A
MONTHLY PUBLICATION OF PEAK
PERFORMANCE SPORTS
Issue 82 ................................................................. January 3, 2008
Welcome to Sports Insights Magazine
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Welcome to Sports Insights Magazine! We are pleased to bring you practical, cutting-edge sports psychology and mental training tips to improve your mindset and performance. We thank you for being a subscriber of Sports Insights Magazine!
If you enjoy our free mental toughness newsletter, please forward it to your teammates and friends. Click here to subscribe to Sports Insights Magazine!
NEW DVD! The Focused Team DVD Program! After months of tweaking, The Focused Team is so powerful that it’s virtually the same as having me conduct a live (in person) mental training seminar for your team. Includes everything a coach or team leader needs to effortlessly boost his or her teams focusing skills and here is the kicker…. in just 7 short sessions! Read more...
Peaksports Bootcamp DVD's! Not able to attend this the 2007 mental training bootcamp? Watch the DVD's from the comfort of your home! The 6-set DVD program with workbook is available today for purchase. Watch the top mental game experts in the country deliver powerful mental training lessons. Order today! Read more about the Bootcamp DVD's.
Are You a Sports Parent? Please take our sports parent survey so we can serve you better. As a bonus, get our free 7-day e-course packed with information about how to boost young athletes' confidence and make the most of their potential. Please take 2 minutes to complete the survey! Go to the survey for sports parents now!
Do You Coach Young Athletes? We need your help! Please take 2 minutes to complete our youth coaching survey! As a bonus, get our free 7-day e-course packed with information about how to boost young athletes' confidence and make the most of their potential Go to the survey for youth coaches now!
"Dramatic Improvement in my Level of Play!"
“I first purchased The Confident Athlete to see how the program went and immediately saw results. I then purchased the rest of The Confident Athlete Series and have noticed a dramatic improvement in my level of play or should I say consistency. I currently play NCAA Division I baseball for Lamar University, and even my coaches have noticed a change in the way that I approach the game. My attitude and confidence at the plate. It has also helped me with the fact that even the greatest hitters in baseball fail 70% of the time. It has also helped me reach a new level of focus. I am able to get into that zone. Thank you for helping in my continuing goal to mental toughness.”
~Tylor PrudhommeGet the Entire Confident Athlete Series - Save $50 Plus Free Shipping!
Why Sports Parents Need to Understand Sports Psychology
By Patrick J. Cohn, Ph.D.
In my work, I often focus on the mental training challenges of athlete, coach, or team. However, many mental game experts leave out a very important group – sports parents. Parents are critical to an athlete’s mental game development and success in sports.
I often work very closely with my students’ parents when I do one-on-one mental coaching with junior or young athletes. Getting parents on board with the principles of sports psychology helps my students adopt and commit to mental toughness training.
When parents are knowledgeable about “mental game” strategies, young athletes can learn faster. I certainly don’t want parents to tell their young athlete the opposite of what we strive to achieve. In addition, parents can sometimes be the source of pressure and expectation a young athlete feels.
So my conclusion is that parents need to understand sports psychology! Let’s look closer at this issue…
Parents can sometimes impede the mental coaching process I do with my students. Even though they have the best intentions and are trying to be helpful, they might undermine an athlete’s confidence.
If you do not know by now, Lisa, my sister and I have developed “The Ultimate Sports Parent” program at (www.youthsportspsychology.com). From our experience, we find that parents’ expectations for kids can be perceived as pressure by young athletes.
Parents will often impose their own high expectations for success on their sports kids. They think these high expectations actually boost their children’s confidence.
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____________________________________________For example, when working with my personal coaching students, I try to help both parents and athletes understand that instilling high or strict expectations limit kids’ performance. Expectations often don’t build confidence! In fact, just the opposite…
Confidence leads athletes into the winner’s circle. Expectations lead athletes to frustration when they are not performing up to their self-imposed ideals. One of my formulas for success in sports is having high confidence void of judgmental expectations.
When working with students, I teach parents and their athletes the difference between these concepts and help them identify expectations that hurt their kid’s performance – and sometimes undermine their confidence.
Parents, in their efforts to be supportive (and boost their child’s confidence), often say or do things that kids then interpret as expectations. Expectations then turn into pressure for kids – pressure to match parental expectations. Let’s get back to a golf example. A parent, with good intentions, may say to a child, “You should be able to shoot even par on this course today – you have done it before.”
Sounds supportive and seems on the surface what a positive parent might say, right? However, I have a different take on this. Young golfers interpret these statements in ways parents don’t realize. In many cases, a child thinks he should shoot even par and if he doesn’t, he’s letting down his parents because the parent has set the expectation.
