How To Become Fearless, Bold & Confident In Life
How would you like to be Fearless? And courageous? How would you like to stop being scared or anxious or nervous so much? It all starts with my basic formula: Performance = Potential - Interference What do these words mean? Well, the word, Performance, means- you playing your sport or game or doing anything you want to do well in. Potential means, what you have the ability to do, right [...]
Smart Goal Setting for Baseball Players
Smart Goal-Setting!I’ve worked with countless youth, college, and pro baseball players over the years and I am shocked at how few of them have taken advantage of a very simple, yet powerful mental tool to get their play to the next level. Usually, they come to see me because they have problems…they are in a slump, or have the throwing yips, or just not playing to the talent and skills [...]
Feeling the Winter Blues? Here’s What To Do
Feeling The Winter Blues? Here's What To Do: It's natural to start feeling down in the winter months, but there are steps you can take to help! As you know, if your extremities turn blue when you’re out in the cold, it's a huge warning sign. Feeling blue can also be a warning sign for your emotional well-being that can also become a problem during the winter. It’s only natural [...]
The Top Tips For Training During Winter
So, you want to exercise outdoors (even though it’s winter)? Good on you for your dedication to maintaining your training! The great news is the shift in air quality and temperature can make your immune system stronger. Additionally, your heart rate speeding up to counter the cold makes your workout even more efficient. However, it's important to be safe when taking on harsh environments and weather conditions. Here are a [...]
Are You Getting Enough Rest?
Why Do We Need A 'Rest Day'? We work hard day in and day out so that we can play even harder when game time comes. Practice, hard work, and dedication are all important pieces of the puzzle that make up a top performing athlete. But there is one more piece to that puzzle that’s just as important as giving it 110% every practice - getting quality rest. A huge [...]
What Do You Mean “Stop Thinking”?
Like a racing car is designed to drive, your mind is designed to think. When coaches and others give you well-intended advice to stop overthinking, they don't realize how futile this directive is. How do you simply "stop"? Can’t I Just Get My Zen On? I guess you could go to the Himalayas and meditate with some Buddhist monks for a few years and you'd learn how to do it. [...]
5 Habits That Will Improve Your Mental Toughness
Mental toughness should be practiced every day, especially for those athletes wanting to take their sport to the next level. […]
You Need a Growth Mindset – Learn How From NBA Star Steph Curry
"Believing that your qualities are carved in stone - which is part of having a fixed mindset - discourages risk-taking and revision.People with a fixed mindset avoid challenging situations that might lead to failure because success depends upon protecting and promoting their set of fixed qualities and concealing their deficiencies." -- Steph Curry We came across a really good article the other day from inc.com: "You Need a Growth [...]
How To Overcome The Fear Of Disappointing Parents and Others
This is a clip from the Baseball/Softball Mental Toughness program released in spring 2018. It’s part of module 7 where we work on becoming fearless by finding a treatment for the fear of failure and rejection. […]
Visualization Techniques & Exercises for Sports Performance Training
Mental practice or visualization techniques: using your imagination to practice your sport! […]
Letting go of the need to control and trust your skills
Performance = Potential – Interference […]
Top 30 Sports Quotes to Live By
Need a dose of sports motivation? Here are your Top 30 mental toughness quotes: […]
Two Reasons Why We Over Self-Criticize and Beat Ourselves Up
Why are we so hard on ourselves? […]
How to Overcome Embarrassment
“I almost died of embarrassment.” “I was SO embarrassed by my parents.” As the mental toughness trainer, one of the core fears I assist people to clear is the fear of embarrassment. […]
How to Be More Aggressive in Basketball
If your youth basketball coaching sessions have seen your coach imploring you to be more aggressive out there on the court, there are a great number of drills you can do to gain more toughness and therefore more aggressive in your basketball. Let’s take a look at some of the drills you can be teaching to improve today and in the future: Teaching the Aggressive Defensive [...]
What To Do When You’re Bored
Boredom, the enemy of the productive and the young? […]
How To Teach Resilience and Determination by Allowing the “Come Back”
I fear there is a dangerous trend in teaching and raising kids these days… […]
How To Relieve Extreme Stress
Guest post by Stress Management Coach and certified Mental Toughness Trainer, Prentiss Rhodes. […]
The Usefulness of Bad Dreams
One of the key concepts I teach my student trainers in working with people is to keep asking:“WHY does _____ happen?” […]
How to Get Over the Fear of Failing
I have often stated to my student trainers that whenever you are in doubt about working with someone (and not sure where to go or what to do) you can always ask yourself or the other person: “Where is the fear in this?” […]
Nobody is broken. Nobody needs to be fixed.
