Game day doesn’t have to be chaotic.
Nerves, adrenaline, and distractions can all sabotage performance before the first whistle even blows. But with the right routine in place, your teen athlete can walk into competition with clarity, calm, and confidence.
Here’s how to build a simple, repeatable game day routine that sets your athlete up for success—mentally and physically.
⏰ 1. Wake Up With Purpose
A chaotic morning often leads to a chaotic game. Help your athlete wake up with enough time to move slowly—with room to eat, stretch, and mentally prepare.
Encourage:
- A full glass of water and a balanced breakfast
- 5–10 minutes of quiet (breathing, journaling, or music)
- Visualization: imagining themselves executing strong plays with confidence
This sets the tone for the entire day.
🎶 2. Pre-Game Anchor Ritual
Whether it’s a pump-up playlist, a few deep breaths, or tying their shoes in a certain order—a pre-game ritual tells the brain it’s time to focus.
Athletes thrive on cues. Help your teen find a small, repeatable ritual they can use every time they compete:
- Breathing box technique: Inhale 4, hold 4, exhale 4, hold 4
- Whispering a personal affirmation in the mirror
- Listening to the same 2–3 songs on the way to the venue
This creates a predictable emotional pattern, even when the competition isn’t predictable.
📱 3. Ditch the Distractions
Game day is not the time for TikTok, Snap streaks, or comparison scrolls. If possible, set a social media boundary until after the game is over.
Even just 2 hours of screen-free time before performance can:
- Reduce anxiety
- Improve emotional regulation
- Help the brain shift into present-moment awareness
If total disconnection isn’t realistic, encourage them to switch to Do Not Disturb mode and avoid social scrolling.
🧘 4. Trust the Training
Remind your teen: Game day isn’t about trying harder—it’s about letting go.
Confidence doesn’t come from what they do that day—it comes from knowing they’ve already done the work.
Teach them to say:
“I’ve trained for this. I’m ready.”
“I don’t need to be perfect—I need to be present.”
“I trust my body. I trust my mind.”
Reinforcing this mindset is what helps them compete free, not frozen.
🧰 Bonus Tip: Use Our Game Day Checklist
We’ve created a printable Game Day Routine Checklist for teen athletes and their parents—complete with timing tips, meal guidance, gear reminders, and mental warmup steps.
👉 Grab it now in our Tough Teen Athletes Resource Library or on our website.
💡 Final Word:
A calm mind equals a powerful performance.
When your teen has a routine they trust, game day stops being overwhelming—and starts being a place where they shine.
