The TENNIS BALL or the EGG. Who do you choose to be? It doesn’t matter that my presentation today was to a room full of young women who happened to play volleyball. The “lesson” I chose to share today was wrapped up in three (well, maybe four) , very unassuming words: “tennis ball or egg.” For it was in the answer to the question “Who do you want to be, the tennis ball or egg?” that could leave anyone to ponder. This team of girls had noticed that when they made a mistake they lost their minds, so to […]
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26
Sep
2012
The Tennis Ball or The Egg?
24
Sep
2012
How to Manage the Competition in Your Sport
Many athletes sometimes get anxious when they compete with one another. Here is a list of techniques that an athlete can use to help manage the stress of dealing with the competition. 1. Learn as much as you can on your opponent. There is always something to learn about your competition. Read the reports about your opponent and watch him or her performance. Try to figure out an angle on how you can beat your competition. This will also help to reduce your worries in the future. 2. Don’t Assume Do not assume anything about your competition whether they […]
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22
Sep
2012
Is Pressure in Sports a Myth?
Often in sport the term ‘pressure‘ is used to describe a close/tight match situation or one of importance to the individual. Pressure has been defined as “any factor or combination of factors that increases the importance of performing well on a particular occasion” by Baumeister (1984). This definition for me highlights the importance of athlete perception. How the athlete perceives the occasion and factors surrounding them will affect the importance of performing, highlighted by Baumeister (1984). When discussing pressure in sport the term ‘choking’ and anxiety will appear soon after. Choking is defined as “performing more poorly than excepted […]
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22
Sep
2012
Overcoming Fear In Your Sport
Sometimes, fear can be a factor in your sport. Here are some suggestions on how an athlete can use to help manage their fears and every day anxieties. 1.Self Visualization Occasionally, a person may get anxious on an upcoming event. When this happens, visualize yourself doing the task in your mind. For instance, you have to perform in the championship game in front of a large group of people in the next few days. Before the big day comes, imagine yourself performing. Self-Visualization is a great way to reduce the fear and stress of a coming situation. 2. Take […]
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18
Sep
2012
How to Enhance Your Performance in Practice
To apply the skills you learn in practice to competition, you must to practice like you play. Your goal should be to make practice as close to competition as possible. You will be better able to relate the information you learn in practice through specificity training, goal oriented practice, and improving your mental skills. Many athletes have trouble applying mental skill to competition because they do not rehearse mental skills in practice. Mental skills, just like physical skills must be practiced to make them automatic (well learned). When mental skills are ingrained, you can easily apply them to competition. […]
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17
Sep
2012
Football Mental Toughness
Mental Toughness – Understanding Football Psychology What do, top-level athletes, all have in common? They have mastered the skill of mental toughness and have a strong football mind. An often-asked question is how does mental toughness relate to football? Firstly, it is important to know that mental toughness is a learned skill, that it is a necessity for all athletes to master and needs to be trained as frequently and seriously as you would train your body physically. This skill allows athletes to remain calm under pressure, not be affected by an opponent’s size, reputation or team, to be […]
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04
Sep
2012
How Mental Attitudes Shape Performance
Basketball psychology is in essence the study of how mental attitudes shape performance on the court. Basketball psychology studies have shown that although physical conditioning and teamwork are crucial to success in basketball, mental toughness is every bit as valuable as physical prowess. When the buzzer rings and the game is on, it’s the mental game of basketball’s particular hybrid of battle strategy and mental endurance that makes or breaks player’s performance. To say that sports psychology for basketball is of great importance would be putting it mildly. To properly analyze a player’s performance, basketball psychology has two crucial […]
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04
Sep
2012
How Bully Coaching Affects Athletes
Below is a quote from one of our athletes who is a 16 year-old high school quarterback who loved football and had the potential to start as a freshman — until the coach destroyed his mental game… “Going into high school I was a standout athlete with high confidence but after my freshman year I started to lose interest. It just wasn’t fun anymore. I hated practice because I was always worrying about messing up and being embarrassed by the coach. In games I worried about what he would do or say if I made a mistake so I […]
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