The first step to improve your composure is to identify the mental breakdowns that cause you to lose emotional control in sports. For example, an athlete with very high expectations for his performance is likely to become easily frustrated, lose control emotionally, when he believes that those expectations are not being met. Below is a list of the top mental errors that can reduce your composure. 1. Perfectionism — When you don’t perform perfectly you lose composure because you become frustrated and then focus too much on your errors instead of the tasks needed to perform well. 2. Social […]
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07
Nov
2012
The Key to Composure in Sports
05
Nov
2012
Common Mental Game Challenges for Athletes
One of the hallmarks of great athletes is the desire to improve themselves. Athletes at all levels use mental training and sports psychology to become better athletes, and overcome their mental game challenges. Mental training helps athletes perform more consistently, find the zone more often, keep a winning streak alive, and learn how to think well under pressure. The first step of mental training is to identify the need to improve your mental game. Often times athletes are unaware of the mental barriers the limit their performance, and how mental training can help them meet their athletic potential. The […]
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02
Nov
2012
Three Keys to Success in Sports
Three (must have) keys to success in sports are good instruction, practice and repetition, and most importantly – trust in your skills. Many people have a false assumption about learning a new technique such as throwing over the top, or staying on-top of the ball. Some coaches think that once they teach athletes a new technique the athlete should be able to apply it right away. Likewise, some athletes believe that they should be able to make adjustments in their game, and have it pay off right away. Change doesn’t happen overnight. When you expect change to happen overnight […]
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16
Oct
2012
Coaches Focused on Wrong Goals
All coaches dream of having an amazing team that can win it all. Unfortunately, some coaches take this too far, damaging not only their athletes, but also the coaches themselves. A successful team is not only built with skill, but also with the team’s mental state. There is a fine line between pushing athletes to their mental limits and damaging their self-esteem. A good coach knows his or her team and understands where that line is. The “ideal coach” needs to fulfill the characteristics of a teacher, a manager, a trainer, a strategist, a player, and a parent, according […]
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02
Oct
2012
Taking Action Against Bully Coaches
Young athletes are bullied by coaches as well as peers, which is unacceptable in youth sports. Have your sports kids ever had a coach who yelled at, insulted or intimidated them? If so, you need to take action. We’ve got some tips—and warnings—for you about what we call “bully coaches.” Bully coaches target all kinds of young athletes. They can set their sights on kids who are overweight, small or who lack confidence, for instance. These coaches also target gifted athletes because they believe their approach will “toughen up” their athletes. Whether your athletes are underdogs or stars, your […]
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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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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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30
Aug
2012
Dreaming and Believing
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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