One of the most powerful and simple mental game techniques I teach to help athletes and teams improve their performance is focusing on the process of preparing for and executing each play. When athletes and teams face high expectations, focusing on end results can cause undue pressure. Pressure can cause you to tighten up, have doubts, and over-analyze your performance. The Philadelphia Phillies have been to three consecutive National League Championship Series, and with the off-season addition of Cliff Lee expectations are as high as they’ve ever been for the whole team. Rather than get distracted by all the […]
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11
Apr
2011
Sport Psychology Lesson by The Phillies
07
Apr
2011
Maintaining Focus in Sports
The ability to concentrate in the present and to focus on the task is very important in achieving peak performance in sports. During a 2-3 hour competition, an athlete will switch his or her concentration on and off repeatedly with the ebb and flow of competition. Turning concentration on and off makes it more difficult to get into a rhythm. Total concentration occurs when an athlete becomes totally involved in the task, feels that time is suspended, and loses the sense of being separate from his or her surroundings. Thus, keen focus during competition has the following five basic […]
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07
Apr
2011
Five Tips for Mental Preparation
Most of what athletes and teams do prior to competition (practice, workouts, analyzing the competition or course) prepares them to compete. Mental preparation helps athletes achieve a focused, confident and trusting mindset to help them compete at their highest level. Below are five major objectives you‘ll want to accomplish to help you mentally prepare for competition. Have confidence in your skills. Confidence is the number one objective of your mental preparation. Confidence can be built in many ways, including from practice, preparation, game plans and the mindsets you maintain. To build confidence prior to competition visualize yourself performing successfully, […]
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23
Mar
2011
The Downside of Perfectionism in Sports
The saying “practice makes perfect” has its downside in sports. Today many athletes who strive for perfection in practice also embrace this mindset in competition. Athletes who aim for perfection in competition often struggle with fear of failure, fragile confidence, lack of trust and frustration during games. On the other hand, perfectionism has its advantages. Perfectionists tend to be highly motivated, work hard to succeed, and strive to be the best. However, perfectionists rarely perform up to their abilities because they’re afraid of failing or making mistakes that will prevent them from winning. These are the athletes who want […]
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17
Mar
2011
Team Cohesion Determines Team Success
You can be the most talented team in the world and still fail if you lack team cohesion. Also known as teamwork, team cohesion is an active process where players come together to achieve a common goal and remain united in pursuit of that objective. The Great Bambino once said: “The way a team plays as a whole determines its success. You may have the greatest bunch of individual stars in the world, but if they don’t play together, the club won’t be worth a dime.” – Babe Ruth In order for teams to reach their true potential every […]
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12
Mar
2011
How to Deal With Bad Coaches
Before you sign your kids up for a team, don’t hesitate to interview the coach. You should ask them about their coaching philosophy and how they handle important issues such as missing practice, and playing time. If your young athletes are already part of a team, but don’t seem happy with the coach, you need to do some research. Is the coach always unhappy with your athlete’s performance, no matter how well they perform? Gently ask your kids questions about how the coaches treat the team and watch carefully for how they react. You might ask other parents what […]
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09
Mar
2011
Four Goals to Enhance Your Performance
There are four different types of goals you should set for your performance. The first are your long-term or dream goals. These are the driving force behind playing a sport; every other goal supports this dream goal. What do you want to accomplish in the next two to three years? Write down your long-term goal or “dream goal” for your sport. A long-term goal is what you want to ultimately achieve in your sport. It may be something like, “Make my high school soccer team,” or “Play on Coach Bill’s traveling team in middle school.” Next, you should set […]
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08
Mar
2011
Goal Setting for Athletes
Setting goals is critical to your success as athletes in both sports and life. It’s important that you stay committed to evaluating and changing your goals when needed. You should create and monitor goals for practice and competitions or games. Younger athletes’ goals may simply be to have fun, make friends or learn to run faster. As you get older, your goals can be more specific and more focused on improving your performance. It’s important to remember that goals should not become expectations that weigh you down. In other words, it’s one thing to have a goal and work […]
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07
Mar
2011
Goal Setting and Self-Motivation
What is self-motivation? Athletes who are self-motivated take part in sports for the pure enjoyment of it. They do not need rewards to participate. To succeed in your sport, it’s important that you love to play or perform. It’s not a good idea to take part in sports because you want to make others happy–your parents, coaches or peers, for example. When you have a real passion for the game, you’ll have more staying power and feel more committed to sports over time. Dan Coyle, author of the book, “The Talent Code: Greatness isn’t born. It’s Grown,” says passion […]
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27
Feb
2011
Does Physical Talet Guarantee Success?
Every athlete who is serious about their sport wants to be a champion. A hallmark of all great athletes is superior mental toughness and a championship mindset. However, for some athletes, mental training is an untouched avenue to improving sports performance. That’s why we teach sports parents and coaches how to encourage their athletes to have a strong mental game. Many athletes don’t realize that resources are available to improve their mental game. When under performing or in a slump, most athletes are quick to change other aspects of their performance, such as coaching, equipment, or strategy before realizing […]
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