02/20/2026
Overcoming the mental hurdles of an injury.
After months of navigating the mental and physical hurdles of rehab, a client and sondidn't just return to the mat—he swept through State Duals, Regionals, and the State Championships to secure an individual state title. Winning the state championship as a freshman against a senior with a prior history of being in two previous state final matches was a level of competition he hadn’t faced before, highlighting a growth that went beyond his pre-injury baseline. He won that match by a score of 7-2.
A key part of this process was using the Fear of Return to Sport Scale (FRESS) as a guiding instrument. It allowed us to move past intuition and use objective data to monitor his psychological readiness. By tracking these scores, we strategically chose specific matches that aligned with his confidence and physical milestones at the State Duals, which was 2 weeks before the State Championships, ensuring his re-entry into higher level wrestling was calculated rather than rushed. Now, this athlete wanted to just go and test himself against a solid competitor even with higher than his normal of state anxiety. Pressure to perform, compete, and win are all common emotions. However, he needed that test.
Was it pretty and back to true form...Nope!
Was his conditioning top wrestling shape...Nope!
Was his emotional regulation perfect.....Nope!
Did he win the match.....Yep!
This match provided important feedback to prepare him for the State Qualification tournament a week later. Could he have pushed this match to State Qualification....Yep. However, the result could have been the same or worse. He chose to accept it were he was and use it as guide to get even better. Which he did as saw the same wrestler again but this time the margin of victory was even greater. Therefore, using the FreSS along with other performance metrics we could see the weekly improvements that also reinforced his confidence.
While he wasn't 100% physically healthy—a common reality by the time state rolls around—focusing on what he could control made the difference. The hypertrophy and power training we prioritized, despite his limited lower body, resulted in a bigger upperframe that proved vital in the finals as he competed against an older and stronger wrestler. More importantly, the work on visualization and breath regulation gave him the peace of mind to stay present. By focusing on the weekly process rather than the outcome, he was able to actually enjoy the moment. After all, you only get four trips to state, and 25% of your HS career is gone after this tournament, so enjoy it, as there are no guarantees for the future.
This success reinforces that a structured, interdisciplinary plan builds the determination through client autonomy and reinforced competence. His team was supportive of the approach by not rushing him back too soon and was able to still do some things in practice to reinforce relatedness. This whole process helps with resiliency during a period of vulnerability.
The goal was never just to get a "green light" from the doctors, but to build a better athlete through every phase of recovery. Now, does it mean there will be guarantees of success of a gold medal? Nope! But it is far better than guiding with intuition and applying the "Grind" mentality just to get back. Yes, our bodies heal but the mind also needs healing and that does take time....it takes psychological skills.
He now moves forward with a gold medal and a blueprint for overcoming adversity that will serve him well in the future.
Working together towards a common goal is what matters most when helping these athletes. Work with your trainers, physical therapist, and coaches for the betterment of the athlete.
