Are you Losing the Fun in Sports? “I QUIT!” This is a common thought many young athletes have when contemplating if they want to continue in competitive sports due to no longer having fun. Unfortunately, according to a study conducted by the National Alliance of Youth Sports, approximately, 70 percent of young athletes quit their sport by the age of 13. Why do young athletes … [Read more...] about Why Andrew Luck Walked Away from Football
Mental Game of Sports
How to Bounce Back after a Bad Performance
Recovering Mentally After a Loss Many athletes want to know the answers to the following questions: *How can you prevent one bad routine from turning into another bad routine? *How can you avoid following up one disastrous game by another disaster? Or *How do you not allow one bad competition to carry over to the next competition? Many athletes talk about the difficulty of … [Read more...] about How to Bounce Back after a Bad Performance
The Mindset to Perform at the Next Level
The Importance of Setting Mental Goals Getting to the next level requires that you do something different. I'm certain you've heard the saying, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you will always get what you’ve always got.” The same is true for sports. Genetics and talent alone can take you only so far. You have to set mental goals to perform at the next level. For some … [Read more...] about The Mindset to Perform at the Next Level
Home-Field Advantage: A Blessing or Curse?
How to Take Advantage of Home-Field Advantage Home-Field advantage, does it exist or is it just a myth? Many sports teams compete hard all year long to gain home advantage in the playoffs… Gymnasts feel they have an edge over the competition when competing in the facility where they train… Basketball players feel that they feed off their fans when playing on their home-court… Baseball … [Read more...] about Home-Field Advantage: A Blessing or Curse?
Expectations vs. Goals for Athletes
What is a Goal? Going into a competitive season with realistic goals adds motivation, direction and purpose for an athlete. Going into a competitive season with excessively high expectations adds pressure, anxiety and distraction for an athlete. Throw adversity into the equation, things change drastically. First, let’s examine exactly what goals are and how adversity affects the … [Read more...] about Expectations vs. Goals for Athletes
How to Avoid Burnout and Dropout in Sports
Letting Go of Expectations Have you ever been so frustrated with a lack of improvement and not reaching your expectations that training and practicing just doesn’t seem worth the time and effort? At times you feel like walking away from competing just because you feel so burned out or lack enthusiasm? Sports can be demanding, but some athletes increase those demands by putting excessive … [Read more...] about How to Avoid Burnout and Dropout in Sports
Athletes Who React Poorly to Criticism
How to Have Stable Confidence Do you buy into the negativity from other people? Do you lose confidence when others critique your game? Just this week, I received a message from a soccer player who said: "I'm often challenged mentally during practice if a teammate tells me how I can't do a certain thing, such as properly marking my opponent. I end up questioning my ability to do so, … [Read more...] about Athletes Who React Poorly to Criticism
Are You Good Enough to Start on Your Team, but Don’t?
How to be Mentally Prepared on the Bench One of the most challenging situations for athletes is knowing you're good enough to start, be on a relay team, get more playing time, or make a travel squad yet you are not given an opportunity by the coach. Not getting a chance to contribute to a team can erode confidence. And confidence is the very thing you need when it's time to show others you … [Read more...] about Are You Good Enough to Start on Your Team, but Don’t?
Coping with Pregame Anxiety
How to Stay Relaxed before a Competition “I feel like I’m going to be sick to my stomach.” Have you ever had this feeling prior to a competition? Have you ever been so anxious that you feel physically sick in the locker room before a game or competition? For some athletes, this feeling repeats itself as they carry it into each competition. This anxiety can hurt your performance because … [Read more...] about Coping with Pregame Anxiety
BIG Competitions Mindset for Athletes
How to Approach an Important Competition Do you wish you could play BIG in BIG moments? All athletes want to come up BIG in BIG moments such as: The gymnast who hopes to nail her routine in a championship meet.The golfer who dreams of sinking a birdie putt to win a golf tournament.The basketball player who wants to sink the final shot to win a playoff game.The baseball reliever who dreams … [Read more...] about BIG Competitions Mindset for Athletes