The MAPP – Personal Stress Response Plan

Train your response. Stay composed. Perform at your best.

Step 1: Identify Your Triggers

What situations consistently throw you off mentally during games or practices?
Reflect on moments that cause pressure, frustration, or hesitation.

Examples: Turnover, missed free throw, critical game moment, coach yelling, getting benched

My Trigger(s):

Step 2: Recognize Your Stress Symptoms

How does stress show up in your body or mindset? List two or more.

Examples:

  • Tight chest

  • Overthinking

  • Frustration

  • Shaky hands

  • Tunnel vision

My Symptoms:

Step 3: Choose Your Reset Tools

Pick specific tools that help you reset under pressure.

Breathing Technique (e.g., Box Breathing, 4-7-8):

Positive Self-Talk (Mantra)
Example: “Next play.” “I’m built for this.”

Visualization Sequence
Example: Visualize making the next play or staying calm at the line.

Grounding Technique (e.g., 5-4-3-2-1, body scan, tapping):

Step 4: Build Your Personal Stress Plan

Put your full game-ready plan together below.

When I feel stress from:

I will recognize it by:

I will manage it by using:

To refocus, I will:

Step 5: Reflect and Refine

After using your plan in a real situation, check in with yourself.

How did my plan help during my last high-stress moment?

What can I improve or add to make it more effective?

Self-Assessment: On a scale of 1–5, how composed did I stay?
(1 = Not effective, 5 = Very effective)
1 2 3 4 5

Reminder:
Stress is part of the game. The best athletes don’t avoid it — they plan for it.
This is your edge. Train it like your shot.