(By Jenna Angstadt ’25, special contributor)
For most athletes, the biggest opponent isn’t the one standing across from them – it’s the one in their mind. For Lebanon Valley College thrower Lauren Assante, that opponent has weighed heavily.
As a shot put and weight thrower, Assante has the physical demands: strength, technique and will to succeed. But behind those walls, she faces a bigger battle with performance anxiety.
“It’s frustrating that I perform very well in practice during the week, but then don’t see those same results at meets.” Assante, senior thrower said.
Despite qualifying for MAC and AARTFC championships right off the bat in the first meet of the season, Assante still battles these mental struggles each competition day.
“I really try to have a clear mind when I step into the circle,” Assante said. “I try not to think about anything other than what my coach tells me between throws.”
She realized how much of an impact her mental state played in her performance at last year’s MAC championship. Assante made it on the podium at MACs in her first year and sophomore campaign. However, last year in her junior campaign her anxieties got the best of her causing her to foul all three of her weight throws and not make it on the podium.
“Track is very much an individual sport, but my performance still affects the entire team.” Assante said. “I know my team and my coaches were counting on me to make it on the podium and earn points for the team, so this performance was really eye opening for me as an athlete.”
At the start of the 2025 season, Assante met with Head Coach Melissa Byler to discuss ways to cope with her performance anxiety. Byler suggested sitting down with a sports therapist to talk through these feelings and emotions she deals with while competing.
“I am kind of hesitant to go see a therapist,” Assante said. “I don’t like the idea of it to be honest, but I know it will help me become a better athlete in the end.”
Working with a counselor, Assante is hoping to learn strategies to break down mental barriers.
Assante has new goals in mind and not just ones that go into the record book. For now, the wall is still up. But with every throw, session with the counselor and practice, she is proving that it can be slowly broken down.