Talk about coming through in the clutch. With thousands watching in
thestands and a billion of us glued to our TV sets, Kerri Strug nailed
her final vault to assure the U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team a gold
medal last July. That she did so while injured is impressive. But what
makes her feat even more admirable is that gymnastics is one sport where
athletes often choke under the pressure of public scrutiny.
According to psychologist Roy Baumeister, Ph.D., of Case Western
Reserve University, most athletic endeavors fall into one of two
categories: sports of effort, like swimming and running, and those of
skill, like gymnastics and figure skating. While spectators tend to
inspire athletes in sports where exertion predominates, Baumeister says
they are more likely to undermine performance in sports demanding
dexterity
"Skill events require automatic execution," Baumeister explains.
"But public scrutiny makes athletes pay attention to what they're doing.
And that may cause them to choke under pressure."
Surprisingly, self-conscious skaters and golfers are more likely
than their self-possessed peers to perform well in front of a crowd. The
reason: they're used to being scrutinized--by themselves. "Pressure makes
them more self-aware, but it's nothing new for them," Baumeister
says.
But even the most excitable jocks among us can learn to stay cool
when all eyes are watching. Practicing in front of an audience or a video
camera helps. Then, when the game begins, Baumeister suggests focusing on
an opponent or another external cue: "Concentrate on the ski slope, the
ball--anything other than yourself."
PHOTO (COLOR): Despite an Olympic-sized audience watching her every
axel, Oksana Baiul skate her way to a gold medal in 1994.
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