Confidence & Pressure

The Proving Ground: Your Plan for a High-Stakes Trial

Rhema Adelaja · National Champion & 4x DUX · September 2026 · 6 min read

You freeze in big trials because you focus on the outcome. This is a repeatable process to help you focus on your own game, perform with freedom, and show your true ability.

You know the feeling. Your name is on the list for a big trial. This is your chance. You can see the coaches with their clipboards and stopwatches. You feel their eyes on you with every touch, every pass, every shot. And then, it happens. Your legs feel heavy. Your first touch is clumsy. You make a simple mistake and your head drops. You start playing safe, trying not to mess up again. By the end, you walk off the pitch knowing you did not show them what you can do.

I have been there. At my first national team trial, I was so worried about impressing the selectors that I forgot how to play my own game. I was focused on the outcome. Being selected. That single goal created so much pressure that it crushed my performance. The problem was not my ability. The problem was my focus.

You cannot directly control whether a coach selects you. They have their own plans and opinions. But you can control your preparation, your actions during the trial, and how you react afterwards. This is your process. When you focus on a repeatable process, the pressure to perform fades. It is replaced by the confidence of knowing exactly what you need to do, moment by moment. This post will give you a simple plan for how to perform in a sports trial by focusing on your process, not the prize.

Before the Trial: The Preparation Phase

Your performance at the trial does not start at the first whistle. It starts in the days leading up to it. This is where you build the foundation for your confidence. Most athletes spend this time worrying about the outcome. You will spend it focusing on your preparation. This shifts your goal from 'get selected' to 'execute my plan'.

This is about setting process goals. Instead of saying 'I need to score a goal', your goal becomes 'I will make three sharp runs into the box'. Instead of 'I must not make any mistakes', it becomes 'I will communicate loudly on defence'. These are small, controllable actions. Studies show that process goals lead to stronger results and lower anxiety because they are entirely within your control. You are judging yourself on your effort and execution, not on a result you cannot guarantee.

Visualisation is another powerful tool. The night before, take ten minutes. Close your eyes and mentally rehearse the trial. See yourself arriving calm and prepared. Picture yourself executing your key skills perfectly. Feel the confidence of performing your role well. This is not just daydreaming. You are building muscle memory in your brain and creating a feeling of familiarity before you even step onto the pitch.

Your Pre-Trial Checklist

During the Trial: The Performance Phase

This is where your focus is tested. The environment is chaotic. Players are desperate to impress. Coaches are watching. It is easy to get distracted by things you cannot control, like a bad call from the referee or a mistake by a teammate. Your job is to stay locked into your own game and your own process.

Your anchor in these moments is your breath. When you feel anxious or make a mistake, your heart rate spikes and your thinking becomes clouded. The fastest way to reset is to control your breathing. Taking a few slow, deep breaths calms your nervous system and brings you back to the present moment. This simple physical action has a direct impact on your mental state, allowing you to think clearly again.

Combine this with positive self-talk. This does not mean telling yourself 'I am the best'. It means giving yourself clear, simple instructions. If you are a defender, your self-talk might be 'stay on your feet' or 'see the ball'. If you are a striker, it could be 'sharp movement' or 'hit the target'. This instructional self-talk keeps your mind focused on the next correct action, rather than dwelling on a mistake or worrying about what the coaches are thinking.

Your In-Trial Focus Points

After the Trial: The Review Phase

Whether you get the email you want or not, your process is not finished. How you handle the aftermath of a trial is crucial for your long-term development. Many athletes tie their entire sense of worth to the outcome. If they are not selected, they feel like a failure. If they are, they feel amazing. Both of these reactions are dangerous because they are based on someone else's opinion.

Your focus must remain on your own performance and your own growth. The outcome is just one piece of information. The real value is in what you learned. A structured review helps you separate your emotions from the facts. It allows you to analyse your performance based on your process goals, not the selection decision. This behaviour builds resilience. It teaches you that every high-pressure situation is an opportunity to get better, regardless of the result.

This is not about being harsh on yourself. It is about being honest. Did you execute the process goals you set? Where did your focus slip? What did you do well under pressure? Answering these questions gives you a clear roadmap for what to work on in your next training session. It turns the trial from a one-off event into a valuable part of your development journey.

Your Post-Trial Actions

Stop hoping you will play well at your next trial. Hope is not a strategy. A repeatable process is. You now have a framework for before, during, and after. It is simple, it is controllable, and it works. It takes the focus off the selectors and puts it back where it belongs: on you and your game.

Your task now is to make this your own. Take these ideas and write down your personal pre-trial checklist and your in-trial focus points. Do it today. The next time you step onto that proving ground, you will be ready.