Library

Missed a 7-metre throw

Open shot, everyone watches, ball doesn't go in.

Shot missed

Open shot, goes wide or to the goalkeeper.

Technical error

Steps, double dribble, court violation – ball lost without opponent pressure.

Misplaced pass

The pass doesn't connect – counter-attack for the opponent.

Turnover

Lost the ball in a challenge or it was intercepted.

Conceded a goal

Your opponent scores – either from your side or over your block.

Goalkeeper error

A ball you normally save goes in.

Defensive errors

Stepped out too late, gap open, opponent through.

Two-minute suspension

You're on the bench, your team is playing short-handed.

Yellow Card

A caution – and the feeling that you now have to play carefully.

Being substituted

You go off, even though you wanted to stay on.

Sitting on the bench

The game is on, you're sitting and waiting.

Little game time

Only playing for short periods over weeks.

Taken out during a tight phase

You come off the pitch when it's plus/minus one.

Criticism from the coach

Loudly, in front of the team or during a timeout.

Criticism from teammates

Annoyed gesture, loud comment, looking away after a misplaced pass.

Last Attack

30 seconds, one attack, everything to play for.

Draw in the final phase

Every possession counts, the pace in your head is picking up.

One goal down

Five minutes to play, you're one down.

One goal lead

You're narrowly in the lead and the game is getting tough.

Extra time

Legs heavy, head full, keep going.

Important tournament

Packed match schedule, very little free time, high expectations.

Scouting

Other coaches with clipboards on the sideline.

Trial training

New sports hall, new names, everyone's looking at you.

Performance Centre / Boarding School

Higher level, new environment, school and training at the same time.

Club change

New team, old role gone.

Injury

Break, rehab, watching from the stands.

Return after injury

Released, but the mind holds back.

Consecutive goals conceded

Three, four shots in a row go in – and you're right in the thick of it.

Conceded a 7-metre throw

You'd made your decision, the ball was on the other side.

Saved a 7-metre throw – and immediately tense again

Made a save, and the next shot is already playing in your head.

Too slow getting back

You came out, the shooter played around you.

Opening after the save went wrong

You make the save, launch the fast break – and the pass goes out of bounds.

Competition in goal: when you keep comparing yourself

The other keeper is making saves while you're on the bench – or you're on court terrified of being hooked. What you can do right now and how to talk about your playing time.

I feel responsible for the loss

One goal difference, and you're replaying every shot that went in.

You're 15 minutes into the game. That was your second technical error – a stepping violation after a pass that was actually clean.

What's happening in your head?

Third shot, third goal. The last one was a ball you save ten times out of ten. Your coach looks towards the bench.

What's happening in your head?

You just missed a 7-metre throw. Now the ref calls another 7-metre throw – and the ball is back with you.

What's happening in your head?

Four minutes left, you're up by one goal – and you get a two-minute suspension. You’re on the bench, your team is playing a player down.

What's happening in your head?

Draw, 25 seconds left on the clock, your team has the ball. Timeout's over, the play is set – and you're involved.

What's happening in your head?

First touch in eight minutes: free counter, you alone against the goalkeeper – and the ball goes over the bar.

What's happening in your head?

Selection try-outs. Two unfamiliar coaches stand on the sideline with clipboards. Your first ball contact: a bad pass.

What's happening in your head?

Why you get nervous before games – and why that’s okay

Cold hands, churning stomach, pulse racing at 120 during warm-up. What's happening in your body and how to use it.

Build yourself a routine that works even in unfamiliar sports halls

Pre-Performance Routines aren't superstition. They're a blueprint for the last 30 minutes.

One mistake is one mistake. Three are a habit.

Why mistakes come in a series and how a 3-second routine breaks the chain.

Little game time – and how you can get back in the game

Being on the bench doesn't mean you're bad. But uncertainty can be demoralising. Here's how to get clarity.

After the final whistle, the game continues – in your head

Why the match stays on your mind long after the final whistle – and how to draw a line under it.

Self-confidence is a collection of evidence

Not "believe in yourself", but: gather evidence your brain can't argue away.

Whose expectation are you actually carrying?

Pressure from coach, parents, team, yourself – sorting it out helps more than enduring it.

