How to Stay Locked In When the Game Gets Wild

Author

Dr. Jamie Phillips
April 26, 2025

You’ve seen it before—players who fall apart after a bad shift, a missed call, or a goal against. And you’ve also seen the ones who stay calm and collected no matter what’s happening on the scoreboard.

That’s not personality. That’s emotional regulation—and it’s a skill you can train.

If you want to be consistent under pressure, bounce back quickly from mistakes, and stay focused no matter the situation, you need to train your emotional response just like your skating, shooting, or mobility.

Why Emotional Regulation Matters in Hockey

Hockey is fast. It’s emotional. Momentum swings in seconds.

Players who can’t manage their internal state tend to:

  • Get distracted by mistakes or missed opportunities

  • Spiral after one bad shift or call

  • Overthink instead of react

  • Miss tactical cues because they’re emotionally overwhelmed

Players who can regulate their emotions stay grounded. They think clearly. They respond, not react. That’s the difference between high-level performance and rollercoaster results.¹

Techniques to Improve Emotional Regulation

1. Reset Routines

Every athlete needs a quick go-to strategy to reset after a mistake. This can be physical (e.g. tapping your pads or stick), mental (e.g. repeating a cue like “next play”), or both.

Use these routines:

  • After a goal against

  • After a turnover or bad shift

  • After a missed opportunity

2. Journaling or Post-Game Reflection

Writing things down helps process emotions and reduce mental carryover. Focus on:

  • What went well

  • What you learned

  • What needs adjustment

This creates a habit of responding with intention instead of emotion.

3. Mindfulness Training

Practicing mindfulness or breathwork for just 5–10 minutes a day improves your ability to notice emotional spikes without reacting to them.²

This could be:

  • Box breathing

  • Guided meditation

  • Breath-to-movement routines

4. Cue-Based Awareness

Build the habit of checking in during games. Ask:

  • Where’s my focus?

  • What emotion am I feeling?

  • Is it helping or hurting right now?

If it’s not helping, reset.

What Elite Players Do Differently

Elite players don’t ignore emotions—they manage them.

Whether they’re up 5–0 or down 3–1, they:

  • Stick to their plan

  • Stay calm under pressure

  • Trust their reset tools

  • Don’t ride the emotional rollercoaster

They know that consistency = control.

Need some mental training?

There’s a whole series in the EGM Labs app called Mental Mastermind that is prepared by a NCAA D1 mental coach

Dr. Jamie

Ghost Rehab and Performance | Elite Goalie Method

References

  1. Gross JJ. Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychol Inq. 2015;26(1):1–26.

  2. Baltzell A, Summers J. The role of mindfulness in sport. In: Mindfulness and Performance. Cambridge University Press; 2016:153–175.

  3. Birrer D, Röthlin P, Morgan G. Mindfulness to enhance athletic performance: Theoretical considerations and possible impact mechanisms. Mindfulness. 2012;3(3):235–246.

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