Basketball is a physically challenging game, and it’s difficult to control our anger while playing it. Some NBA players lose control and get angry while playing in higher-competition games. When we are basketball players, the question arises, “How to we control our anger in playing basketball?” Control of anger and emotions is essential for making good progress in basketball games.
Straight to Point
Control of anger is the key for NBA players to perform well in games. If we are basketball players, we can control our anger by developing strategies on the basketball court. Taking a deep breath relaxes our minds and allows us to play confidently. Understanding emotional awareness is essential for us to compete with anger in games. We can use positive self-talk with ourselves to boost the spirit of winning games.
We can communicate effectively with our teammates and coaches to remove our anger and increase our focus on the games. Taking breaks after intervals helps us to regain energy and strength to do our best in games. If we can’t control our anger effectively by using some strategies, we can seek help from psychologists and therapists to clear anger from our minds. Before the game, we can set clear goals and focus on the process of winning competitions in basketball games.
Strategies to control our anger in playing basketball
Like professional NBA players, we can control our anger in playing basketball by following these strategies.
Take a deep breath
Taking a deep breath is the best and most effective way to control our anger in playing basketball. Sometimes, we can’t hold and pass the ball to our teammates with better accuracy and strength. Due to the high passion and intensity of the game, we usually can’t control our frustration and release anger by saying ugly things to other players. Doing such acts in games spoils the honor of others.
As basketball players, we can control our anger in playing basketball by taking deep breaths and moving body parts as gestures with hands, arms, legs, or feet. By taking deep breaths, we can relax our nervous system and help to slow our heartbeats and think positively in our minds. If we are not angry and understand the requirements of the basketball game, we can give effective performance and get better results in NBA games. We can also control our anger by playing basketball quietly on the courts.
Develop emotional awareness
Developing emotional awareness is the key to understanding and controlling our anger in playing basketball games. As far as many NBA players can’t lose their frustrations because they don’t develop emotional awareness about things that are the cause of their anger. The anger-causing factors can be:
- Personal problems at home
- Fail to handle nerves in high-intensity games
- Fear of opponent star players
- Continuously fail to hold and win the ball from opponents
- Receiving unfair responses from opponents and referees in games
By understanding the cause that makes us angry during the game, we can release frustration from our minds by taking necessary measures. We can plan some strategies for overcoming our emotions and anger in games.
Use positive self-talk
Positive self-talk engages us to perform well and also helps us to remove anger in games. Replacing negative and rude talk with positive and effective talk is the true meaning of using positive self-talk in NBA games. For example, replace “I can’t make better passes for my team” with “I will make key passes and moves for winning game.”
Positive self-talk can develop our confidence and motivation in the game and remove frustrating things from our minds. If one of our teammates loses spirit and gets angry, we should speak some motivational lines to increase his confidence and release anger in games.
Communicate effectively
Communication with players and referees can remove frustrations and misunderstandings on the basketball courts. If we are disappointed with our teammates, we can talk with them calmly to release anger while playing basketball games.
Sometimes, match referees make ordinary decisions that make us angry while playing basketball on the court. We can share our disappointments with referees to remove frustrations and release anger while playing basketball games. Effective communication with coaches also helps us release anger and pressure in our minds to contribute to winning performances against strong opponents.
Take breaks during the game
Basketball is a physically intense game that requires effort to make accurate passes, dribbles, and moves. Anger usually develops when our body tires and is unable to progress further in the game. As far as controlling anger is concerned, we should take some breaks during the game to replenish our body’s energy.
Taking breaks is necessary for replenishing energy during the game, especially when the body becomes tired. Spending some time on the bench with teammates and coaches helps us regain our energy and confidence and relax our minds. Many star players like Lebron James usually move away to benches to take breaks during games. Taking some rest and positive thinking on the bench helps them play basketball with confidence and accuracy. The winning percentage increases up to 60% when Lebron James takes a break during games.
Seek professional help
When we continuously fail to release anger and fear in our minds, we should seek help from psychologists and therapists. Keeping an angry face for a long time can be dangerous and lead to severe health problems for us. Many NBA players’ performances have decreased due to these problems. These players usually think “They can’t do better for their team”.
Professional psychologists and therapists can help us to release anger during NBA games. They can diagnose problems that cause anger and suggest strategies and plans to manage our anger effectively. The research data shows that most basketball players perform well in games after following the prescriptions of psychologists and therapists.
Set clear goals and focus on the process
We can set our playing goals on the court and focus on the process of achieving these goals. Instead of getting angry about losing the game, we can focus on the next moment to play better by making key dribbles, passes, and moves. Thinking about the plan to steal the ball from opponents and control the game imposes positive results for the team.
Whenever I play basketball with my team, I set clear aims for how we can win the game. Positive thinking helps me perform extraordinary for my team by removing anger from my mind. My performance in NBA games has improved over the years because of the relaxation of my nervous system.
How to deal with our anger towards bad players?
We can deal with our anger toward bad players by not talking to them during the game. We can talk to our coaches and other teammates to replace them with good players who understand the situation and can contribute to winning the game.
Getting angry at bad players can disturb the game’s environment, and it’s against the rules of basketball. If we continue to create a toxic environment in the game, no other team will play against us.
How can I control my anger during sports?
I can control my anger during sports by taking deep breaths and using positive self-talk. Taking breaks and communicating effectively with teammates and coaches can also release my anger. I can set clear goals to forget frustrations and focus on the process during the game.
Why do I get so angry during sports?
Whenever! I don’t develop emotional awareness during sports, I get so angry without solid reason in games. Bad calls from my teammates increase my anger, especially when I play with my natural competitors. Dirty acts, poor control over balls, and dirty performance on the court usually produce frustrations in my mind.
Final thoughts
Controlling anger is essential to maintaining positive responses and getting a better experience on the basketball court. If we implement these strategies in the game, we can find productive and effective results on the pitch. We can gain much better results when our bodies become fresh before games. We can make our bodies relax by releasing anger from our minds and thinking positive vibes on the court.
