Three years ago, my dreams of becoming a successful college basketball player were almost destroyed within a matter of seconds. As I saw one dream shatter before me, I desperately searched for another. The first question I had to ask myself was, “Would I ever play basketball again”? Since then I have gone through many disappointments, physical and mental instabilities and much pain. Though the road ahead looked bumpy, I can now reflect back on my faith that inspired me to continue toward my next goal. October 15, 2008, 4:00 p.m. is a date and time which is burned […]
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30
Aug
2012
Dreaming and Believing
08
Aug
2012
The Power of Visualization
The Power of Visualization – 5 Tips that will change your experience Visualization is one of the primary technologies used in sports psychology. I’m a big believer in the phrase, “What happens out there is a result of what happens in here”. In simple terms, this means your performance is often the result of what’s happening inside your head, or more specifically the movies and soundtracks playing inside your head. In this article I’ll reveal five key tips to get you started in producing more potent results in your sport by tapping the power of visualization. Tip 1 – […]
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01
Jun
2012
What is Sport Psychology?
Sport psychology has a relatively short past, and in recent years is it becoming far more accepted and utilized as a valuable competitive edge among athletes and coaches. In 1897, an Indiana University psychologist, Dr. Norman Triplett, wrote what was considered the first scientific paper on sport psychology, on the social facilitation behavior of bicyclists. In the early 1920’s, the first sport psychology laboratory was created in Berlin, Germany, by Dr. Carl Diem. Soon after, sport psychology arrived in America when Dr. Coleman R. Griffith created the first sport psychology laboratory in the U.S., in the state of Illinois. […]
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16
Jun
2011
Developing a Healthy Sports Philosophy
Sport psychology is about improving one’s attitude and mental skills to help them perform their best by identifying limiting beliefs and embracing a healthier philosophy about their sport. In order to instill a healthy belief system one must first identify irrational thoughts that limit their performance. Beliefs and attitudes such as high expectations, comfort zones and negative self-labels often limit athletic performance. These core unhealthy beliefs must be identified and replaced with a new way of thinking. One sport psychology intervention to help athlete identify negative beliefs and adapt a healthier approach is to: 1. Identify and eradicate expectations […]
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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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24
Feb
2011
Frustration and Aggression in Sports
Players and spectators “talk trash” all the time in sports at every level. It is just another aspect of the game in many sports. Mentally tough athletes remain focused, composed and relaxed in the face of trash talk. They have the ability to fully immerse into their performance – unfazed by what others have to say. Problems with trash talk occur when athletes let it affect their composure and emotional control. During the heat of the battle trash talk can lead to frustration and aggression, which is what we want to avoid. So how can you help player’s avoid […]
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17
Feb
2011
Helping Athletes Succeed
If athletes want to get the most out of their sports performance, it’s critical for them to understand the value of improving their mental game. Athletes’ lack of understanding is the number one barrier that prevents them from embracing mental training. Coaches and parents should educate their athletes on the numerous benefits of sports psychology and mental coaching. Athletes who embrace mental training have an advantage over competitors because they know how to overcome the barriers that limit their performance. They excel in practice, and fully immerse into their as a competitor in competition. Mentally tough athletes find ways […]
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12
Feb
2011
Three Keys to a Championship Mindset
The first key to a championship mindset is commitment to your goals and having clarity of purpose. Every team in Major League Baseball starts the season with the mission to win the World Series, but only a few teams really are able to feel and picture winning the World Series. Your task is to be able to imagine getting to your championship with the intensity of someone who already has it won – in the bag. I can remember with clarity those times in the batter’s box where I could see and feel myself making solid contact with the […]
Read moreMany top quarterbacks are praised for their physical talent and abilities. In college and the pro level, most athletes possess a lot of physical skills and talent. But physical talent alone does not guarantee success in football or in any sport. A strong mental game combined with physical talent and high motivation helps athletes succeed in sports. What makes a big-time quarterback is his ability to excel at the mental part of the game. A quarterback has to have the ability to anticipate and respond quickly to opposing defenses. He must also have the composure to stand in the […]
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22
Sep
2010
Federer Accesses the Zone
The zone is a state of supreme focus that help athletes perform at their peak when they become totally immersed into their performance. Athletes depict the zone in many ways, such as the driver merges with the car; the tennis player joins her mind with the ball and court; the swimmer becomes one with the water; and so on. Five-time champion at Flushing Meadows, Rodger Federer found the zone early in the opening round Monday night against 96th-ranked Brain Dabul. Federer hit 18 aces in his 6-1, 6-4, 6-2 victory, but no shot was more exciting than his between […]
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