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KOPFSACHE
4 min read · Ages 13–18

The drive home after the game

For many, it's the toughest part of game day. Here's how it can change – for everyone involved.

HandballParents & Environment

20 minutes in the car, right after the final whistle, with a game analysis from the passenger seat: That's the moment when the most damage is done – usually without bad intentions.

What you can say as an athlete

"I want to talk about it, but not right now. Tomorrow after breakfast, okay?" That's not a brush-off, it's an appointment. Most parents accept that straight away.

What parents can do

  • "Good to see you."
  • "Do you want to talk or would you rather listen to music?"
  • "I enjoyed watching."
  • "Why didn't you shoot more in the second half?"
  • "The coach should have put you in earlier."
  • "If you trained more..."

Tools for that

10 min

Post-game unwind routine

60s

4–8 breathing (extended exhale)

Foundation & Method

Emotion RegulationStress ManagementSport Psychology
  • Sport Psychology: Parental Behaviour in Youth Sports: Support vs. Pressure to Perform

Read more

After the final whistle, the game continues – in your headWhose expectation are you actually carrying?
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These contents are knowledge and training offerings from sport psychology. They do not replace psychotherapy, medical treatment, or professional sport psychological support.

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