Canadian National Skeleton Team; Community Leader

I'm Nervous

A lot can happen in a minute. From the moment the person before me goes, until it is time for me, a million thoughts can rush through my mind without even comprehending most of them. 

I take a deep breathe, hold, breathe out, repeat. My mind is racing a mile a minute, but I need to slow it down to be present. 

As I walk up to the block, sometimes I say out loud to the coach "I'm Nervous". We make eye contact, exchange a comment or two. Then we both know its go time. 

Mindset is everything. It is something I wanted to work on this season, as I get nervous, I get tense. This can carry all the way down the track and doesn't translate to fast sliding. 

I've always had those butterflies at the top of the track. That is what attracted me to skeleton in the first place. 

It is so far out of my comfort zone, that the challenge of trying something seemingly so crazy made me feel alive. 

Then, I started focusing too much on results, or feeling like there were expectations. 

I got too tense. 

Too nervous. 

Then I was de-selected from the team. 

Confidence plummets. 

Cue up more nerves and less confidence in lines. 

A year ago, I decided whether I should continue in this sport. I went all in - and vowed to work with a sports psychologist as well to handle the mental side of the sport. 

Along with that, I have had the opportunity to work with some coaches that truly believe in me. 

(Pictured is me doing a less than ideal line.... as well as two coaches that I've worked with on the ice) 

As confidence has started to build. Slowly but surely, better times, push PB's, and fun has followed. 

A year ago I was cut from racing and had no races. 

Amazing what happens when you go all in and trust the process. 

So what all started with a simple admission that I might get a little too nervous on the line, has turned into a powerful tool on how to turn that into a positive force on the top of the track. 

Sometimes, you just need a little help to really be your best self. 

Back to Home

My Team

Sponsors

Community Partners

Made with Medalist