How do I help my child be less nervous before competitions?

Helping Your Child Manage Competition Nerves

Some nervousness is actually healthy—it means your child cares about doing well. The goal isn't eliminating nerves, but helping them skate through them.

Start by normalizing what they're feeling. Talk openly: "Even Olympic skaters feel butterflies. That energy can help you skate faster and cleaner." This reframes nervousness as fuel rather than a problem to fix.

Build a pre-competition routine together that feels grounding. Maybe it's listening to a specific song, stretching together, or reviewing one element they've been nailing in practice. The consistency matters more than what you choose—it signals to their brain that they've done this before and they're ready.

During the competition day itself, keep your own energy calm and positive around them. Kids absorb our anxiety instantly. Focus on effort and execution ("I'm excited to see you land those spirals") rather than results ("You're going to win").

After skating, resist the urge to immediately dissect the performance, especially if they're upset. Sometimes they just need a hug and time to process.

One concrete next step: ask your child what would make them feel most confident walking into the rink before their event—then build that into your routine.

Want to see this in your child's skating? [SkateMarks analyzes every jump with per-second AI coaching notes.]