What are triggers?

Triggers are events/situations that cause a change in emotion before, during, or after a game. They are particularly things that you may, or may not be, aware of. They are very common and happen repeatedly throughout the game. But you probably haven't been paying attention!

The first thing we look for in our game is self-awareness, and triggers that cause you to play poorly or take you out of your game. And after we identify these triggers, we can start correcting how we react to them, one at a time.

When we group the triggers, we realize that there are common patterns that arise with the stressors that evoke them.

A list of basketball Triggers:

External Triggers (created by someone else):

Your coach:

• • Subs you out of the game

  • Yells at you

  • Gives you criticism in the heat of the moment

  • Asks you to do something that you really don't feel like doing (ie. cleaning up chairs after a game)

  • Not giving you the minutes that you want

  • Does something that you disagree with during the game

  • Sits you on the bench for 3/4 of the game, and then subs you in when you're cold

Your teammate:

• • Gets angry with you for making a mistake

  • Gets angry with you for shooting a shot

  • Is putting in low-effort

  • Doesn't get back on defense

  • Doesn't know a play and messes it up

  • Misses a box out, and other team gets a wide open layup

  • Takes a bad shot, or a shot that they don't practice

  • Plays out of their ability level, and tries to do too much

  • Yells at you

  • Your teammate is making excuses

  • Your teammates run away and leave you stranded during a press

  • Your teammate doesn't pass you the ball when you're wide open

  • Is someone that you don't like off the court, or don't like playing with

Opposing players:

• • Other players that are very aggressive with you when refs aren't looking

  • Opponent is giving you/teammates cheap shots, and fouling you when refs aren't looking

  • Opponent is taunting you/teammate by talking smack to you

  • Opponent is taunting you/teammate by talking smack to your teammates

  • Getting trapped by a physical team and not being able to handle it physically

  • Getting trapped by a physical team and not being able to handle it mentally

Opposing fans/parents:

• • By talking smack to you

Your parents:

• • Yell at you

  • Give you advice mid-game

  • Being asked to do something that you really don't feel like doing (ie. cleaning up chairs after a game)

Referees

• • Referees not calling fouls during lay-ups or when you bring up the ball

  • Referees calling traveling calls repeatedly

  • Referees making bad calls

  • Referees making no calls, and not blowing their whistles when they should be

Off the Court:

• • Something happens in your personal life that throws you off

Other

• • Getting injured and handling an injury (negative pain)

Internal Triggers (created by yourself):

Mental mistakes

• • You pass up an open-shot, that you should have shot

  • Getting fatigued during the game (positive pain)

Physical mistakes

• • Turn the ball over

  • Get a "traveling" call on you

  • Get 3 seconds in the lane

Something embarrassing happens to you:

• • Air-balling a free throw

  • Missing a wide open layup

  • Getting blocked on a layup

  • Getting blocked on a jump shot

  • Air-balling a shot

You miss a shot

• • You miss a jump shot

  • You miss 5 shots in a row

  • You miss/brick a lay-up

Mental Pressure Situations

• • Taking the last shot, when the game is on the line

Other things that happen

• • You foul out

  • You get ejected

Off the Court

• • Opposing team/players are talking smack on social media

  • You know you are playing the best team in the league (you're nervous)

  • Something is happening in your life that takes you out of the game mentally

Comparing Yourself to Others:

• Comparing yourself to another player that's better than you, and getting down on yourself

"In Game" Realizations:

• Starting a game flat, and unenthusiastic

• Starting a game too hyped up, and nervous

• Being down by 30 points in a game

• Being up by 40 points in a game

"Ruminating on the Past" Triggers:

• Thinking of the Past and wishing that it would have gone differently, or wishing that you had acted differently

"Being nervous for the Future" Triggers:

• F.E.A.R (Future Events Appearing Real). Thinking of the future and being afraid of certain situations to arrive.