Criticism from the coach: separate the tone from the content

Some coaches are loud. That doesn't make the information wrong – and the tone isn't okay.

Anger is energy. Rarely well-directed.

A two-minute suspension instead of the equaliser – keep that energy in your system without it costing you.

Focus is about direction, not effort

Why 'concentrate!' doesn't work and what does instead.

Can't be bothered – or burnt out?

Two very different states that feel similar from the inside.

Injured: Your body heals, your mind needs a plan

Rehab isn't just physio. Belonging, structure, and perspective are part of it.

Mental routines belong in training, not in the game

What you want to do in the game, you need to have practised on a Tuesday at 6 PM.

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.

A bad day is a bad day

How to stop a single day from becoming a story about you.

What's going on in your child's head right now

On the court, your child takes on responsibility; at home, they snap at a simple question. That can be baffling. It doesn’t mean a lack of maturity, nor does it point to a single biological cause. Ask about the specific situation instead of writing off the behaviour as “just puberty”.

After a bad game: What really helps?

A missed shot plays on your child’s mind. You also saw good moments and want to offer comfort. Before listing them, check: does your child actually want to talk about the match right now? There’s no need for a compulsory debrief, nor a ban on talking straight away.

Competitive Sport and Pressure: Where Does Encouragement End?

“I’m sorry you made the trip for nothing.” That phrase can be an opening to talk about expectations. It doesn’t mean you’re a bad parent. Ask how your child received it, rather than rushing to justify your support.

Little game time: What parents can do (and not do)

Your child trains regularly but gets little court time. That can be frustrating for everyone. Acknowledging their feelings doesn't mean questioning a team selection you only partly understand. And independence doesn't mean your child has to seek out difficult feedback entirely on their own.

The conversation with the coach

A comment from the coach is bothering your child, and you want to react immediately. Before calling, work out: is this about an unclear sporting task, workload, or disrespectful or unsafe behaviour? That changes who should speak and what goal makes sense.

Talking when you get little back

"All good." Nothing more follows after training. It's okay to feel disappointed, without turning that into an obligation for your child to talk. A conversation isn't the only proof of a good relationship, and silence doesn't explain its own cause.

Social Media, Comparisons and Highlight Reels

Your child watches a goalkeeper highlight reel and says: "Everyone saves better than me." Instead of blaming the phone, explore the comparison with them. A curated clip shows one moment, not the entire matchday or the person behind it.

When should you seek professional help?

You don't need to spot a diagnosis before seeking advice. What matters are noticeable changes, how much your child is struggling, and their safety. One disappointing evening is very different from everyday life becoming steadily harder. A fixed waiting period is no safeguard.

Blackout in the game? What you can do when suddenly nothing works anymore

Suddenly it's all gone: Plays, timing, feel for the ball. Here's how to get back in 30 seconds.

Made a mistake – now what? How to get back into your head during the game

Bad pass, missed shot, technical error. How to prevent one mistake from turning into three.

Nervous before the game: A routine that can help you

A routine for the last 30 minutes before throw-off – works at home and away.

Fear of Mistakes: How to play without constantly thinking about the consequences

When you only play it safe so nothing goes wrong – and lose your game in the process.

Self-confidence in handball: What you can do when you doubt yourself

Self-confidence isn't a feeling you either have or don't have. You can collect evidence for it.

Coach criticism: How to deal with it without taking everything personally

Loud criticism from the sidelines hurts. Here's how to separate the tone from what you can really take on board.

On the Bench instead of on the Court: How to deal with frustration and disappointment

You train hard but still sit on the bench. What you can do with that frustration – and what you shouldn't.

Focus during the game: How to get back into it after an interruption

Timeout, suspension, injury break – after every interruption, you need to switch back on.

When your head's too full: Dealing with pressure from school, sport, and expectations

Exams, four training sessions a week, a match at the weekend – and everyone expects something. How to get organised.

Motivation gone? What helps when you're just not in the mood for training

Not feeling like it isn't always a problem. Sometimes it's tiredness, sometimes something else. Here's how to figure it out.

After the game is before the game: A short routine to process experiences

Three questions, five minutes. So the game doesn't keep playing in your head at one in the morning.

