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13
Oct
2014
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06
Oct
2014
Fight the Fear of Failure in Sports
Fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. Each and every athlete experiences some kind of fear or anxiety on some level. Sports psychology for basketball establishes methods to not only diminish the effect that fear limits a player’s ability, but also utilizes that fear in a positive way to strengthen mental toughness. As a player gains the ability to control fears and anxieties both on and off the court, their mental game of basketball strengthens which reflects on improved physical play as well. Any fear grows with intensity if left unchecked whether it stems from fear of missing a shot during […]
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26
Sep
2014
How The Zone Works
The biggest thing with the playing zone is most don’t understand the principles of how it works so therefore it’s still a magical thing to them though three things it requires is: Discipline Simplicity Repetition And guess what repels needy people. If one understands the playing zone you require discipline and simplicity If how understands how the brain works and improves skill you require repetition And you can’t get into the playing zone if you’re team is full of needy people. I define a needy person as someone wanting negative attention and indulges in disruptive behaviour to get it. […]
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12
Sep
2014
Focusing Through Environmental Stressors
Part 1: Clean, Clear, Controlled Environment Control your environment, do not let your environment control you. It is that easy, remember to set good boundaries in as many areas as you need help with. Start with what you put in your body and your home environment. Food: Don’t bring the crappy food into your house. You buy it you will eat it! Make a list of the foods that are healthy and clean and hopefully whole and fresh, and go shopping for it after you’ve eaten. Keep your home stocked with these items all the time. If you do […]
Read moreNorth Dakota State University is in the process of collecting data for a large study on how participation in competitive sport may impact on psychological well-being. “We are currently seeking individuals willing to participate in an anonymous online study. The purpose of the study is to obtain information about how participation in competitive sport is associated with well-being. The survey is available through a secure website and will take approximately 30 minutes to complete. All participants must be English-speaking, at least 18 years old, and be involved in a competitive sport either as part of a team or an […]
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11
Jul
2014
Resilience and Overcoming Performance Errors
Resilience, or “mental toughness,” is a key psychological aspect of sport. The ability to bounce back from a poor performance or a detrimental mistake is crucial to an athlete’s success. As much as athletes hate to admit it, failure is a part of the game. A baseball player with a batting average of .3 has failed 7 times out of 10 at the plate. It is important to recognize that mistakes and failure are part of the game (Halden-Brown, 2003). However, when an athlete places too much emphasis on his or her failures, performance begins to suffer. Athletes need […]
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01
Aug
2013
Instilling a Championship Mindset
Coaches and captains must support team confidence to be a championship caliber team. This means instilling a strong belief in their team’s ability to be successful and obtain team goals. Coaches should start by meeting with the team in the off-season and/or preseason to discussing team goals. To get team captains involved have them write down each team goals discussed. Some of the goals can be to finish first in your conference, to play your playoff games at home, to finish the season as champions. Save the goals your captains recorded and use them a chart or bulletin board […]
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08
Jul
2013
Championship Team Building Part Three
Team cohesion, motivation and the types of motivation used to promote the “team” concept are paramount in being successful as individuals and as a team. Depending on the types of motivational strategies a coach utilizes, they can maximize team and individual athletic performance, and by doing so can promote team cohesion, overall team climate and even goal setting. Whether a coach chooses BATs, speeches or a certain type of coaching style all have a motivational factor for athletes and the teams they play with. It is up to the coach to know their coaching philosophies, their teams, and individual […]
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07
May
2013
Centering Techniques for Sports
In Chapter 8 of Psyched to Win Dr. Nideffer refers to “Centering” as a technique, borrowed from the martial arts, whose purpose is to instill feelings of emotional control. These simple breathing and cueing exercises are used to calm and relax both the mind and body. Center of Mass Your Center of Mass is located one or two inches below and behind your navel. If one can consciously bring one’s attention to this point, one feels grounded or centered. In Dr. Nideffer’s article for class, he describes the importance of keeping a balanced, stable lower center of mass. This […]
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