Anger from frustration or failure can have a negative effect on performance. For example, a soccer player who has been held by an opponent might become angry and attempt to retaliate by taking a swing at the opponent. Retaliation causes an automatic shift of attentional focus from the game to the opponent. As a result of the increased arousal and the break in concentration, performance suffers (Husman & Silva, 1980).
Another scenario is a basketball player who is fouled, but receives no call from the officials. If the fouled player thinks of retaliating, concentration breaks and performance drops. Athletes, in general, should learn one or more concentration strategies to either prevent a break in concentration or help them refocus when concentration breaks.
The above paragraphs come from an article by Joseph K. Mintah in SelfHelp Magazine. Mintah goes on to discuss ways to manage anger in the moment such as cue words, self-talk, nonjudgemental thinking and performance routines. Here’s the link to the full article.
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