Athletes who feel calm and steady under pressure tend to perform far better than those who let competition nerves take over, according to new research examining club level sportspeople. The study looked at how anxiety and psychological resilience shape performance on the field, court or track, offering practical insight for coaches and young athletes alike. The findings were published in the Journal of Educational Research and Social Sciences Review.
The research, carried out among 291 club level athletes in District Dera Ismail Khan, explored the relationship between competitive anxiety, psychological resilience and sports performance. Participants completed validated questionnaires measuring cognitive anxiety, physical symptoms of nervousness, self confidence, resilience and overall performance.
The findings showed that competitive anxiety, including racing thoughts and physical symptoms such as a pounding heart or trembling hands, was strongly linked to poorer performance. Athletes who struggled with these feelings often found it harder to concentrate and execute skills effectively during competition.
Psychological resilience told a different story. Athletes who scored highly on measures of resilience tended to perform noticeably better, regardless of how anxious they felt beforehand. The study suggests that resilience is not simply a fixed personality trait but something that can be built through practice, much like physical fitness.
Perhaps the most striking result came from what researchers call a moderation effect. Resilience did not just improve performance on its own. It also softened the negative impact that anxiety had on performance, meaning resilient athletes were better able to hold their form even when nerves crept in before or during competition.
The research also found meaningful differences across age groups, ethnic backgrounds and whether athletes lived in rural or urban areas, suggesting that anxiety and resilience are experienced differently depending on personal circumstances and environment. This points to the value of tailoring mental skills training rather than applying a single approach to every athlete.
For everyday sportspeople, from weekend footballers to competitive swimmers, the message is encouraging. Nerves before a big match or race are normal and do not have to determine the outcome. Building resilience through structured practice, such as learning to reframe pressure as a challenge rather than a threat, may help athletes perform closer to their true potential.
The researchers argue that sports clubs and coaching bodies should consider introducing resilience focused training alongside traditional physical coaching. Rather than only trying to reduce anxiety, programmes could actively teach young athletes how to build coping strategies and emotional control from an early stage.
This approach reflects a wider shift in sport psychology, where mental skills training is increasingly seen as being just as important as physical conditioning. As competitive pressure grows across youth and amateur sport, understanding how to nurture resilience could make a meaningful difference to performance and wellbeing alike.
