Pre-competitive state anxiety in infant juvenile volleyball athletes

Abstract Understanding the relationship between pre-competitive state anxiety and sports performance are an important means to help sportsmen to diagnose and manage emotions. The present study aimed to: a) compare the level of pre-competitive anxiety among athletes men and women, the finalist teams of Paraná Cup Volleyball 2011; b) to compare the levels of pre-competitive anxiety among male champion teams and runners-up, as well as between female champion teams and runners-up; c) compare the levels of pre-competitive anxiety and reserves holders athletes for teams of both sexes; d) verify the relationship between the levels of pre-competitive anxiety and practice time for athletes of men’s teams and the women’s teams. Study participants were four youth teams, Paraná Cup finalists in 2011, totaling 24 female athletes and 23 male athletes (age 16.16 ± overall 0.34 years) and practice time 4.97 ± 1.99 years . To evaluate the pre-competitive anxiety, used the instrument CSAI-2. Sample occurred 30 minutes before the start of finals games. In general, the finalist teams had higher levels of general pre-competitive anxiety similar, although statistically significant differences between women athletes holders and reserves have been found in relation to the self-confidence, and the holders had higher average in this aspect.