The Impact of Cell Phones and Social Media on Athletic Performance
Discover how pre-game social media scrolling drains cognitive fuel and athletic performance, plus a simple 60-minute rule for coaches and teams.
Ask GRM
Hey Coach:
Here is a quick tip to consider discussing with your athletes next week.
Schools everywhere are debating cell phone bans right now. While having a line of communication is understandable, the real drain on athletic performance isn't just having a phone—it's the endless scrolling feed. And that cost shows up directly on the scoreboard.
A sports physiologist in Denmark recently tested athletes who spent 30 minutes scrolling social media right before practice. Compared to a control group that simply watched standard TV, the scrolling group’s performance dropped by 10%. His benchmark for that drop? He said "it's the physiological equivalent of smoking 3–4 cigarettes right before competing."
Why this happens:
Your brain burns through cognitive fuel processing rapid-fire feeds the same way your legs burn through glycogen during sprints. Players won't feel physical heaviness in their legs, but their split-second reaction time, working memory, and field awareness take a direct hit. (Their brains get tired) In fact, Denmark’s Olympic curling team banned pre-match phone use entirely after seeing this data.
The Takeaway for Your Team:
A pre-practice or pre-game routine isn't just dynamic stretching, warmups, and hydration. What athletes feed their brains in the 60 minutes before practice matters just as much.
Suggested Team Challenge:
Challenge your players to implement a "60-Minute Pre-Practice / Pre-Game Rule": put phones away and stay off social media an hour before practice or a game so they step onto the field (or the court) immediately mentally dialed in.
Enjoy the weekend and remember:...
Be Game Ready. Life Ready.
Scott
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Scott K. Wilder
Founder & CEO
Game Ready Mindset Mental Readiness
📱 415-205-6060 🌐 gamereadymindset.com
📍 Wilderville, CA
About the author
Scott K. Wilder is the founder of Game Ready Mindset™, a program and platform for teams and athletic programs, working with players, position groups, and teams in baseball, soccer, softball, and volleyball. He holds a Master’s from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University), an MBA from New York University, and a Master’s in International Studies and Conflict Resolution from The Johns Hopkins University, with coaching credentials from Georgetown University, Brian Cain’s MPM Program, the National Federation of High Schools, and FC Barcelona Football Club. He is the author of Millennial Leaders, Find What Energizes You (just published), and Compete in Any Weather.