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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Funny Ed. I'm like you (in #1) except I go to
the bathroom 2 pilots after I land to retrieve my flight from the
toilet.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>--Lance</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=divesplat@yahoo.com href="mailto:divesplat@yahoo.com">Ed Deaver</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org
href="mailto:nsrca-discussion@lists.nsrca.org">NSRCA Mailing List</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, February 21, 2007 9:19
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: [NSRCA-discussion]
Competition Nerves</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV>Hey Anthony, several things that worked for me over the years
include;</DIV>
<DIV>1) Listening to my walkman, with music I liked
and going to the bathroom 2 pilots ahead and just "CALMLY" visuallizing the
flight. All of it for that matter (humor:):)</DIV>
<DIV>2) Treating practice that same as a contest the first
flight! I used to go through a different routine while practicing and if
I blew a maneuver, falling out of the sequence to redo it. I found that
this wasn't effective for contests so started to adopt a theory, the first
flight of the day is a hands-down bonifide competition flight. Start up,
run up, procedure turn, etc straight into the pattern, calling the box out
loud etc etc to simulate the stress of a competition flight.</DIV>
<DIV>3) This may be the most helpful. Pick spots in
your sequence to take a deep breath!!! When I call for anyone (except
FAI guys) I find a straight and level spot and tell the pilot take a deep
breath. The results are amazing, suddenly the pilot feels more relaxed
then. Sometimes we need to get our mind on something else just for a
split second so we can excell at the rest.</DIV>
<DIV>4) Contests, contests, contests. One year I
actually flew in 16 Pattern and IMAC contests(wasn't married then but saw lots
of country.) The more you fly in front of judges the easier it
gets.</DIV>
<DIV>Hope this helps.</DIV>
<DIV>Ed<BR><BR><B><I>Ed Miller <edbon85@charter.net></I></B>
wrote:</DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq
style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid">Anthony;<BR>In
2003 I moved from Advanced to Masters and flew 2 contests in Masters.
<BR>Then in '04 and '05 due to a move from NY to TN I flew only 40 flights
total <BR>in 2 years. So of course in '06 I decided to fly at the Nats in
Masters <BR>since I was so well prepared. Although I had always had a bit of
the <BR>"shakes", especially the first flight of a contest, it was really
bad in '06 <BR>both while practicing and at the Nats. While practicing
Sunday at site 1 in <BR>Muncie Danny Landis was calling for me and asked if
I was OK, I was shaking <BR>so hard. What has worked for me is eliminating
caffeine altogether, a side <BR>benefit is I seem to sleep better. Also
getting into the mindset that "it's <BR>just another day at the field" has
helped a lot. By the Gay Ga. contest in <BR>October '06 my shakes had
subsided and my scores moved up a bit. The <BR>pressure of competition is
felt by all, the trick is to do things to <BR>minimize it. Dean Pappas also
recommended and I agree is to eat normally at <BR>a contest, don't try and
fly hungry or on a stomach full of Little Debbie <BR>goodies or
doughnuts.<BR>Ed M.<BR>----- Original Message ----- <BR>From: "Anthony
Abdullah" <AABDU@SBCGLOBAL.NET><BR>To: "NSRCA Mailing List"
<NSRCA-DISCUSSION@LISTS.NSRCA.ORG><BR>Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007
2:16 PM<BR>Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Competition Nerves<BR><BR><BR>>I
am trying to get myself ready for the upcoming pattern season and have
<BR>>been evaluating my past performances. I made a list of the reasons I
don't <BR>>do as well as I would like and learned some interesting things
about <BR>>myself.<BR>><BR>> Other than practice which was one
through five on the list, I found that <BR>> my performance is sometimes
hindered by nervousness. Sometimes I get so <BR>> wound up and the
adrenaline gets pumping so much that my thumbs are a blur <BR>> and I go
into brain fail safe. For example; one year at a the district <BR>>
championship contest I was in a dogfight for the contest victory. I was
<BR>> flying well and had won three out of five rounds. On flight six
everything <BR>> was going great and I had made it through the toughest
part of the <BR>> pattern. It should have been smooth sailing to a
victory. Unfortunately I <BR>> finished a set of three maneuvers then
dropped the gear and called <BR>> landing. My caller asked me if
everything was alright and I assured her <BR>> (my wife) that all was
well and it was time to come on home. On base to <BR>> final she calmly
reminded me that I had three more maneuvers to do before <BR>> I could
call it a day DOH!!! Can you say 0, 0, 0? I was so nervous that I <BR>>
managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of<BR>> victory. Fortunately it
did not cost me the district championship.<BR>><BR>> The point is, I
have noticed that I am calm and focused during practice, <BR>> and
extremely focused during a competition, but not calm. Other than <BR>>
practice is there something that I can do to help calm my nerves? I am
<BR>> practicing Yoga with the wife and am open to meditation, etc to
help keep <BR>> the mind calm but focused. Is it just me or do some of
you more <BR>> experienced pilots experience ventricular hyperactivity as
well? I would <BR>> be interested in hearing if that is
normal.<BR>><BR>> Signed<BR>> Spongebob Blurry Hands AKA The
Galloping
Ghost<BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR>><BR><BR><BR>--------------------------------------------------------------------------------<BR><BR><BR>>
_______________________________________________<BR>> NSRCA-discussion
mailing list<BR>> NSRCA-discussion@lists.nsrca.org<BR>>
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