Jenny Parinos on Pre-Match Rituals and Sports Psychology
The Paralympic medalist explains how therapy and mental conditioning shaped her focus before heading to the table.
Speaking on Stemma Sports, Paralympic table tennis player Jenny Parinos detailed how psychological support transformed her performance. The athlete shared the focus and anxiety-management rituals she relies on before stepping up to each match.
In elite sports, emotional control and mental presence are just as crucial as technique and physical conditioning. For Paralympic table tennis player Jenny Parinos, achieving competitive consistency required developing a deliberate psychological framework before every match.
The Turning Point with Sports Psychology
Her decision to seek professional support followed a striking experience with cognitive overload. During an intense run of matches, Jenny walked away from a contest unable to recall anything she had done at the table. The sharp contrast between her exhaustive training and the in-game blackout served as a wake-up call to reach out to the psychology team at the Paralympic Training Center.
In therapy, the athlete identified a major gap in her competitive routine: she previously just waited for match time and stepped up to play without any mental preparation. The therapeutic process taught her the value of establishing personal rituals to build focus and psychological confidence before competing.
Sound Frequencies and Essential Oils Before the Table
Jenny's preparation begins the moment she wakes up on match day, listening to sound frequencies to align her energy for the day. Once at the venue, her ritual takes a specific shape roughly 20 minutes before game time—the official window when table tennis players hand in their rackets to event organizers.
During that waiting period, Jenny rubs essential oils onto her palms and inhales them to boost concentration and ease anxiety. As she breathes in the scent, she practices positive visualization and mentally rehearses her tactical game plan. Although she is a rock music fan, she decided against wearing headphones to listen to music during this routine, choosing instead to stay entirely focused on the sensory ritual that ensures she is ready to compete.