Does wearing short sleeves when playing in the bitter cold show mental toughness? Does it intimidate your opponent?

No. In fact, I don't think it is a good idea at all.

First of all, as this article illustrates, there are real health risks to doing so. You have to live in your body your whole life. Take good care of it.

Second, the physiological effects of the cold on your body will hurt your performance. A lot. Think about it - if you need to warm up before playing in the spring and summer, w...hat sense does it make for you to play cold in the winter? It doesn't.

But won't it intimidate your opponent? LOL. If your opponent is scared off that easily, s/he isn't worth competing against. Let your play intimidate them - not the weather.

When training in the cold like we have now, be smart. Keep your body warm for both health and performance reason. The warmer you are the less distracted by the cold you will be.

And if you have to be cold (it happens!), just be cold. Accept it as just a sensation and refocus on the game. Mental toughness is staying focused on what is essential. Put your mental energy into how you will deal with the changed game conditions (e.g., field, ball texture, wind, etc.) rather than personal comfort.