The Mental Game of Preseason

Preseason is about a month away, and if you’re a high school or college athlete, you can probably feel it creeping in; the anticipation, the excitement, the what ifs.

Am I ready? Will I measure up? Am I doing enough?

• What if I’m not where I should be?

• What if I don’t get the role I want?

• What if I’ve fallen behind while others got better?

These thoughts are completely normal.

I still remember them vividly, even though my own preseason days are long behind me. Back then, I was caught in the same mental spiral; Am I ready? Will I measure up? Am I doing enough?

But if I could go back for just one day, I wouldn’t stress about my fitness test score or whether I was starting that first scrimmage. I’d soak in the early morning training sessions, the nervous energy before stepping on the field, and the fire of competing for something that mattered.

Be Where Your Feet Are

One of the biggest mental hurdles of preseason is learning to stay present.

Our minds tend to race ahead to the first game, or spiral back to last season’s mistakes. But here’s the truth — confidence doesn’t live in the past or the future, it lives in the now.

So instead of asking,

“Am I good enough yet?” Try asking, “What can I learn today?” “How can I push myself and support my teammates right now?”

That’s where growth happens and your mental edge is built.

Give Yourself Permission to Feel It All

You can be excited and nervous. You can want more playing time and still celebrate someone else’s win. You can feel doubt and still keep showing up. That emotional complexity doesn’t make you weak, it makes you human. And the athletes who learn to sit with that discomfort instead of running from it are the ones who build real mental toughness.

A Final Note, From Someone Who’s Been There

I’d give almost anything to go back to those days of preparing, competing, and being in it with my teammates. Not because it was easy, but because it mattered. Because it shaped who I became.

So as you step into this next chapter, don’t rush it. Don’t let pressure or anxiety steal the joy that’s available right here, right now. Your job isn’t to be perfect. Your job is to be present, to lean in, and to stay present in the moments that are building your story.

Ready to Level Up Mentally This Season?

Whether you’re an athlete, a parent, or a coach, mindset matters — and it starts now.

Schedule a free consultation with Coach Biz to learn more about one-on-one coaching, team workshops, and family sessions designed to build confidence, resilience, and stronger communication, on and off the field.

👉Book now!