Lessons Learned from Pyeongchang
The 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea was a spectacle of athletic greatness. We watched remarkable feats of physical prowess from athletes as wide ranging as alpine and Nordic ski racers, figure skaters, snowboarders, sliders, and, yes, even curlers. We shared in the emotional highs of victory and the emotional lows of unexpected […]
Read MoreOlympians Know the Power of Imagery
The New York Times published an outstanding piece in which Olympians describe in video how they use imagery to prepare for their upcoming events and to rehearse their ideal performances. As many of you know, I believe that imagery is the most powerful mental tool there is and if you’re not using imagery regularly in […]
Read MorePsychology of Tryouts: Part II-What Athletes Can Do
In the first article in my four-part series exploring the psychology of tryouts, I discussed why tryouts can be so stressful for young athletes, and the mental areas that suffer the most when they put their athletic hopes and dreams on the line as they attempt to join a league, make a team, or qualify […]
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Mentally Preparing for Olympic Sports Success
I’m fortunate to be working with a handful of athletes from several countries preparing to compete in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea this month. It is an honor and a privilege to work with such remarkable athletes and to do my part in helping them to achieve their sports dreams and […]
Read MoreMichael Phelps Knows the Power of Visualization-Short Video
I tell the athletes that I work with that visualization (imagery) is the most powerful mental tool there is for so many reasons. But when they hear that message from the world’s greatest athletes, it carries even more weight. I came across a great short video with Michael Phelps and his longtime coach, Bob Bowman, […]
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Psychology of Tryouts: Part I
Note: This is the first in a series of four articles that explore the psychology of tryouts that I recently published on YSPN360.com, a great new website and organization whose values about youth sports align with mine. Subsequent articles in the series will look at what young athletes can do to mentally prepare for tryouts; what […]
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Great Sports Performance is About Feelings
One of the greatest strengths of the athletes I work with, whether a junior, collegian, Olympian, or pro, is their intelligence. Their ability to explore, understand, analyze, critique, and find answers and solutions is an essential tool that helps them pursue their goals. At the same time, one of the greatest weaknesses that holds them […]
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In Sports, You Need to Fight from Start to Finish
I have a lot of pet peeves when it comes to young athletes in their training and competitive efforts. For example, it drives me crazy to see athletes not prepare themselves fully for a practice session (but you can’t do that in a competition!). Or, young athletes standing around and chatting it up before drills […]
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Vlog: 7 Key Messages to Send to Your Young Athletes
In this week’s vlog segment, I share with you seven important messages related to your children’s sports participation that you want to send them. These messages are so valuable because they will set the tone for how your young athletes approach their sports involvement. If your messages are about results, expectations, and pressure, three bad things […]
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Interview: Raising Young Athletes
I was recently interviewed by John Bennett, “The Travel Ball Dad,” on a variety of issues and concerns related to raising young athletes. The interview explores how parents can best support their children in their sports participation, the challenges created by the “youth sport industrial complex,” and questions and answers about when young athletes should […]
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