Goal Setting for Success in Sports – What you need to know to get the jump on your competition What are your current goals for your sport? Where would you like to be in 6 months, 12 months, or 24 months’ time? Without clear goals athletes lack direction, and without direction it’s easy to become stale. Effective goal setting should tick three boxes. Firstly it will provide you with direction and keep you moving forward. Secondly, you’ll develop clarity on the immediate action steps you need to take to get you there. And thirdly, you’ll experience an abundance of […]
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26
Jun
2013
Goal Setting for Success in Sports
Expectation can be perceived in two ways. One way is the way supporters see it. When supporters see the media or other supporters expecting their team to win, it gives them hope and increases their own belief that their team is going to win. This therefore is a good thing for the supporters because they are looking forward to a match and are happy because they are pretty much convinced that their team is going to win. However there is a flip side to this and this comes in the form of what the players who are expected to […]
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20
May
2013
Tips for Building Team Confidence
As the coach you are not alone in supporting your team’s confidence. It is beneficial for coaches to identify members of the team that can help boost team confidence and promote success. Once you identify players with leadership capabilities have the team select or have your team elect a captain and co-captain. Team captains act as a liaison between players and coaches, so they will help you support team confidence. Other players look up to team leaders for guidance, reassurance, and encouragement as they do the coach. In sports team leaders are a valuable team asset you should use […]
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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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06
May
2013
Intramural Sports: The Benefits of Imagery
What thoughts come to mind when I mention college intramural sports? I am sure that most of you would say that intramural sports are for the scrubs or the wannabes. Others may also argue that intramural sports lack the competitive nature and consistent training that most college and professional sports have. However, I can contend for the opposite to be true. During my college intramural sports career thus far, I have watched and competed against several intramural athletes that are not the typical wannabes or scrubs that most would think. The truth of the matter is that intramural sports […]
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02
May
2013
Hitters Need a Plan at the Plate
Becoming a successful hitter requires more than a quick bat and good hand eye coordination. It requires a specific approach to hitting and confidence in your ability to put the ball in play. The key to success at the plate is mental toughness and mental preparation. Great hitters do not have the same batting stance, physical talent or mechanics. What they do have in common is a plan at the plate and a strong belief in their ability to carry out that plan. One thing many hitters lack is an at-bat routine. Great hitters use at-bat routines to help […]
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30
Apr
2013
Roy Halladay Turns to Late Sport Psychologist
PHILADELPHIA — In the past, Roy Halladay would have picked up the phone and called Harvey Dorfman for his insight. His words and advice had proven invaluable to him. Halladay credits Dorfman, the famed sports psychologist, for much of his success as a pitcher, helping resurrect his career after a demotion from the big leagues to Class A Dunedin in 2001. But here was Halladay, two starts into the 2013 season, 0-2 with a 14.73 ERA, looking nothing like a two-time Cy Young Award winner or one of the best pitchers of his generation. He looked lost. Had Halladay […]
Read moreWhen people talk about baseball they usually mention the physical aspects of the sport such as, hitting, arm-strength, and power. The primary focus of athletes in the past has been to improve their physical game to compete at a higher level. The physical component of the game is so emphasized that a good handful of professional ball players began using illegal performance enhancement supplements to gain a competitive edge. The physical component of baseball is important, but it’s also highly overrated, especially in higher levels of competition. I say this because all professional ball players have the physical tools […]
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10
Apr
2013
How to Become a Sport Psychology Professional
Sign up for a FREE 20 minute consultation with Sport Psychology Today’s Michael Edger MS, MGCP on “The Road to Success in Sports Psychology” We are offering this program to help guide young students, coaches and professionals interested in the field of Sport and Performance Psychology. Sport Psychology is a young rapidly growing discipline of Psychology. Because it is a relatively new and growing field there isn’t a lot of information available for those interested in deciding whether sports psychology is the right career chose for them. During this 20 minute session you will have the opportunity to ask […]
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08
Apr
2013
Sports Psychology Schools
Featured Sports Psychology Degree and Graduate Programs [qs_listing areaofinterest=”SPORT-PSYCHOLOGY” multidealer=”yes”]
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