Goalkeeper and Kopfsache: How to refocus after conceding a goal

As a goalkeeper, you'll concede goals in every game. What matters is the next shot.

Always comparing yourself? When your teammate seems better…

Comparisons happen automatically. Here's how to use them instead of letting them get you down.

Encouraging instead of complaining: How team communication really helps

What you say on the court can make your team stronger – or drag them down. Simple rules that work.

Not selected: handling disappointment and asking for feedback

Their name isn't on the squad list. How to be there for your child without sugarcoating the decision or immediately pushing for more training.

After an injury: supporting your child's return to play

Team contact, logistics, and initial conversations: what parents can contribute, while treatment and return-to-play clearance remain with qualified specialists.

Exclusion and disrespectful behaviour at the club

Repeatedly excluded, insulted, or humiliated in front of the team: listen, gather specific observations, and find a safe way to resolve it.

Changing clubs: what truly suits my child?

Look beyond court time: check their wishes, coaching support, team culture, and family balance together before making a move.

Body image, nutrition, and training

Body comparisons and comments in sport: how to listen without judging, support healthy meals, and seek professional advice if you're worried.

Competition Anxiety: What's Proven – and What Isn't

Why tension isn't the problem, how strong the research really is, and where the line to an anxiety disorder lies.

What mental training can do – and what it can’t

Honest classification: where research shows stable effects, where it's thin, and where mental training is simply the wrong tool.

Exhale for twice as long as you inhale

When your pulse races: just before the throw-off, before the 7-metre throw, or right after a timeout.

5–4–3–2–1 Ground

When your mind is racing and everything feels too much – in the changing room, on the bench, or at night in bed.

Brief Muscle Relaxation

When your body won't wind down after exertion – on the bus, in the changing room, or after training.

One word, one task

Whenever you come back in: before throw-off, after the timeout, after every substitution.

Look outwards

When you only listen to yourself or look towards the stands – between two plays or before the throw-off.

Three things that are yours

Before important games, before a trial, or whenever only the result counts.

Rephrase sentence

When a thought like "I'm really bad today" runs through your head – during a break or after the game.

A thought, not the truth

When a thought feels like a judgment about you – mid-game or afterwards.

What would you say to your teammate?

When you're harder on yourself than anyone else in the team – usually after a mistake or a loss.

RESET

In the 20 seconds immediately after a mistake – a mispass, a goal conceded, a missed chance.

Your gesture

Whenever words are too slow in the game – between two actions, after conceding a goal or a missed shot.

Think it through

Quietly at home or the day before, if 'What if I totally mess up?' won't leave your mind – not just before the throw-off.

Whose expectation is that?

Before trials or important games, when everyone's got an opinion – best to do it calmly beforehand.

Last Attack

In the final minutes of a tight game – one goal ahead or behind, timeout before the last attack.

Three pieces of evidence

When you don't trust yourself at all – before the game or after a weak week.

Mental rehearsal: your action

The evening before the game, on the bus, or in the changing room – not directly in a stressful situation.

Redirecting comparison

When you constantly compare yourself to others in training or on your phone – especially looking at squad lists or highlight clips.

Anger in Motion

When you're fuming – after a whistle against you, a hard foul, or criticism from outside.

Name the feeling

When you just notice "something's too much right now" and don't know what it is – during a break, on the bus, in the evening.

Ten Minutes of Frustration

After a loss or a bad game, when you just want to throw in the towel.

Three questions instead of overthinking

After the game, at the earliest on the way home – not immediately after the final whistle and not at night.

Clearing your head after the match

When the match is over, but your thoughts are still racing.

Calming down after the final whistle

Right after the final whistle, when your body's still buzzing – changing room, shower, drive home.

4–8 breathing (extended exhale)

Lower arousal level: Heart rate down, field of vision wide again, head ready for action again.

Attention cue: a word, a task

Shift attention from evaluation ("How do I come across?") back to execution.

Reset routine after a mistake (3 seconds)

Preventing one mistake from leading to a chain of errors. Reaction time instead of overthinking.

2-column error check

Turn rumination (endless) into an analysis (concluded).

Three process goals for your game

Take back control and make your progress visible – regardless of the line-up.

