Your Support Network: A Key Factor in Sports Performance
Every performance is unique, both in its execution and over time. You never have exactly the same preparation, the same motivation, or the same support from one event to the next. The support around you also varies. And yet, this often-neglected factor plays a major role in how you experience effort, pressure, and success: your support network is a true lever for sports performance.
Choosing Your Support Network Before an Event
You wouldn’t let ill-intentioned people disrupt the preparation of a Formula 1 car. So why let them influence your mindset before a sporting event?
Choosing your support network means accepting that some people fully support you, and recognizing that others have no place at that specific moment. You are not obligated to share everything or accept everything: it’s up to you to define what truly helps you move forward.
Setting Clear and Reciprocal Boundaries
Supporting someone in a project does not mean accepting everything. You can ask for logistical or moral support without turning your support network into an emotional outlet.
Setting boundaries means clearly identifying what you need, but also recognizing the needs of your loved ones: their available time, their emotional involvement, and their energy.
💡Practical Tip
- Communication: no one can guess your expectations if you don't express them
- Reciprocity: avoid unnecessary tension, misunderstandings, and frustrations
Sharing Your Successes at the Right Time
Defining boundaries does not mean isolating yourself. It often allows you to better savor moments of sharing after the effort. Some choose to celebrate their success with loved ones over a meal, others prefer to chat for a few minutes with competitors or take a step back before recounting their experience.
There is no right or wrong way to share: it’s up to you to decide when, with whom, and how.
Concrete example: before a competition
Imagine a swimmer preparing for her first long-distance event.
Her well-meaning loved ones bombard her with questions the day before: “Are you sure you’re ready?”, “What if you give up?”. These remarks, even affectionate, fuel doubt at the worst possible moment. Earlier, she could have set a simple boundary: “I need quiet the day before; we’ll catch up after the race to talk about it.” This type of message, formulated kindly, protects her concentration without severing the connection with her support network.
The role of social support in sports perseverance is widely documented in sports psychology literature, particularly in this reference work by INSEP on motivation and sports performance.
Making Your Support Network a Lasting Ally
Your support network is not static: it evolves with your goals and seasons.
A training partner can become a valuable support in the off-season, while a family member might play a logistical role on race day. Regularly re-evaluating who is around you, and why, allows you to adjust this key factor of sports performance at each stage of your progress.
In summary: your support network can be a true lever for performance… or an additional source of pressure. Learning to choose it, set your boundaries, and share your successes at the right time allows you to experience your sporting challenges with more serenity and accuracy.