Pressure to perform: «You haven't failed here»
The pressure to perform is particularly noticeable among our athletes, as they are subjected to a selection process every year. For many athletes, fun and interest take centre stage at the beginning, but then they join better and better teams where they are compared much more closely with each other: Who is better? Who can move up a league? Who has to sit on the bench?
Some young people even keep their injuries a secret and continue to play anyway, just so as not to miss a chance.
They are also under pressure in their private lives. Some parents have done everything they can for years to get their son or daughter this far. Then they say things like «I know you want to be a professional!». However, it often happens that the parents want this above all else and the child has to live their dreams.
How a student was able to free himself from pressure
For example, I once had a pupil who was always in a good mood. Suddenly he came to school every day feeling down and nobody knew what was wrong with him. Nobody could get close to him. At some point, he only wrote poor grades and sometimes even handed in blank exam papers.
We then found out that the pressure to perform was far too high for him and he no longer wanted to be a goalkeeper. He thought to himself: «If I do badly at school, I'll be kicked out of the team and won't have to continue. It's not easy to stand up as a 12 or 13-year-old and say: "Hey, listen, everyone, I don't want to do this, it's not my path.»
This pupil was so afraid to tell his parents about his wish. He couldn't do it alone, he said. I then spent over a month preparing and practising a short presentation for his parents with him. He cried a lot at the beginning because it was such a big hurdle for him, but we worked our way forward in small steps until he felt ready.
The parents were initially shocked during the discussion. But they quickly accepted the decision and also said that they never thought their son would be under so much pressure.
You have won because you have found the right path for you.
These are the most exciting aspects of my work, opening these valves and looking for solutions. He was then allowed to stay at our school and do his dream apprenticeship. Football remained his hobby and he was able to continue playing with his colleagues from the football club.
It was important for us teachers to give him the feeling: You haven't failed here, you've won because you've found the right path for you.
