Years of intense preparation and commitment lead to a single moment for athletes to demonstrate their abilities on the global stage. At the Paris Olympics, top athletes and their coaches finalize the results of four years of detailed planning and rigorous training. Soon, Paralympians and their coaches will do likewise. Generally, we concentrate on the athletes – their narratives, sacrifices, victories, and setbacks. However, the individuals supporting them, including coaches and support teams who experience the emotional highs and lows alongside the athletes, often go unnoticed. Many Australians fondly recall swimming coach Dean Boxall’s exuberant celebration after witnessing Ariarne Titmus’s thrilling 400m freestyle victory at the Tokyo Olympics. The emotions involved are vivid, exhilarating, and exhausting, a routine reality for elite coaches who hope that the hard work, introspection, and further preparation will manifest during competition.
The fluctuations in emotions can be significant. One advantage of regular sports seasons is the ongoing opportunity to play, providing a chance to improve regardless of the previous outcomes. This opportunity is not available at the Olympics, where everything must align perfectly for an athlete in terms of age, fitness, skill, and stress management. Almost all Olympic competitors share the same ambition: to win gold. However, with limited spaces at the top, disappointments are more common than triumphs.
Post-Olympic blues are a unique condition where athletes and coaches may suffer from moods of depression, diminished interest and purpose, anxiety, and overall reduced well-being when the games conclude. Unfortunately, many coaches tend to underuse or neglect psychological support, possibly out of a reluctance to appear vulnerable or a discomfort with lacking solutions. Previous Australian studies suggest about 40% of elite Olympic coaches experience mental health challenges, yet fewer than 6% seek help. Stress, although a frequently examined topic, is still often misunderstood. Lazarus and Folkman offer a valuable perspective, suggesting stress is an individual’s reaction to perceived threats or stressors in their surroundings.
Consider an athlete in a high-pressure 100m sprint final. Their response can vary based on their experience, confidence, and training. Some will execute their pre-race routines effectively, while others might yield to the event’s pressure and accompanying nerves. Lazarus and Folkman propose stress is a natural aspect of human existence, but how a person manages it significantly affects outcomes. Coaches at all levels face similar stressors – establishing and maintaining athlete relationships, assuming responsibility, strategizing, dealing with surprises, enduring lack of support, and coping with losses and the necessity to rebound.
Not all stress is detrimental, however. Some stress acts as a motivator, pushing us to plan, train, and perform optimally. Research suggests several strategies for managing stress within and beyond sports: Problem-focused coping involves tackling the root causes by creating plans and taking actionable steps to resolve issues. Although you cannot control elements like weather or officiating, you can exercise control by establishing consistent routines and preparations, including contingency strategies. Emotion-focused coping entails managing stress-related emotions using methods like relaxation, seeking social support, and reinterpreting negative thoughts. Losing does not have to be entirely negative; instead, athletes and coaches can view it as a chance to learn.
A focus on mastery rather than mere performance is beneficial. A mastery approach emphasizes improving skills, solving problems, and overcoming challenges, whereas a performance focus highlights results and victories. Studies indicate that emphasizing results can exacerbate the feelings of defeat, whereas emphasizing skill development and enjoyment correlates with better stress management. Try to avoid “counterfactual thinking,” which involves dwelling on potential outcomes. An intriguing Olympic example shows that bronze medalists often express more happiness than silver medalists. This difference arises because bronze medalists feel fortunate to win a medal, whereas silver medalists lament narrowly missing gold. So, in times of disappointment, try not to dwell on what might have been.