It happens before almost every game: your child complains of a sore stomach, can’t eat breakfast or even throws up. It can be worrying and confusing, especially when they also say they love their sport. For many young athletes, this is pre-performance anxiety.
If your child is being sick often, it’s a good idea to check in with your family doctor first, to rule out any medical cause.
Why Anxiety Shows Up in the Stomach
When we feel pressure, the body’s stress response kicks in. Blood flow shifts toward the muscles, the heart speeds up and digestion slows down. That’s why nervousness so often shows up as butterflies, nausea or an upset stomach. For some kids, it’s intense enough to cause vomiting.
What Drives Pre-Game Anxiety
Fear of making mistakes or letting the team down
Worry about what coaches, parents or teammates will think
High expectations, from others or from themselves
Feeling like their worth depends on how they play
The environment around sport matters. In one study, when coaches were trained to create a mastery-focused climate, emphasizing effort, learning and improvement rather than winning, young athletes’ performance anxiety decreased (Smith et al., 2007).
How Parents Can Help
Stay calm and matter-of-fact. Let your child know that nervous feelings are common and not dangerous: “Your body is getting ready. It’s okay to feel this.”
Focus on effort and enjoyment. Ask, “What are you looking forward to?” rather than “Are you going to win?”
Practise calming skills at home. Slow breathing, a calming routine or a pre-game playlist can help, especially when practised before game day.
Keep the car ride light. Before and after games, warmth and encouragement tend to help more than coaching or critique (Knight et al., 2017).
Plan food and timing. Light, familiar food a little earlier may help if their stomach is sensitive.
When to Reach Out for Support
If anxiety is getting worse, spreading to school or other activities or causing your child to want to quit something they used to love, it may help to talk with a professional. Our Mindset Mastery for youth athletes program helps young athletes understand pressure and build skills to manage it. You might also find our post on helping teen athletes who shut down helpful.
References
Knight, C. J., Berrow, S. R., & Harwood, C. G. (2017). Parenting in sport. Current Opinion in Psychology, 16, 93-97.
Smith, R. E., Smoll, F. L., & Cumming, S. P. (2007). Effects of a motivational climate intervention for coaches on young athletes’ sport performance anxiety. Journal of Sport & Exercise Psychology, 29(1), 39-59.
How Core Psychology Can Help
At Core Psychology, our clinicians offer Mindset Mastery for youth athletes, teen therapy and parent support and coaching, in person in Marda Loop, Calgary, and online across Alberta.
We offer a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation to answer your questions and help you find the right fit. You can also reach us at info@corepsychology.com.
If you’re in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988 any time, or call 911. Kids and teens can reach Kids Help Phone at 1-800-668-6868 or by texting CONNECT to 686868.
This article is for general information only and is not a substitute for professional assessment or therapy.
