Do Not Stress Over Your Competition

by Stan Popovich

Many handball athletes sometimes get anxious when they play against a tough opponent. They get nervous on who they are competing with and they get so worked up that they lose focus on playing their sport. In the end, they make mistakes and end up beating themselves up if they do not win. As a result, here is a list of techniques that a handball player can use to help manage the stress of playing against the competition. More...

Managing Your Anxieties in Handball

by Stan Popovich

At times, our worries and anxieties can overwhelm us. In addition, our worries can distort our perception of what is reality and what is not. As a result, this may interfere with how you play handball. Here is a brief list of techniques that a handball player can use to help gain a better perspective on things during their anxious moments. More...

Get Smart

HOW DO YOU BECOME MENTALLY TOUGH?

BOOSTING CONFIDENCE LEVEL:

All whining, negative thinking, and excuses must be eliminated from your game. Winning can't be controlled, but a winning attitude can and needs to be. Players achieve confidence in a variety of ways. Before matches, a player might put himself in a positive mood, by listening to a song that has a special meaning for him. You may discover that music, quiet time alone, or friendly conversation breeds confidence. Find the approach that works best for you, then do it regularly. Some players build confidence with a "good practice before the game." Nothing establishes self-assurance like solid preparation. If you can't find a pre-match game, find an empty court and run through all your shots. Your intense competitiveness feeds into your confidence and will allow yourself to face important points as if they were nothing more than bumps in the road. Desire is a huge factor in building confidence, so get excited about the challenge of a big game. More...

Off The Wall

By Bob Cooper

BOOSTING CONFIDENCE LEVEL:

The whoosh of the heavy doors of the Olympic Club quickly seals out the San Francisco street clamor. The quiet lobby, so noise-free you can hear a glove plop on the floor, signals it's Friday night, a time when most members of the downtown athletic club have better things to do than work out. But not everyone. In a corner of the top floor, four hale guys are swatting a two-inch-diameter blue ball as if it were a fly buzzing around their beer. The action is fast and furious. The foursome, who rage in age from 24 to 45, burst around the 20- by 40-foot court-forward, backward, laterally, occasionally diving headlong for the ball, which ricochets off the four walls at a blistering 70 miles per. More...