DR. WALLACE: Tomorrow is my first tryout for a new club soccer team. I love the teammates I have currently, but at some point soon I want to play at a higher level of competition, so this means I would need to move on to play with other players, likely something like a “club” team or traveling all-stars type of team.
After contacting some other club coaches in my area, I got a tryout for this upcoming Friday afternoon. Now that it is set, I am so nervous!
In a few past instances, tryouts like this where I have to meet new people and show my physical talents get me quite stressed out! I often worry so much in advance that it can become debilitating when the actual day arrives.
Is there anything I can do to not feel this anxiety prior to my tryout? — Soccer star, via email
SOCCER STAR: Work on deep breathing techniques. You may even want to try yoga occasionally to help you stay calm and centered. When I was a varsity basketball coach, I often tried to calm my nervous athletes by telling them how talented they were and by asking them to remember some of their greatest successes on the court.
The idea is to visualize in your mind’s eye a vision of yourself succeeding at the very same endeavor in the past. Relax and savor your past successes and know that ability resides within you. Be sure to then warm up properly, stay focused and calm until the time comes to burst out and play hard and smart.
DR. WALLACE: I just got a new puppy two weeks ago. He’s great, and I already love him so much! I’m in my junior year of high school, and once this school year ends, our family will be taking a two-week road trip to the Grand Canyon area, plus some of Utah and northern Arizona.
Our family loves to hike and see the great outdoors. I’m really excited about this trip but I’m also really worried about traveling with my puppy in the summer heat. How can I keep him safe on our trip? — New puppy owner, via email
NEW PUPPY OWNER: You can start by taking your puppy with you and one of your parents for quick trips to your local stores so he can get accustomed to being in the car. It’s better for him to take several small trips with you now so that he does not have to start out in the car on a long day of driving for many hours. Gradually get him used to being in the car with you for slightly longer trips over the next few weeks. You may want to introduce a blanket or rug for him to sit on or lie on during these training rides in your family car. Once the vacation starts, do be sure to bring this exact same rug or blanket, as he will be familiar with it and more comfortable with a familiar place to sit and lie down.
Also, be sure to start him out right away with a nice, comfortable collar and leash. He’ll be out walking with you for long distances on your trip, so get him used to walking on a leash next to you. Start with short trips around your block now at home, but also extend the distances to build up his stamina before your trip. In addition, be sure to also have a tag made that can attach to the collar with his name and your family’s telephone numbers written on it. I recommend you list at least two cellphone numbers on his tag so that if by chance he gets lost, there would be a better chance for a person finding him to contact one of your parents quickly.
Keep lots of water in your car during the trip so your puppy can stay hydrated. This is extremely important. Always offer him water after every single hike or walk that you take on your trip. On days you’ll be driving many hours, feed your pup only a very light, small meal in the morning. This will help him to avoid motion sickness as he gets used to riding long distances. Once you settle in for the night on the road, you should feed him a larger meal so he can get his full daily nutrition and be able to relax after his meal.
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