Pressure is one aspect of basketball that makes people love the sport. Everyone loves the last second shot, the underdog pulling off the upset, and the intense atmosphere of a rivalry game. These situations bring the best out in some players, while evoking the worst in others.
The only real certainty about high-pressure situations is that players will face them.
If we know pressure situations are a guarantee, how do we prepare for these situations? Here are 5 ways to help you succeed in crunch time:
- Preparation Is Number 1: In order to be confident in any situation, especially a pressure situation, you have to be prepared. If you know you’ve done everything you can to prepare, then you have nothing to worry about: You are ready. “Work ethic eliminates fear.” – Michael Jordan
- Focus On the Process: Evaluate yourself and your team on preparation and performance, not the result. Focusing on the process of improvement will remove the pressure of winning and losing, while also allowing for maximum growth of the team and individual. As a side note, winning usually occurs more often when you follow this philosophy ( John Wooden, Nick Saban, etc).
- Create Pressure Situations: When you practice or workout, create pressure situations so you get used to them. While working out use time limits or specific goals for number of reps/makes to create pressure. At practice, control time and situation to create game-like scenarios. Another way to create pressure is to make players validate any win in practice with a free throw. If they don’t make it, the drill continues. If you perform in pressure situations daily, you are much more likely to be successful when it happens in a game.
- Pressure Isn’t Real: The whole idea of pressure is created by our minds and is really just our perception of certain situations. For example, a free throw in a 20pt blowout is the exact same task as a free throw with no time left to win the game. It’s how we perceive the free throw that makes it different. If you understand that you create the idea of pressure, you can also control how you react to it. Here’s how Kobe Bryant views pressure: “Everything negative – the challenges, the pressure – is an opportunity for me to rise.”
- Visualize Success: Research shows that your brain cannot tell the difference between detailed visualization and real events. Visualize yourself being successful in pressure situations. You should use all your senses to make the visualization as lifelike as possible. Do this before bed at night and before each game you play. You can also do this while working out as well (the last second shot, game winning free throw, etc).