Coach meeting in 4 sentences

Turn frustration into concrete, verifiable feedback.

5-4-3-2-1 ground contact

Come back to the present and into your body before you make a decision.

Post-game unwind routine

Start your recovery and stop replaying the game in your head.

Imagery: the first two minutes

Creating familiarity: The game doesn't feel like a premiere at throw-off anymore.

Reshaping self-talk

Replace automatic negative self-talk with useful sentences.

Redirect Anger in 20 Seconds

Maintain energy, avoid loss of control and two-minute suspensions.

Motivation Check: Why bother?

Distinguishing between an off-day, overload, and a genuine change.

Stress traffic light

Recognising early if normal performance stress has become something else.

Injury Weekly Plan

Maintain structure and belonging while the body heals.

7 Days Focus

One minute of attention training every day for a week – in training, not just in your head.

My child is extremely nervous

Barely approachable before games, stomach ache, restlessness.

My child is devastated after making mistakes

One missed shot – and the whole evening is ruined.

My child doesn't want to talk

Headphones on, door closed, "all good."

My child gets angry after games

Bag slams, doors slam, so do words.

My child isn't getting much game time

Warm-up, bench, high fives, drive home.

My child wasn't selected

Selection, squad, scouting – and your name is missing.

My child wants to quit

"I can't be bothered anymore." So now what?

My child constantly compares themselves to others

Statistics, Instagram, "the others are better".

My child seems exhausted

Tired, sensitive, no energy – even on days off.

My child reacts strongly to criticism

One sentence from the coach – and the day is over.

I don't know what to say after the game

The car journey home is tense – even though you just wanted to show an interest.

I think my child is under too much pressure

And some of that might come from us.

After the game: The first 10 minutes

After the final whistle, your child might need peace and quiet first, or they might want to talk straight away. Whether they're ready to chat can change from match to match.

After the game: The first hour

Now the arousal is slowly subsiding. Some teenagers become chatty, others need silence. Both are normal – and can change from game to game.

After the game: The next day

Reviewing things later can work well, if your child is up for it. Keeping it short and specific is often much easier to take than a full match analysis.

After the game: After a loss

Defeats are part of sport and it's okay for them to feel bad. Your job isn't to make the feeling disappear, but to make it bearable.

After the game: After a strong performance

Good games seem easy – but they're not. How you praise shapes what your child's self-esteem is tied to.

After the game: After a mistake

For young people, a single mistake can overshadow the whole game. It helps to keep the mistake small and the person big.

After the game: After limited playtime

Even if they don't play, they still put in the work – and still won or lost. That mix is hard to deal with.

After the game: After criticism

Criticism in front of the group can sting particularly badly. Help your child separate the message from the tone – and stand firm if the way it was delivered wasn't on.

The journey home

Immediately after the game, 15 minutes in the car

The chat the next day

24 hours later, if your child wants to

Conversation with the coaching staff

When feedback, workload adjustments or safeguarding need addressing

When you need to bring something up

Worries about mood, eating, or withdrawing

Is this therapy?

No. Kopfsache is knowledge and training material for mental skills in sport.

How quickly does mental training work?

Quick tools like breathing or a focus word immediately change arousal levels, but only for a few minutes.

Where does the content come from?

Every method here is backed by a source, level of evidence, and limitations. We use meta-analyses, systematic reviews, individual studies, specialist literature, and recommendations from medical professional societies.

Do I have to do all the exercises?

No. One tool you actually use is worth more than ten you've saved.

Should I practice with my child as a parent?

Only if your child wants it. The most common mistake is to take on the role of mental coach.

When should we seek professional help?

If difficulties persist, affect multiple areas of life (sport, school, friends), or cause significant disruption. If in doubt, you can always seek advice early.

Arousal (activation)

Physical arousal level – from totally calm to fired up.

External focus

Attention on the effect of the movement, rather than on the body.

Reappraisal

Interpret the same bodily reaction differently.

Process goal

A goal you can influence yourself.

Psychological Skills Training (PST)

Systematic mental skills training.

Level of Evidence

How well a statement is supported by research.

Overload (Overtraining / Burnout)

Persistent imbalance between stress and recovery.