DR KOKETJO TSEBE
Pre-competition anxiety shows up in different ways. According to one of SA’ s leading sports psychologists, Dr Koketjo Tsebe, it all starts with a natural response in the brain.
“ We look at it from a neuropsychological perspective whereby … it creates a level of alertness and eagerness because of the nature of the competition. So, it ' s a psych-up for an athlete … and at times it can also elicit certain symptoms such as maybe feeling anxious and becoming sweaty and heart racing …”
In other words, nerves aren’ t a flaw, they’ re a signal. The body is preparing for something that matters.
Why nerves feel so physical
For many athletes, nerves don’ t just stay in the mind. They show up in the body, sometimes in uncomfortable or unpredictable ways.
“ Presentation varies,” explained Tsebe.“ It could be having sweaty hands, heart palpitations … restlessness … maybe dry mouth … others actually sweat in their face or the whole body … and difficulty with speech …”
Tsebe explains that this comes down to individual psychology:“ Athletes experience them differently because they have different psychological makeup, which includes their personality, their level of resilience, their coping style, their support system, their attitude and approach towards games, all these factors contribute to how one athlete is going to experience pre-competition nerves. It can either be minimal, average, or severe."
When nerves become a problem
A certain level of anxiety can sharpen focus. But when it becomes overwhelming, performance can suffer.
“ If they struggle to regulate this level of physical symptoms, then it is most likely going to interfere with performance because then they ' re going to struggle with staying in the moment, concentrating … and inability to … focus on the here and now.”
“ If they struggle to regulate this level of physical symptoms, then it is most likely going to interfere with performance because then they ' re going to struggle with staying in the moment, concentrating, reading the game, enjoying the game, and maybe become vulnerable to making errors …”
Importantly, the issue isn’ t the presence of nerves, but the inability to manage them.
Simple techniques that actually work
The good news is that athletes don’ t need complicated interventions to regain control. Some of the most effective techniques are simple, repeatable, and adaptable across sports.
One of the most underrated? Becoming familiar with the environment.
“ Simple ones can entail taking just a walk … that process of acclimatisation … you’ re able to see the stands … the pitch … smell the grass … and those walks are important to stay calm.”
These small actions reduce uncertainty, a major driver of anxiety.
Grounding through the senses
When nerves spike, bringing attention back to the present moment can be a game-changer. Tsebe highlights a widely used mindfulness tool.
“ A very common technique … is just to connect to five senses or practise the 5-4-3-2-1 technique: five things you can see, four things you can touch, three things that you can hear, two things that you can smell, one thing that you can taste.”
This technique is particularly effective in anchoring the mind, slowing racing thoughts, and focusing on the task at hand.
Reframing the feeling
Perhaps the most powerful shift an athlete can make is in how they interpret their nerves.
“ If they interpret it as a threat, it ' s going to take a toll on them, but if they interpret it … to say,‘ Okay, if I ' m feeling like this, it means I ' m actually anxious,’ then they can acknowledge it …”
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Instead of fighting the feeling, athletes can recognise it as part of the process, even a sign that they care and are ready.
Self-talk – your internal coach
What athletes say to themselves in those final moments matters.
“ I ' d encourage them to have some self-talk:‘ You ' ve done this before,’ or‘ This is just another … event to do what you love … go out there and do your best.’”
This kind of internal dialogue helps counter negative thoughts and reinforces confidence. It’ s especially valuable in solo sports, where there’ s not always a teammate nearby to offer reassurance.
Knowing when to seek help
While most pre-competition nerves are manageable, there are times when professional support is needed.
“ If it consistently interferes with performance … If there ' s a consistent pattern and they can see that, it doesn ' t have to take the whole season, a whole year, or six months. If they can see that it carries so much weight, then they need to consider seeking professional help,” says Tsebe.
The key is recognising patterns early. The bottom line
Pre-competition nerves are not something to eliminate. They’ re something to understand and manage. They’ re the body’ s way of saying: this matters.
With the right tools, from grounding techniques and routines to reframing and self-talk, athletes across all disciplines can turn that nervous energy into a competitive edge.
Because the goal isn’ t to feel nothing. It’ s to feel ready.
One last word of advice from Tsebe:“ Athletes should be open and be willing to share experiences around mental health and to seek professional help, to normalise conversations around that as part of a very important pillar of their performance.”
DR KOKETJO TSEBE
Dr Koketjo Tsebe is an elite athlete psychologist who has worked extensively with South Africa’ s top performers. She has travelled with high-performance national teams to major international events, serving as team psychologist at the FIFA Women’ s World Cup, the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, and the ICC T20 Women’ s World Cup. She was recently appointed as SASCOC Chairperson of the High- Performance Psychology Working Group.
Beyond the field of play, Dr Tsebe is an academic in sports psychology, contributing to both teaching and research, and serves on several higher education and sport-related boards and committees.
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