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
How to Experience Success Before Competition How do you gain a mental edge over your competition? Mental practice or visualization is one strategy that can give you a decisive advantage over your competition. Visualization is a mental skill that uses images combined with other senses to experience a successful athletic performance prior to a practice
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
How Not to Fixate on Things Outside of Your Control Do you excessively worry before and during competitions? One component of worry is trying to control variables of performance outside of your direct control. A few variables outside of your direct control are: getting injured, being benched by your coach, playing against a higher ranked