Being a student athlete is a very demanding lifestyle. They are always on the go and always working hard. They have all eyes on them to perform their best in the games. But sometimes the pressure and the audience can affect how they play. Professional tennis player Laura Siegemund put it this way, “ (As a tennis player) you are a performer. You owe the people. You owe the kids that watch. You owe the people who buy the tickets.” 

This sparked a lot of conversations earlier this year about the pressure athletes feel to perform for the crowd.

Athletes constantly put pressure on themselves to be their best every time they play. Pressure also comes from other places, as varsity volleyball player Lauren Bernt shares, “[It comes from] the coaches, and having the pressure of living up to their standards, and being captain and having to be there for my teammates causes a lot of pressure.”

On game days, the pressure increases as the stands are filled with people. Many of these fans have high expectations and aren’t shy about letting them be known. Senior water polo player Avery Jane Romey reflects on this, “There’s a lot more pressure to perform in a game. I feel more free to try new things or to mess up when I’m in practice”

All of that pressure needs to be dealt with in a healthy way if athletes want to play well. Bernt deals with the pressure by talking to the other captain, senior Jenna Konzelman. “We chat about the pressure we feel and how we think we can do better,” Bernt said. “And I talk to the coaches when it’s needed.” 

Positive fans can help alleviate pressure by cheering and encouraging the players. Avery Jane Romey says “ I feel having a crowd watching pushes me to perform better. It gives me more of a reason to fight hard and think smart [in the game].” In this way, the right fans can make the whole game a better experience, for everyone involved.

Finding that balance of pressure that can push athletes to play better, but not cause them to collapse, is crucial to success.