This document outlines a 4-stage model of stress and its effects on performance. Stage 1 involves a demanding event, Stage 2 is an athlete's perception of the demand as a challenge or threat, Stage 3 is the physiological arousal response of eustress or distress, and Stage 4 is the outcome of increased or reduced performance depending on moving through the first 3 stages positively or negatively.

3. The Effects of Stress on Performance
Stage 4: Outcome
Increased performance Reduced performance
Stage 3: Increased arousal levels
Eustress (increased energy and
motivation)
Distress (increased worry)
Stage 2: Perception of demand by athlete
Positive perception (challenge) Negative Perception (threat)
Stage 1: Demand
E.g. Last penalty in a shoot-out

4. Stress is
Stage 1:
Demand
Stage 2:
Perception of
demand of
athlete
Stage 3:
Increased
arousal levels
Stage 4:
Outcome

5. Internal External
Occupational Personal
Work in groups on this activity. List the things that cause stress to you and the
people in your group under one of the categories below. Make sure you include
some sport-related examples.

6. Event importance Uncertainty
For each of the sport-related sources of stress, give an example that you have
experienced and describe how it affected you.