[Archived] Performance Nerves

[ihtd]

This is going to sound stupid and is probably being posted in the wrong place, but if i remember correctly, we have a fair few sportmen/women on here even if its at Sunday League level.

Anyway the problem is, I am tonight going to go to my first basketball practice in about 2 and half years. Prior to my knee surgery, I were a really talented player and was touted to play at a fairly high level and didn't have any doubts about playing etc. Now, i haven't played in a long time and i am only trying out for the university team but for some reason i am dreading it and kinda actually feeling sick thinking about it. I'm used to being the best player on the court and now i am doubting that i can even make a jumpshot at BUSA level when i were playing National League before.

Its my own fault in a way that i've got to this state, i have had nearly 2 years to get back on the court after my surgery and wasted the time just playing football once every blue moon but now i want to make a comeback, i'm not expecting to play to the standard i could have but i don't want to show myself up either.

Basically what i'm asking, have any of you guys been in a similar scenario and come out of it better in the end.

[1864roverite]

With the knees, its a mindset thing. You think its going to hurt if your turn etc.

Having just had my 6th knee operation last Thursday I can sympathise with you.

try to forget everything and be positive.

[ihtd]

Just got back from training now, went a lot better than i expected but i found that i were missing a lot of shots that i should be making. A lot from compensating for the leg which to be honest i don't really need to do but still do. Like you sed 1864roverite, its a mental block. Getting over that mental block and accepting that i will not be as good as i were is now the problem. Managed to make the team for Lancaster away tomorrow though. Realised i am not as physically fit as a i used to be either but by playing again and training, that should solve that problem.

[SAS]

I know how you feel, coming back from a long lay off from injury is a very testing time, and it takes ages to get confidence and your physical standard back to what it was...

[broadsword]

Just try to enjoy it, and take the pressure off.

Some pressure is good, but too much is paralysing.

[colin]

IHTD,

I know what you're going through (sort of.)

I knackered my knee a few months ago and had to give up 5 a side football.

As an altenative for exercise I joined East Manchester Badminton club. It's a "turn up and play."

I used to be half decent at badminton a long time ago , but I've now totally lost it. I have really lost my hand-eye co-ordinatiom.

I'll plough on though. If nothing else I'll make the others feel better about themselves.

I'll get better, as will you. Stick at it.

All the best

[ihtd]

Cheers guys, I am looking forward to the game tonight but as i mentioned my confidence is crippling at the moment. I used to relish the thought of going into a game 5-10points down and being the go-to guy to get the team back in the game, now i am dreading the thought of coming into a game 10points up

It'l get better the more i get back into it. Its been hard going from playing practically everyday to what had become once a month at best after my knee surgery.

Didn't realise how many of us have problems with our knees on here.

Colin, you will get your hand-eye co-ordination back, that is a skill that takes time to get back. You can get it back, its just something you have to persist with until it becomes automatic again. Two tennis balls and a wall is what i used to hone my H-E.C. Throwing one ball with the left hand and catching it with the right hand in between throwing the ball in the right hand and catching it with the left hand. Sounds easy but it is not when you do it faster and faster, gets even harder if you throw the ball at an angle so it comes off the wall at an acute angle, so you have to move to the ball. Then to make it applicable to Badminton, you could go into a few "practice matches" playing games at a slow walk-through pace, and after 5 shots, speed it up and so on until your going at full pace. A couple of weeks of consistent practice like those would have your H-E.C back. A lot of top basketball coaches make young basketball players do things like that to hone their H-E.C.

Even without that Colin, you will get it back, it'l just take a few weeks of playing again for you.

[ABBEY]

Well this an expert view from me.I was international ,national champion wrestler.I also did "shoot wrestling" which was a version of submission wrestling (before ufc) from japan.I have suffered every finger /thumb broke and discolated,ive had 4 knee ops,I have broken my ribs,i dislocated my knee (and hung on for 10 seconds to win the title),ive broke my nose ,hundreds of black eyes and cuts.I have torn every muscle and ligament there is to tear.I was in the british championship when i leg attacked(he went on to be an olympian) and i slipped on the mat and banged my head(in glasgow) and i awoke in blackburn infirmary 5 days later ,i then went to the english champs and got knocked out again in anothe r freak accident .I then had a few years out of the game and when i came back i realised i didnt have the "snap" any more so i just got on with it and enjoyed it.It was then that all the injuries caught up and i qualified as a coach at national level .These days i cant wrestle or coach any more as my wrist and knees are not up to it.Hope this helps.....would i change it in anyway...would i balls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ihtd]

Well i have nothing to worry about tonight now, Lancaster have cancelled the game four hours prior to tip-off without even giving a reason as to why they can't play tonight. Wouldn't mind but this match was meant to be played tomorrow at 5pm and was brought forward a day by their choice and then they go and cancel. Only good thing is we'll get the win and i'll get a bit more time to work on my game and fitness before next wednesday's match.

Abbey, yeah thats helped, takes some balls to come back from the amount of injuries you've sustained over the years by the sounds of it.

[colin]

Colin, you will get your hand-eye co-ordination back, that is a skill that takes time to get back.

Thanks, I'll keep going and see how it goes. Hope you get your Mojo back too.

Abbey,

I'm speechless. I can't decide if you are the world's biggest idiot or the worlds most dedicated sportsman.

I think I'll go for both of them!

In jest.

[1864roverite]

Abbey, for those who really know you well, you were crap at football !!!

I can vouch for his wrestling qualities, he was good. I can also vouch for his stupidity as well !!

Trying to ###### in a plastic bottle going to forest away in the cup, over hills decked in snow was haliarious !!!

[ABBEY]

Abbey, for those who really know you well, you were crap at football !!!

I can vouch for his wrestling qualities, he was good. I can also vouch for his stupidity as well !!

Trying to ###### in a plastic bottle going to forest away in the cup, over hills decked in snow was haliarious !!!

1.when i was defender noone got passed me and if they did ,i got sent off as jumped them and wrestled em down.....but I was a bloody good goalie.

2.stupid haha not as stupid as the firework incident with you and wheelton police station lol

3.it was not the hills that were the problem it was the bloody potholes lol

[adopted scouser]

I suffered every finger /thumb broke and discolated,ive had 4 knee ops,I have broken my ribs,i dislocated my knee ,ive broke my nose ,hundreds of black eyes and cuts.I have torn every muscle and ligament there is to tear. got knocked out again

No wonder you divorced her - must have been worth ever fookin penny !

[ihtd]

Just thought i'd bump this as tomorrow night we can officially win our league with 3 games to go and as long as my doc appointment goes ok tomorrow, i will be playing in what essentially is the Championship game against MMU.

At times i wonder why i were so nervous back at the start of the season, thanks guys

[T4E]

Nice conclusion to the story. Well done mate.

[Presty On Tour]