Helping Swimmers Handle Meet-Day Stress: Why Routine Matters (For Swimmers and Parents)
- Julio Zarate
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
Big swim meets can be emotional, for swimmers and for the parents watching from the stands. Swimmers feel the pressure to perform, while parents want nothing more than to see their child confident, calm, and proud of their effort. Stress and anxiety often show up at high-level meets, and that’s normal. What matters is how swimmers learn to manage those feelings.
One of the simplest and most effective tools for doing that is routine.
Stress Is Normal. Especially When Kids Care
If a swimmer feels nervous before a big race, it usually means the meet matters to them. Their body is responding to excitement, expectations, and the desire to do well. For younger swimmers especially, those feelings can be confusing. Butterflies turn into tight shoulders. Excitement turns into self-doubt.
Parents may hear:
“I don’t feel good.”
“What if I mess up?”
“Everyone else looks faster.”
These thoughts don’t mean a swimmer isn’t ready, they mean their mind has too much empty space to wander.
Why Anxiety Shows Up at Big Meets
From a psychological standpoint, anxiety thrives in uncertainty and idle mental space. When the mind has time to wander, it often fills that space with “what ifs”:
What if I mess up my start?
What if I don’t swim my best time?
What if everyone else is faster today?
These thoughts pull attention away from the present moment and toward outcomes we can’t fully control. The result? Tight muscles, disrupted breathing, and a nervous system stuck in overdrive.
This is where routine becomes powerful.
How Routine Helps Calm the Mind
Routine gives swimmers something steady to hold onto in a chaotic environment. When meets feel overwhelming, routine shifts attention away from outcomes and back to actions.
From a psychological standpoint, anxiety grows when the brain is focused on things it can’t control; times, places, results, or other swimmers. Routine gently pulls the swimmer back to the present moment.
When a swimmer knows:
First I activate
Then I warm up
Then I follow my pre-race habits
…their mind stays busy with what comes next, not what could go wrong.
Activation: Giving Nervous Energy a Job
That jittery feeling before a race isn’t always a bad thing. Routine helps swimmers understand that nervous energy can be useful.
Light movement, stretching, or simple activation exercises help the body wake up and tell the brain, I’m ready. Instead of trying to “calm down,” swimmers learn how to channel their energy into preparation.
For parents, this is a great reminder: nervous doesn’t mean unprepared—it means engaged.
Warm-Up: Finding Rhythm and Familiarity
Warm-up is often where swimmers start to relax, not because the nerves disappear, but because their focus shifts. Repeating familiar movements, feeling the water, and settling into breathing creates rhythm.
This rhythm is powerful. It helps swimmers feel grounded and connected to their bodies. When they’re focused on stroke, breathing, and pace, there’s less room for anxious thoughts to take over.
They’re not thinking about the race anymore they’re simply swimming.
Pre-Race Rituals: Comfort in Consistency
Pre-race rituals can be small, but they matter. The same goggles routine, a few deep breaths, a quiet moment behind the blocks; these actions send a message to the swimmer’s brain: I’ve done this before.
Rituals provide comfort and confidence. They reduce uncertainty and remind swimmers that they don’t need to do anything extraordinary it’s just what they’ve practiced.
Focusing on What Can Be Controlled
Routine teaches swimmers an important life skill: focus on what you can control.
They can’t control:
Who’s in the lane next to them
The final time on the scoreboard
How fast someone else swims
They can control:
Their preparation
Their effort
Their attention in the moment
By following their routine, swimmers naturally bring themselves into the present. Anxiety fades not because it’s forced away, but because there’s simply no room left for it.
A Message for Parents
Parents play a big role in supporting routine. Encouraging consistency, staying calm, and reinforcing effort over outcome helps swimmers trust the process. Sometimes the most helpful thing a parent can say is simply:
“Stick to your routine.”
“Listen to coach.”
“Go warm-up.”
It reminds swimmers that they already have everything they need.
Final Thoughts
Routine doesn’t guarantee a best time or a perfect race, but it does give swimmers a sense of control in a high-pressure environment. It helps them manage stress, stay present, and swim with confidence.
And when swimmers learn that skill early, it carries far beyond the pool.
For more info on warm-up click link below: