It is minutes before Senior Will Puhl’s varsity wrestling match. In only a few minutes, he would be on the mat with only himself to rely on. As if that isn’t enough, Coach Keith Watson makes his way over to give Puhl a pep talk. “It all comes down to you so you better win,” he tells Puhl. 

In more blatant words, Watson is telling Puhl the one phrase that torments all athletes: don’t choke.    

According to Winning Edge Psychological Services, “Athletes describe choking in a number of ways: a complete loss of confidence, an inability to make their body move, an increase in anxiety/nervousness, loss of emotional control, and a tidal wave of doubt.”

Choking leaves the athlete feeling embarrassed, guilty, and that they have let their team and coach down. The combination of negative thoughts and emotions leads the athlete to lose confidence, decreases their motivation and even doubt their ability to compete.”

There are many factors that affect an athlete’s playing, and can cause him to “choke.” But the most important seem to be related to pressure and motivation. For Puhl, who has been on the wrestling and football team since his freshmen year, and is playing rugby this year, “I put the most pressure on myself.”

Out of 242 students surveyed, the most pressure came from themselves (8% felt significant pressure from themselves). The least significant pressure was from spectators (only 1% felt significant pressure), and moderate pressure came from teammates (11%) and the intensity of the game (11%). 

While on the varsity wrestling team, Puhl felt the most pressure. “You’re wrestling for yourself, trying to not let yourself down, make your own personal accomplishments,” Puhl said.

Puhl mentioned actually performing better from this added stress. In his chapter on “Athletic Functioning” in “Self-Efficacy: the Exercise of Control,” psychologist Alfred Bandura suggests that “coaches can effectively influence the development and maintenance of self-efficacy through focusing on what players can personally control, such as improvement, [and] providing more positive guidance [rather] than focusing on uncontrollable outcomes, such as winning.”

Coach Watson did just this to help Puhl perform his best. Out of all his coaches, Puhl noted Watson as having the best technique. 

Watson is a “hands-on coach that works with you,” and that really helped Puhl.  The best coaching technique senior football player Scott McIntyre has seen while on the team is “reinforcement.” Also, according to Puhl, the best coach is one who is “fun, easy to get along with, and serious when he needs to be.”  

Although Watson had the best technique, the most influential coach for Puhl was his own father. “He was my travel basketball coach in eighth grade. [He] helped support me through high school when I was had trouble, talked to me about sports and stuff, and gave me advice.”

A lot of motivation can come from teammates too. “As a team, you’re trying to help them,” Puhl said. “I liked the team better- playing for the other guys instead of just myself.”

Puhl mentioned that the pressure he feels can come from the “seriousness of [the] game” and “intensity that we’re playing.” When his teammates “really need people to step up, it makes me want to step up.”

For McIntyre, “the idea of being a champion” motivates him most. His coaches put the most pressure on him when they expect a certain level of seriousness and talk him up.

There is pressure involved in an athlete’s performance. But, for Puhl, “When I know that I’m prepared, coaches have prepared me, and there is a relaxed environment around me, I do well.”

According to Coach Tim Perry, all teams need discipline to motivate. “Not military discipline,” said Perry, “Disciplining your mind then body to react to the situations that you see on the field.”

This discipline can come from “repetition” and “mental toughness,” which Perry says “transcends athletics” and goes “down into the fiber of the person and gives you strength.”

“A desire to win and perform at an acceptable level, a special feeling of accomplishment, and enjoyment” also motivate, Perry said.

Alex Bahr can be reached for comment at [email protected].