How Athletes Can Improve Concentration What are the most important factors you can control to perform well in competition? The answer is focus, effort, preparation, emotional reactions, and attitude. Those five factors are the only aspects of performance that you can control. When you try to control aspects of performance outside of your direct control,
Use Competition as Motivation to Improve Your Game What does it mean to be competitive? Athletes often define the word competitive as the “will to win”. To beat your opponent, you need to have the will to win. Another meaning of the word competitive is “to strive.” In other words, being competitive is the strong desire to put
Play Confidently and Avoid Outcome Thinking How anxious do you become during stressful moments in competitions? Would you describe yourself as an anxious athlete? Anxiety doesn’t just happen in sports. Even in championship games, the event itself doesn’t cause anxiety. Why do so many athletes become anxious in competitions? Two reasons contribute to anxiety in
How to Develop a Competitive Mindset What is a competitive mindset? Can you learn to develop a competitive mindset? Two mindsets are important for your success. The are: the training mindset and the competitive mindset. These mindsets are characterized as: 1. The training mindset consists of improving the fundamental aspects of your sport. The training
Commitment to Your Team’s Success Do you feel a part of your team when you rarely get playing time? Do you see yourself as a bench warmer and nothing more? Being in a back-up role on a team can hurt an athlete’s confidence. When you don’t see a lot of playing time, you feel you
Mastering The Pregame Routine Do you have a pregame routine? Not just a warm up routine, but also a mental preparation routine? Is your routine consistent? In other words, do you perform the same pregame routine prior to every competition? Haphazard pregame preparation leads to inconsistent play or difficulty getting into the flow of a