Clutch (Sports)

Clutch is a sports term for the phenomenon in which athletes perform especially well under pressure, commonly described as being in the clutch. These moments typically occur late in a contest and involve plays that significantly affect its outcome, requiring the athlete to summon extra strength, concentration and other qualities needed to succeed. The phenomenon is observed across many sports, including basketball, hockey, football and esports, though the term is used most often in baseball, as in a clutch hitter. Its opposite, choking, occurs when athletes fail to perform as needed, especially when they are not under pressure or are not expected to win. Clutch performance is studied in psychology and in sport psychology specifically, and a portion of the academic literature, focused on baseball, has debated whether the phenomenon actually exists.