For some parents, this may seem controversial because of what they know or have been taught about positive expectations. But this is how the mind of the young athlete works in this example. High expectations a child internalizes from a parent, causes a golfer to become more conscious about his score for the day.
This is something I don’t want my students to think about. I prefer my students to focus on one shot or play at a time, not the score. Score is only relevant at the end of the round or game, but has noting to do with performing in the moment.
Here, I give you just one example of why parents need mental training too… Sports parents need to be educated about the mental game lessons that I teach my students so at the least we are on the same page. I don’t want to teach my students conflicting messages.
If you are a sports parent, work with young kids in sports, or coach athletes and want to educate parents, we have a free e-book you can download from The Ultimate Sports Parent web site:
http://www.youthsportspsychology.com
For a more comprehensive program, we produced “The Ultimate Sports Parent: A 14-Day Plan for Kids’ Success in Sports” CD/Workbook program in 2007 for sports parents.
In our new cutting-edge workbook/CD program, we teach sports parents our top 14 youth sports psychology lessons. It’s for parents who want to help their kids feel confident and experience success in sports. You can read more here:
http://youthsportspsychology.com/ultimate_sports_parent_workbook.php
"Seeing It Before It Happens is the Key to Success!"
We have a motto in sports psychology: "You must first see it before you can believe it." Just two minutes a day of visualization can give you the mental game edge by anticipating what you might see in a game situation.
"I think I visualize a lot, I think seeing it before it happens is the key to success. I close my eyes and it takes me two minutes a day, I guarantee I’m able to make about 200 saves a day in my head."
~Martin Brodeur, N.J. Devils Goalie
The Sports Psychology Podcast of the Month!
This week's sports psychology podcast is about when to start mental training with young athletes. This podcast helps youth coaches and sports parents understand when they can begin mental training with their sports kids. Dr. Cohn discusses the importance and value of mental training for youth sports kids...Show me the Sports Psychology Podcast of the Month!
The Golf Psychology Podcast of the Month!
Today's golf psychology session helps golfers understand what to do when feeling nervous playing with others. Hypnosis, relaxation and mental imagery may help calm you down and feel less nervous about your game. Dr. Cohn. suggests that you may be feeling worried about what others think, i.e., you may be seeking social approval...
"You Must Play with Passion!"
"You have to add energy and excitement to your execution, to your plan. It is important to have good strategy. It's important to play good fundamentally. But if you don't play with a lot of passion, it's tough to reach your peak in any given day."
~Coach Mark Richt, Georgia Bulldogs Football
"My Son Has Difficulty Dealing with Anger. Help!"
Golf Parent:
I have a 9-year-old male golfer who is very talented but has difficulty dealing with his anger and frustration. I don't want to push him but I also don't want to see him abandon this talent. Looking for help and suggestions...
The Focused Team: A Step-by-Step Plan for Coaching Athletes to Zone Concentration-in Just 7 Days! NEW!
The Focused Team: A Step-by-Step Plan for Coaching Athletes
to Zone Concentration-in Just 7 Days! Peaksports.com new DVD and workbook program in The Focused Team Series. Ideal for coaches and mental game coaches, The Focused Team includes absolutely everything you need to help lead your team to zone concentration effortlessly - from helping your team members buy into mental training to assessing their focus - to follow up assessments. Become a peaksports member and receive 25% off retail.Read more about The Focused Team DVD Program!
Buy The Focused Team Program Now!
Peaksports Members please login in by using this page to access the "Member Only" link to save 25%.
Not a peaksports member yet? Go demo our New Online Mental Training Site at Peaksports!
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Dr. Patrick J. Cohn is the President and founder of Peak Performance Sports of Orlando, Florida. He earned his Ph.D. in Education from the University of Virginia in 1991, and founded Peak Performance Sports in 1994. Dr. Cohn is an author, speaker and one of the nation's leading mental game experts. His coaching programs instill confidence, composure and effective mental strategies that enable athletes and teams to reach their performance goals. Dr. Cohn has helped athletes from a variety of sports backgrounds (both amateurs and professionals) identify and develop the mindset needed to achieve peak performance. World-class golfers, runners, shooters and auto racers, as well as motocross, tennis, baseball, softball, football and hockey players, are among those who have benefited from his mental game coaching and training.
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NEW! The
Confident Athlete Series by Peak Performance Sports brings
you the latest cutting-edge mental training strategies
in a practical step-by-step 14-day achievement plan. Each
program consists of 2 Audio CDs and an easy to
follow workbook to help you apply the mental strategies.
Perfect for any competitive athlete or team coach! |
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teamwork
:: confidence :: focus :: composure |
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