Settling into the blocks before the biggest race of a lifetime, serving a match point or preparing for a penalty kick shootout. The outcome of these moments can define an athlete’s season and plenty of effort is put in to physically prepare athletes for these situations. What goes unobserved by the crowd, however, is the mental preparation that is required to create these successes. Here’s what four athletes at West do during stressful moments in their sport.
Alyssa Skala Caroline Mascardo ’21 serves the ball during a tennis match.
Playing her first tennis tournament at the age of 10, Caroline Chandler ’21 is no stranger to pressure. Learning how to calm her nerves has been crucial for her success in both the high school season and in individual tournaments.
Alyssa Skala Grant Henderson ’20, the goalie for the boy’s varsity soccer team.
Grant Henderson ’20 didn’t touch a soccer ball until spring break his freshman year of high school. Since then, he made the varsity line-up as a goalie and was thrown into the spotlight during his Sophomore year when the team’s starting goalie suffered a season-ending injury.
Fabian Brown ’21 is involved in athletics year round, competing in track, basketball and football. Before sprinting, he will stretch to get his muscles warm and try to focus on one goal.
