Big Match Temperament

[32519]

Can this be taught or learnt? Or is it something of your natural inherent/internal psyche?

[Cyberyeti]

Can this be taught or learnt? Or is it something of your natural inherent/internal psyche?

It can be learned (or at least the nerves can be at least to some extent controlled) by most people, some don't have to learn it and just do it naturally

[mikeh]

It can definitely be learned.

 

Except for the naturally gifted,my belief is that one has to learn how to win at every new level one reaches in any competitive endeavour. That is why professional sports teams will often sign or trade to acquire veterans with experience on winning teams even when those players may be past their prime. They bring experience to younger , perhaps now more talented players and can get those younger players to the next level without having to lose a few times first.

[ggwhiz]

It's not easy for many to maintain an even emotional keel under pressure. I once read a really good book on sports psychology but have no idea now what it was but it explained some of the techniques I imagine Phil Mickleson must have worked on to dump his rep for choking plus team and partnership situations.

[32519]

Sports psychologists make their living trying to fix this issue with top sportsmen. Yet time and again, especially amongst the golfers, the player leading at the start of day 4 chokes, giving the win to someone else.

 

I don't know what the answer is.

[cherdano]

Sports psychologists make their living trying to fix this issue with top sportsmen. Yet time and again, especially amongst the golfers, the player leading at the start of day 4 chokes, giving the win to someone else.

 

I don't know what the answer is.

http://xkcd.com/904/

[Vampyr]

If by "Big Match Temperament" you mean really big, like sometimes elation, sometimes tears, always brooding on stupid mistakes one has made -- I have got it down pat.

[barmar]

Sports psychologists make their living trying to fix this issue with top sportsmen. Yet time and again, especially amongst the golfers, the player leading at the start of day 4 chokes, giving the win to someone else.

Much of this is probably just regression to the mean, not actually choking, especially if that leader was an underdog. The first 3 days were the exceptions, the 4th day was him playing normally.

[Cyberyeti]

Sports psychologists make their living trying to fix this issue with top sportsmen. Yet time and again, especially amongst the golfers, the player leading at the start of day 4 chokes, giving the win to someone else.

 

I don't know what the answer is.

Tennis is probably a better example, some players lose a 3 set match from a set and a break up a lot more often than others, and this is not a mere fitness thing.

[32519]

Tennis certainly is a good example, but with tennis your opponent may have a bigger serve than you, or be more agile than you or be faster around the court than you etc. With golf it's just you and that little white ball. You bugger up your shots all on your own, your biggest enemy = BMT. Golfers are known to fold with only a few holes still remaining to play. Good steady golf for 3 rounds and most of the final round, one hand already on the trophy.

[Cyberyeti]

Tennis certainly is a good example, but with tennis your opponent may have a bigger serve than you, or be more agile than you or be faster around the court than you etc. With golf it's just you and that little white ball. You bugger up your shots all on your own, your biggest enemy = BMT. Golfers are known to fold with only a few holes still remaining to play. Good steady golf for 3 rounds and most of the final round, one hand already on the trophy.

My point is that in tennis you've proved you're good enough by getting a set and a break up in the first place, then you choke. Occasionally it will be about what your opponent does, but if it happens a lot it's probably you.