Winning a World Cup - What next?

So, the Women’s 50 over Cricket World Cup has just finished, and it saw India crowned as the champions. We know, and see, that celebrations will last days, weeks and maybe even months. It’s a huge moment for the players, the fans, and the nation, but what next?

While from the outside it may look like the Indian women’s team will be immensely satisfied and happy with the outcome of the competition, after such a win, many athletes and players are often left thinking “what next?” This emotional crash is a common phenomenon in professional sports, often called “post-competition blues” and it usually follows major events like World Cups, World Championships or Olympics. Though it has also been found in those that train recreationally for marathons, Iron Mans, or other endurance events too. The post-Olympic version of the phenomenon has been researched most extensively and has shown athletes experience negative emotions and mental health challenges following an Olympic Games. All athletes can experience an intense period of heightened anxiety, depression and challenges in readjusting back to everyday life. And in fact, 33% of Gold Medal winning Olympic Athletes had difficulties returning home – so it’s not necessarily down to disappointment!

In the literature, it is sometimes called “post achievement depression” or “gold medal syndrome". The build-up to such events is so long, and so intense, that players or athletes often don’t really imagine what it will be like if they do win. We might be able to resonate with such a feeling on an individual level. Looking back to exams for example, you can be so focussed on them being over, you don’t quite know what to do with yourself afterwards and are left feeling a little bit lost.

There are few reasons why this might happen:

• Adrenaline crash – the competition, and the final itself, release high levels of adrenaline and dopamine. After the event finishes, and these hormone levels drop, we can feel empty or low.

• Loss of purpose – months and years will have been dedicated to winning this World Cup for India. They will have been so focused on the competition, and their lives will have been heavily structured. They will also have benefitted from high levels of support, and a real sense of team and community, all focusing on a common goal. That goal has now been achieved, and that sudden change: lack of structure and goals, can lead to a void, or sense of purposelessness. Once the celebrations are over – what’s next for the team, and the individual players?

• Anti-climax – Many athletes or players, find winning is different from what they had imagined. Some describe a relief, rather than joy, which can feel anti-climactic. For some, the moment of winning, and that jubilance, produces an intense high, but that can’t last forever. Andre Agassi once said “winning changes nothing… a win doesn’t feel as good as a loss feels bad, and the good feeling doesn’t last as long as the bad. Not even close”.

• Pressure to maintain success – winning a World Cup can bring pressure to stay at the top: you are no longer an underdog, you are a reigning champion, a position which is yours to lose. This added pressure can lead to anxiety, and fear of future failure. Maintaining success can often be more challenging than the climb to the top itself.

• Social isolation – while the celebrations continue, the team and close family and friends will be a huge source of comfort and social support for the players. However, a time will come, when the players must return to “everyday life” or at least leave the World Cup bubble. This can be an incredibly challenging adjustment, and the mundanity of life can feel meaningless and purposeless. They may also feel a lack of understanding from those around them as to what they are feeling, and what they’ve been through as the experience is so unique.

  
  

As with many things psychologically speaking, awareness and self-reflection are key, and once players have identified how they are feeling, they can draw on coping strategies to make the process easier. The following have been found to help with the “come down”:

• Acknowledge and process emotions – firstly, it is key to notice, acknowledge and accept that negative emotions (amongst positive ones) are a completely normal response. Attempting to suppress these feelings, or finding shame in them, can be detrimental, and stop them being processed healthily.

• Performance decompression – many well-structured sporting organisations will have a clear, evidence-based, structured approach to transitioning out of high-intensity periods. This can involve initial debriefs, restorative care, emotional processing and objective performance debrief. This staged approach can support athletes over a longer period and reduce that sense of loss and isolation.

• Reconnecting with non-sporting life – Yes life will have changed for the Indian players, but they can still re-engage with other hobbies, spend time with friends and family, and pursue other interests. This can help them to remember their wider identity, beyond their sporting achievements.

• Setting new goals – The “now what?” feeling after achieving a long awaited goal can be stressful. Once the decompression has happened, players can work with their support networks to set new goals, shifting their focus to a new journey.

• Seeking support – As part of a National Team, it would be expected that players would have access to professional support such as a sport psychologist or other mental health professionals. However, once the team has disbanded, and players have returned home, they can lose this access. Players may consider reaching out to someone privately, where they may feel comfortable exploring their thoughts and feelings. Alternatively, even drawing on close friends or role models or mentors for support can be helpful. Support seeking is a key indicator of long term athletic success, and overall wellbeing, the importance of which cannot be understated.

• Rest and recovery – for athletes generally, (and some of us non-athletes too!) physical and mental rest can be a real challenge. However, it is essential after the intense demands of such an event to prevent burnout or psychological distress down the line.

  
  

There will undoubtedly be challenges for the teams that didn’t win the World Cup, and particularly a team like South Africa, who got so close to getting there. But in some ways, the loss is easier to understand, we’ve all lost. Winning a World Cup is something many can only dream of, and it’s hard to believe there may be challenges that come along with it. But there are, and they are all too common. However, with the right structure, support, and awareness in place, they can be overcome.