The Difference Between Choking and Panicking By Nick Matkiwsky

Why is it that the simplest tasks that you've practiced time and time again become increasingly difficult under pressure? Why do professional basketball players who practice their shots for countless hours without end miss the open shot with the game on the line? In my case, why is it that when I only need a few points to close out a match, the thought of victory, breaks down the way I play and the simple things I was performing in practice and early in the match appear foreign? People who experience situations like this tend to interchange the terms panic and choke. However, these two words, while similar, have contrasting meanings. The difference is a matter of experience in the task your performing. When it comes to panicking, its more often a result of inexperience and the fear of the unknown. For example, a younger driver with little road experience is stuck in a snow storm and the roads become very icy.  The driver, who has never drove on an icy road, locks his/her hands on the wheel and freezes. This is the cliche panic example, however panicking can come in many forms. In relation to school work, coming to class ill-prepared for a test usually results in mini panic attacks for those who care about how they do. In contrast experienced individuals, the best example being sports, who have practiced their trade day after day will also inevitable have to deal with pressure and extreme stress. Choking is failure to perform even though you are well prepared. Missing 3 free throws with the chance to beat the juniors in the student faculty basketball game or being up 25 points in the second half of the Superbowl and allowing the opposing team to come back are examples of choking. Athletes who learn to embrace pressure and evade from "seeing the finish line to soon" often thrive in high stress situations and you dont see a decrease in their level of play in the crucial moments of the game.