The Science of Nerves
A small amount of this emotion can actually help athletes perform better.
What is anxiety (or nervousness)?
The “sweet spot” refers to this balance of energy and calm that leads to peak performance.
What is the optimal level of arousal?
Positive, encouraging statements athletes tell themselves to build confidence.
What are affirmations?
Offering this to teammates can calm nerves and build confidence before a game.
What is encouragement (or support)?
Morgan’s Message was founded to honor this student-athlete’s legacy.
Who is Morgan Rodgers?
This hormone, also known as epinephrine, spikes during pressure situations.
What is adrenaline?
This calming practice helps athletes slow breathing and lower heart rate before competing.
What is deep breathing?
Saying “I’m excited” instead of “I’m nervous” is an example of this psychological technique.
What is reappraisal?
True or False: Talking about performance anxiety makes it worse
What is False?
The mission of Morgan’s Message is to equalize treatment between these two aspects of athlete well-being.
What are physical and mental health?
This automatic body system controls your fight-or-flight response.
What is the autonomic nervous system?
True or False: The goal should be to completely eliminate anxiety before a performance.
What is False?
This type of mindset views challenges as opportunities to learn, not threats.
What is a growth mindset?
This type of communication normalizes pressure and creates team trust.
What is open conversation?
This kind of stress conversation helps athletes support one another instead of hiding their struggles.
What is peer-to-peer discussion?
This term means “helpful stress” that motivates instead of harms.
What is eustress?
This mental exercise involves imagining success before competition.
What is visualization?
These short, repeated phrases (like “I’ve got this”) help athletes focus under stress.
What are mantras?
A shared playlist, mantra, or pregame ritual can do this for team energy.
What is build team confidence and focus?
This type of environment encourages vulnerability and mental health awareness.
What is a supportive team culture?
This curve shows how performance increases with arousal — up to a point — before it starts to drop off.
What is the Yerkes-Dodson Curve?
When an athlete’s nerves cause mistakes during pressure moments, it’s called this
What is choking under pressure?
The process of mentally reframing anxiety into motivation and focus.
What is mental reappraisal (or reframing)?
One goal of Morgan’s Message is to eliminate this around mental health.
What is stigma?
True or False: Performance anxiety only affects “weak-minded” athletes.
What is False?