Sports Psychology Newsletter

Have you (or your players) ever tried to make big changes in technique before the start of a new season? Were the changes easy to make? Did your confidence or trust nosedive in the short term as you were making the changes?

Making big changes in your technique or method can mess with your head, especially when your physical skills are already well-earned. I know of athletes who were set back one, two, or more years because they attempted to change their technique, but could not get back to their winning ways. PGA Tour winner Bob Tway, for example, lost his game for a least two years when he tried to change his swing. When he dropped the changes and went back to his old swing, he earned comeback player of the year of the PGA Tour. Go figure.

When athletes reach a higher level of competition (or begin a new season), many want to improve and revamp their game. Not a bad idea to get recommitted to excellence at the start of the season. But, if they revamp their method or technique altogether, it can cause havoc on the mental game and performance.

For example, after coming off his worst season at the plate, Derek Jeter continues to struggle with his hitting at the start of spring training. Jeter is just 1-6 so far this spring, failing to get the ball off the ground in each of his attempts.

At the start or spring training this year Yankee’s hitting coach Kevin Long worked with Jeter to improve his batting stance–to help him gain more power. “I’m not changing the swing, it’s just the stride,” Jeter said.

Jeter’s changes haven’t produced the results either of them expected at the start of the season, but Long believes it’s too soon to jump to conclusions. “I’m certainly not ready at this point to cash it in and start from scratch,” Long said. “We can’t go crazy here.”

Many top quarterbacks are praised for their physical talent and abilities. In college and the pro level, most athletes possess a lot of physical skills and talent. But physical talent alone does not guarantee success in football or in any sport. A strong mental game combined with physical talent and high motivation helps athletes succeed in sports.

What makes a big-time quarterback is his ability to excel at the mental part of the game. A quarterback has to have the ability to anticipate and respond quickly to opposing defenses. He must also have the composure to stand in the pocket when it’s being invaded by 300 pound defensive linemen.

During the 2011 NFC championship game, Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman said Aaron Rogers has the full package. He thinks Rogers has the mental toughness to compliment his physical talent. Rodgers proved this was the case on Championship Sunday leading his team to the Super Bowl with a 21-14 win over the Chicago Bears.

“It’s an incredible feeling,” said Rodgers, “We’ve gone on the road and won three tough games against three tough opponents… road warriors.”

When asked how Rogers prepares for the biggest game of his life, he responded, “I think the key is to be able to focus on your preparation. You can’t let the other distractions and the magnitude of the game take you away from what you need to do next. You need to show up prepared to play, expect the unexpected, and know exactly what you are going to do,” said Rodgers.

Distractions in competition are just a fact in sports. The bigger the event, the more likely you or your athletes can become distracted. Distractions can come in many ways and forms–from subtle to not so subtle. You must learn how to cope with distractions during practice and competition to improve and perform your best.

After watching a post-game interview on ESPN, I realize that coaches are very familiar with the problems caused by distractions. Some coaches would go as far as to say that distractions are the primary reason for failure or losing….

After the Tennessee Titans lost its fourth game in a row last weekend, coach Jeff Fisher said that his team has to deal better with distractions. “The number one reason for failure in football is distractions,” coach Fisher said after the game. “People have to step up, we have to do more.”

I would argue that distractions are NOT the number one reason for a team’s failure–it’s actually the team’s inability to cope with distractions. More on this later…

I talk about two types of distractions with my students: (1) Internal distractions, and (2) External distractions. The most common distraction, by far, for athletes are internal distractions. These are usually self-induced and enter the mind in the form of dwelling on the past, doubt, indecision, lack of confidence or negative thoughts about your performance. Your own experiences, thoughts and beliefs, not the environment, usually trigger internal distractions.

But when you have self-doubt, I consider this to be far more damaging than a simple distraction.

External distractions usually begin in the environment. Something or someone else triggers the distraction. Examples include hecklers in the stands, a change in the weather, or a fan who runs onto the field during a ball game.

After working with athletes and performers on the mental game for over 20 years, I’ve come to the realization that great athletes have a sixth sense, sort of. The top athletes, at any level, can virtually “predict” the outcome of a play, shot, or at-bat. I know this sounds farfetched, but allow me to explain…

Hall of Fame legend Hank Aaron was one of the best hitters in the history of baseball with unmatched consistency. Aaron attributed much of his success in baseball to his mental preparation before and during games. He said his ability to study pitchers and visualize success helped him “predict” (he used the term guess) what pitches pitchers would throw to him.

“I used to play every pitcher in my mind before I went to the ballpark. I started getting ready for every game the minute I woke up,” said Aaron.

Interviewed by Dr. Tom Hanson (1991), Aaron explained just how he prepared mentally. In the dugout, Aaron would reverse his baseball cap, using the eyelets in the back of the cap to narrow his focus on only the pitcher. By reducing distractions from the crowd and the benches, he could concentrate better on the pitcher and visualize getting a hit the next time at bat.

His ability to visualize helped him prepare for the pitcher. “You visualize it. No question about it. You see it in your head, you think about it, and you understand that no matter who you’re facing or who you faced the day before, it’s not the same, every pitcher is different,” said Aaron (Hanson, 1991).

We’ve been taught by other great athletes about the power of seeing success in one’s mind before it happens. Golfing great Jack Nicklaus explained how he would never hit a shot until he had a clear, vivid picture of it in his mind. He wanted to create a picture of success before attempting the shot.