The Mental Performance Corner: So What Exactly IS Sport Psychology Anyway??

Mental preparation and training accounts for 90% of athletic success in competition – a practice that is highly overlooked by athletes and coaches alike. Sport psychology is a specialization focused on helping athletes and teams maximize their performances through the development of effective mental skills. By learning and implementing these mental skills, athletes’ will not only be able to elevate their game to the next level, but they will also be able to remain at that level on a more consistent basis.

Most of us have experienced this common scenario: an athlete who performs exceptionally in the practices leading up to a major competition, only to blow it when it really counts. This is often referred to as “choking” and it has coaches, parents, spectators, and athletes in constant wonder. To date, the predisposed “remedy” to this undesired situation is harder and longer physical practices, often leaving the athlete exhausted, over-trained, and no where closer to their desired outcome. There IS an ulterior solution – an additional form of training – mental training. Research has demonstrated that the inclusion of a systematic mental skills program with college and professional teams greatly increases the potential for success. Furthermore, sport psychology consultants provide a valuable resource for the psychological well being of the student-athlete. Within the past ten years there has been a notable increase of elite colleges utilizing sport psychology consultants. As the talent level of the Division I athletes spreads across many teams, the deciding factor for athletic achievement becomes more mental than physical. By adding a mental training regimen alongside their physical practices the athlete has the ability to learn to:

- Set training goals for themselves with a plan of actionGain the confidence they need to consistently perform at their highest potential.

- Develop mental toughness in order to cope with mistakes and bounce back quicker.

- Develop proper breathing and relaxation techniques to help them remain calm under pressure.

- Be able to get more out of practice and improve at a quicker rate.

- Learn how to properly self-reflect in order to learn from previous mistakes; identify, acknowledge, and praise their positive performance; and prepare for the next game.

- Learn to recognize and adjust unwanted physiological responses that occur in the body due to stressful situations.

- Be better able to handle the demands of school and athletics (time management).

- Team relationship tensions are more quickly and effectively addressed.

My philosophy as a Sport Psychology Consultant/Mental Performance Coach is to focus on performance and personal excellence. This can develop people who are better prepared for sport and for life. It is important to work together with coaches and parents to focus on developing the athlete as a whole who is technically, tactically, physically, and mentally trained to take their game to the next level.

The sport psychology consultant is different to all the other important aspects of an athletes’ support team. We do not provide therapy for clinical issues; but we may be the first person to notice the signs and can then give the proper referral if needed. Our focus is not on academic status but it is important to note that the skills we provide can be applied to school and life. We do not coach athletes on the physical or tactical aspects of their sport only the mental side and how to connect the two together.