External distractions

External distractions are sensory stimuli from the environment competing with the task for attention: sounds, visual movement, the actions of opponents and spectators. Unlike internal distractions, their source is outside the athlete's head. Selective attention is what holds their influence in check.

The roar of the stadium, shouts from the opposing fans, provocation, a bright scoreboard — all of these are external distractions. Away from home there are usually more of them, which is why an athlete more often can't get themselves together at competitions. Sports with a set-up phase are especially vulnerable: the serve, the free throw, the start.

Your response to external interference is modelled with tasks that add background noise or visual distractors. Suitable methods are in the tests section. Comparing your score with and without the background shows how much the environment knocks your concentration.

Adaptation is what works against external distractions: training to a recording of crowd noise, practising the skill in unfamiliar surroundings, a consistent pre-start ritual. Practices like these are in the exercises section. Regular exposure removes the novelty of the stimuli, so on match day they no longer throw you.

External distractions are half the spectrum of distractions, alongside internal ones. Selective attention and attentional control are what handle them. When the environment consistently wrecks your competitions, it shows up as an athlete who can't get themselves together.