you compete individually or with a small team (2 players in doubles for tennis and 4 people for a relay in track), I still got the same feeling. Even when the competition was against a team I knew we could easily beat, I always felt a huge adrenaline rush the day of the competition. The night before competitions I wouldn't be able to sleep, and the day of a competition, I could never focus during the school day. In high school, all sports teams dressed up on the day of their competitions. They would dress either in uniforms, dress nicely, or something funny (such as backwards day, 90s, switch jerseys with another sports team, etc.). This made the school day even more exciting as you would walk through the halls and see other team members and then laugh about what you were wearing. During a tennis match, which sometimes lasted a few hours, the adrenaline rush stayed with me the whole time. However, the minute I hit the first shot, I always felt a huge relief. In this same sense, in track, I was usually the first runner in relays. The second I heard the gun go off, signaling the start of the race, I would feel much more at ease and I let my legs take control of my feelings. In less than 30 seconds my race would be over and I would feel a huge relief. The moment I walked off the tennis court or track, especially if I had won, I began to question why I was so anxious. I would tell myself that these competitions are no big deal and there is no reason to be as anxious for the next one. However, with each competition, I would get just as nervous (sometimes even more because the more important ones are at the end of the season). I have now come to realize that this feeling is simply the "game day experience" that all athletes alike face, no matter the size of the competition.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great feeling to be playing a sport or performing in front of a lot of people. You are always nervous, but the lights and the people bring out the best in you. You always want to perform to the best of your ability. I haven't played in a big time athletic event since high school. Yet, I still remember the energy and intensity leading up the game. I miss that aspect of high school sports, and I'm sure those who play college sports love every minute of it. There's nothing better than the focus and adrenaline you have on game day.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI have not played competitive sports since high school but that feeling of knowing everything you've practiced for is finally happening is amazing. There really is nothing like being in a competitive game and the adrenaline that comes along with that. As you said, you wake up in the morning knowing that today is the day. It's an incredible feeling not knowing how it is going to turn out. Not knowing if the other team is better than you, and anticipating how the game will play out.
ReplyDeleteTori, I totally, there is nothing better than waking up on game day. I remember back in high school when I played football I had a similar experience. In my home town, Hinsdale, IL high school football consumed a large majority of my time. In the summer we had practice 4 days a week for 6 weeks, where we spent hours and hours practicing, weightlifting, and watching film. I remember all of that hard work we put into the season, and our season only had 9 games, only 9! I even remember my coach had a counter in the weight room, which counted down by the second starting from 200 days before our first game. That's when all of our hard work would begin to pay off.
ReplyDeleteI remember waking up on that friday morning before school, already feeling nervous at 7 am, 12 hours before game time. As I put my jersey on in the morning (because we wore them to school that day) I already could feel the adrenaline. At school, its hard to focus because the only thoughts racing through my mind were about the game that evening. During the passing periods walking by other teammates, only got me more excited for the game knowing that our 3-4 months of hard work and practice would finally pay off. After school we have the same pre game routine, with a small meal and a quick film session. As I put on my equipment and uniform, listening to pump up music, my excitement builds exponentially. When your coach gives that pre game speech, you know that its game time and that you are ready to go to battle against the other team. All of the preparation has come down to this moment. THe music gets louder, the fans start jumping up and down, the blood is rushing faster than ever, the whistle blows and you run down that field as fast as you can. And then its that moment, when you forget everything, and go into instinct mode. Thats when you know its game time!
I played sports in high school and remember this feeling. I even found it hard to concentrate sometimes, especially during the playoffs. There's so much anticipation for the game that your mind can't focus on much else. That hard work is about to be tested. It doesn't matter if you've been doing it for years or you've already played a couple games in a season. The feeling never goes away or gets old. I can say I definitely miss that feeling.
ReplyDelete