You're a big, strong, confident athlete.  What could you possibly be afraid of?  Plenty.

• Fear of losing
• Fear of winning
• Fear of letting your teammates down
• Fear of discovering your limitations
• Fear of failure
• Fear of physical pain
• Fear of looking bad in front of others
• Fear of meeting the hype
• Fear of people's reactions to you
• Fear of what it means about you and your life
• Fear of another person
• Fear of the coach
• Fear of the press
• Fear of being afraid at the wrong moment

And on, and on, and on...

To be at peak performance, you must manage your fear.

1. Raise your awareness.
   
   Most players don't even realize (or refuse to realize) that they have fear.  It’s impossible to manage your fear if you don’t even know that its there. A powerful way to manage fear is to start by simply noticing when your fears are present. Knowing when they’re present gives you the opportunity to make a new choice.
2. Accept it.
   
   Stop resisting. Stop beating yourself up for having fear. Accept that you have fears. Everyone has fear, even those who seem like they don’t. It’s important to our survival. Fear can tell us when to avoid a dangerous situation. It can also tell us when to proceed with caution. Obviously, we don’t want to get rid of something that can be so useful to us.
3. But don’t argue with it.
   
   Trying to analyze or be rational with your fears will never work. It’s a bee’s nest that you don’t want to kick. Arguing with your fears is like arguing with a very good trial attorney. You’ll never win. Like attorneys, your fears are trained to win an argument. Truth be told, your fears are prepared to win at any cost. You won’t win, so don’t even try it. The best thing you can do is not to engage your fear in an argument.
4. Put a limit on it.
   
   Don’t let it run wild at its own whimsy. Place a limit on how long you allow yourself to worry or be in fear. Let yourself really feel the fear. Then, put your attention on something else like how to conquer a challenge you’re facing or simply do something more pleasurable.
5. Ask your intuition.
   
   Tapping into your intuition while in the midst of a fear attack may seem challenging, if not impossible. It is possible. If you can do it, you’ll learn how to manage your fears more easily. When stuck in fear, go for a walk or something physical. Then call on your intuition for answers.
6. Prepare

Practice the situations that cause you fear.  Get habituated to them.  You were probably afraid of driving once.  Now you don't even think about it.  Think of all the things you were fearful over your life and how many you've conquered.  During practice, don't just practice your physical skills, but mental ones as well. 

If you’re really stuck in fear, it may be time to get outside help. Find others who have gone through a situation similar to the one you’re facing. Talk to a friend about your fears, rather than letting them bottle up inside you. You don’t have to go through it alone.