With the shot clock ticking down and the roar of a hostile away crowd ringing in her ears, UC Capitals’ new guard Issy Palmer feels a familiar surge of adrenaline. For a basketballer operating at her level, it’s a gift.
Research consistently shows elite sportspeople are no less prone to nerves than anyone else. The difference lies in how they label, interpret and regulate that anxiety.
Within the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), a “facilitative anxiety response” is a cornerstone of performance psychology, allowing elite athletes to reframe physiological responses, like an elevated heart rate, as excitement and readiness.
Palmer nods: “Nerves, to me, indicate I’m mentally prepared. If I have no nerves, I actually find it means I’m a bit flat, I don’t have my head in the game.”
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