One of the blocks to improved performance for kids and adults alike, is the thought “there’s something wrong with me.” […]
Change Negative To Positive Thinking: Step 1
So, you want to turn your negative thinking into positive thinking? […]
Podcast #8 – How To Build Confidence In Kids (and adults)
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How To Build Confidence In Kids (And Adults) [...]
Podcast #7 – How To Get Over The Fear of Failure
How To Get Over The Fear of Failure Recently, I was on a coaching call with my mental toughness trainer group teaching them all of my methods and how to do what I do as a business. […]
Craig Sigl talking directly to kids about working on their “mental game”
Hey how’s it going? I’m Craig Sigl, I’m what you call a Mental Toughness Trainer. Why should you care about watching this video? […]
Confidence-Building Hacks For Kids In Sports, part 1
5 Hacks To Build Unstoppable Confidence In Youth Athletes There is all sorts of controversy about kids sports these days. Should we give them all trophies? Should we push them hard so they learn about how the "real" world works? Parents and coaches are often confused by conflicting advice. The video below is part of a 3-part series to help you assist kids playing sports to discover [...]
How To Teach Your Sports Kid To Be Fearless
Here are Confidence Hacks #4 and #5. […]
Confidence-Building Hacks For Youth Sports (2 & 3)
What adults need to know about kids is that they don’t think like adults! […]
Podcast #6 – How To Achieve The Flow State
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How To Achieve The Flow State: You have [...]
Podcast #5: Mastering Your Emotions – E. in the R.A.C.E. Formula
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Mastering Your Emotions, E. in the R.A.C.E. Formula [...]
Golfers: Why Are You Not Playing The Same Level Now That I’m Older?
Why can't I play golf like I used to when I was younger?Playing a sport once you get older could be tricky.Especially to those who only play casually because their focus is with work, family, etc.From being a serious athlete once to becoming a full time worker now, you can’t expect to play the same not because you can’t, but because the mentality of the game is now different. [...]
Handicapped Athletes: How Do I Overcome My Injury During Competition?
I’m a handicapped athlete. How can I overcome my injury during my performances? In this session, a disabled player is trying to figure out how he could overcome his physical condition to be able to perform well in competition. […]
Golfer: How To Turn Off The Negative Voice During Competition?
Golfers: How to turn off those negative voices! In this session, a golfer is struggling with playing in a high pressure competition. […]
Podcast Episode #4: Clearing With The Correct Antidote – C. in The R.A.C.E. Formula
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Clearing With The Correct Antidote (C. in The R.A.C.E. Formula) [...]
How can i get my husband to understand that me being actively engaged in sports is a good thing?
How can I convince my husband that being actively engaged in sports is beneficial for the entire family? […]
Golfer: How Can I Stop Being Stressed and Nervous Before Performing?
When I’m tense, how can I putt stress-free?In this session: a golfer gets tense when she is playing in highly competitive tournaments or matches.How does she deal with those nerves? […]
Podcast Episode #3: Connecting With The Inner Mind, C. in The R.A.C.E. Formula
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Connecting With The Inner Mind, C. in The R.A.C.E. Formula [...]
3 Things Most Sports Parents Do That Hurts Their Kids Confidence
How would you like to know what’s going on inside the mind of your son or daughter? Would you like to know exactly what you should do to best help them succeed in their sport and be happy in their life? […]
Podcast Episode #2: A. Awareness in The R.A.C.E. Formula
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A. Awareness in The R.A.C.E. Formula From the [...]
Podcast Episode #1: How To Be Relentless – R in The R.A.C.E. Formula
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How To Be Relentless, R in The R.A.C.E. Formula [...]
A Winning Attitude is the Key to Sports Success
If you’ve followed my philosophies on this blog for any amount of time, you know that I preach that […]
A Christmas Gift Special For Your Kids Or Youth Athletes
Firstly, happy holidays to you my dear readers! To me, the best part […]
The Most Common Problem In Golf
Last week on the coaching call we had a golfer that said, […]
Is Your Performance Problem a Physical or Mental Issue?
In one of my coaching calls, a competitor raised his concern and said, […]
Bouncing Back from Defeat
As you buy a ball it looks so perfect with its color, texture and how round it is. You could never determine how […]
4 Steps In Becoming A Mentally and Emotionally Strong Athlete
Being an athlete requires strength, not just physical but also mental and emotional. Most athletes are physically strong, but are mentally and emotionally weak. Boosting someone's mental and emotional strength can not be achieved overnight, it needs a slow, and step by step process. Training your mind and emotions is just like training your body, it requires a lot of effort, and a lot of time. Here are some useful [...]
How To Be The Best Lacrosse Player In The Field
In this article, I’m going to talk about how Lacrosse players can improve their performance and play by developing an important quality in athletes which is trust. The Story Of Bill Bill is a mid-fielder on his high school lacrosse team. Ever since he was introduced to it at the age of 10, he has been totally enthralled with mastering the sport. He actually enjoys some of the drills [...]
Getting The Extra Push And Confidence With Religion For Athletes
In this article, I’m going to teach how to connect your religion or faith to help you perform better in sports. The story of Julie Julie was 16 when she came to me devastated that she did not make the varsity soccer team. The varsity coach had seen her play the year before and even complimented her on her excellent defense at the end of a game as she came off [...]
Coping With Sports Fear With Easy Reminders
As a mental toughness trainer who has worked with thousands of athletes, youth and adult, by far the biggest problem is fear of failure. I have looked at and examined this concept and the word and have determined it to be non-useful for sports and performing and therefore, my definition of it is: “A destructive word OTHERS use to describe events when they don’t achieve their goal or out- come.” [...]
What We Should Learn From Archers And Pool Players
Modern sports psychology focuses on the correlation between winning and the ability to relax, concentrate, and play one's best game under the pressures of competition. This often involves quieting the mind and increasing awareness, so that the body is free to do the things that it does so well when we allow it to act spontaneously. Sports mental toughness is known by immensely increasing the performance level of athletes. This [...]
The Power Of Being Open Minded In Coaches And Athletes
In this article, athletes and competitors will discover the power of a growth mindset to improve performance. What is a growth mindset for athletes? It never ceases to amaze me how small of a percentage of the general sports world there is that really takes advantage of developing their mental skills. I’ve conducted numerous workshops for youth sports teams and coaches over the years teaching mental toughness skills. In [...]
Fulfill Your Kid’s NFL Dreams
In this article, parents of football players will learn the two most important things they can do to help their young player succeed. There have been numerous studies conducted to find out what highly successful football players have in common. Besides the obvious - talent and hard work - a number of surprising conclusions have come to light. What is at the top of the list? How much the athlete [...]
Ethics In Youth Sports
Good physical health has to be the top most priority for every human being. Engaging oneself actively in sports activities helps us to stay fit. Sports activity does not only help us to maintain fitness, but it also refreshes us a lot. It is one of the best ways of relaxation as well. Like any other field of human activity, sports also has certain codes of conduct, and work ethics. It [...]
How To Truly Believe In Your Capabilities
Have you ever experienced thinking like: You are nothing? That you can never do anything right? That you feel like you’re sole reason for being in life is for you to fail and be miserable for the rest of your life? I have heard many people saying "That's impossible" or "I can't do it". Yes, it is normal for us to be discouraged because our goal seems hard to achieve, [...]
What Does It Take To Win?
"Compete each time with yourself to be a great athlete of all time." Ever wondered why even the best athlete will end up losing a match at a certain point of their career? This is because there is more to an athlete than just getting the best training by the best coaches using the best of the available facilities. There is the aspect of having the mental strength to compound [...]
Concentration: A Vital Quality For ALL Athletes
So many of the athletes I work with complain about their difficulty in being able to concentrate and focus playing their sport, especially under pressure. What about you? “Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary.” Ray Knight Why Is Concentration Important To Athletes? When you get really good at concentration and focus, almost nothing will be able to knock you off your [...]
An Effective Mental Practice For Your Nerves
I have one more tool that is going to help you deal with your difficult emotions and that is what I call, “The AND World”. What does this mean? “AND” means “I can be scared.” “I can be nervous.” You can even say that, “I can be angry.” You know when you got a bad call or a non call that should’ve been called by the opponent. So anger can [...]
How To Confidently Believe In Yourself
In this article, we are going to tackle confidence: how to build confidence how to feel confident more often how to own confidence how to bring it up when you need it Confidence is nothing more than having the "I CAN” attitude be greater than the “I CAN’TS” attitude. Our natural tendency is to think of all the I can’ts. So you have got to literally build that muscle [...]
Getting Back On Track After A Bad Game
What happens if you go out there and have the worst game of your life? After the game is over, is anyone going to come up to you and shoot you? Is anyone going to knife you? Is anyone going to mug you on the streets? Of course not! The only thing that is going to happen is you are going to feel bad. Is there anything else that happens [...]
What Happens To Your Brain During Sports Training Or Competition?
Your goal as an athlete: To get rid of the mental baggage, the junk, all the negativity, and all the things that basically hold you back and slow you down. Let’s take the analogy of a ship going across the ocean. It is like dragging an anchor and you are not going to be able to go as fast as you want. You are trying to get from point A [...]
A Mature Thinking In Sports
Every athlete’s goal is to be fearless in their sport. Now how do you actually become fearless? And in this particular article, in volleyball? So the goal here is to become fearless, right? One of the most powerful tools to get there is to have the correct focus. Now, how many times have you heard your coach say, “YOU NEED TO FOCUS OUT THERE!” If you are a coach, and [...]
Formula For Confidence: The Important Piece
Next item on our list is CONSISTENCY. Consistency is the gold of performers. You have done something once successfully, you want to that again and again. Too many athletes are so deep in the, “I need to fix what’s wrong!” Coaches talk about this all the time. That’s fine, but it needs to be balanced in 10-1 with, "I want to repeat what I do well and I know how [...]
A Determined Athlete Never Quits
Once again, what is Mental Toughness? It is FOCUSED, CONFIDENT, DETERMINED, and RESILIENT. Focus This is the easy one because we already do it, we already have the brain. When you get rid of the interference, focus could be really easy. You learn how to direct your thoughts to give you plenty of things to put your mind on. Remember the Ferrari Mind? Confident I already covered that with separate [...]
The Ultimate Source Of Fear
Click Here For Fearless Competitor Full Training There is only two things in life that we do fear for. Notice that I say, "we do fear". Fear is not a noun, it is actually a verb because it is something that we do and if it is something that we do, it is something that we can NOT do as well. PERFORMANCE = POTENTIAL - INTERFERENCE You will perform to [...]
Antidote For Physical Harm In Sports
What are the next beliefs or problems that you need to clear out to perform your best? It's the fear of physical harm and danger to the body. Like everything else, you need to come up with some antidotes to clear them out. So what are really the problems? PAIN INJURY DEATH What is the first antidote for pain? "It's worth the risk!" So if this is your issue, go and get [...]
How Does Mental Toughness Work?
Are you a coach or a parent interested in mental toughness training for you athletes? What is Mental Toughness? It is focused, confidence, determined, and resilient especially under pressure. Now you know if your players would've played with more of that, then they'd be bringing their A game in the competition, just like you get to see in practice quite often or regularly, right? Now if you coached athletes for [...]
How To Build The Right Confidence
Every young football player who has ever played the game has experienced a time when he didn’t feel confident. Even the greatest players and coaches in the world have gone through this. Chip Kelly, head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles after winning the division in his first year as head coach in the 2013 season: "I wasn't confident." Kelly said Monday. "I had a system and a plan that we were [...]
Be The Best Coach That You Can Be
Give your athletes the competitive edge through mental coaching! The Story Of Coach Max A little bit of background about Coach Max: Max was an excellent basketball coach who knew little about mental coaching. He knows every drill ever designed and is a real student of the game. He long ago dedicated himself to creating excellence in his players and for his own career. His Varsity High School team had [...]
Are Your Parents Always Right?
This article is specifically for young athletes. I work with young athletes every day from all over the world in my office and by Skype. A common issue that I see quite often is the athletes that think they know everything they need to know and don’t need to take advice from parents or others in their sport, especially the parents. We all know there’s a natural drive for teenagers [...]
How To Raise Your Sport I.Q. For More Confidence
There is a new term that is coming up when describing athletes performances. It’s called, SPORT I.Q. Background of the term I.Q. The “I” stands for “Intelligence” and the “Q” is “Quotient.” Basically, I.Q. is supposed to be a measurement of a type of intelligence. Here’s the definition of intelligence by the man who first coined the term I.Q: “Intelligence is a general capacity of an individual consciously to adjust [...]
A New And Better Season For Your Sports Career
New season, new team, and an optimistic attitude. It’s a ritual that every athlete goes through when beginning a new season or joining a new team. What do athletes usually go through every start of a new season? Fight hard for your playing spot while navigating the dynamics of your teammates. Figure out the coach’s teaching style. Decide what you need to work on most. Put some extra effort in [...]
Be Your Own Advantage In Your Sport
Being small than the other players is never a disadvantage! It was the 6th grade when I got the first indication that I was the smallest player on the field. I was playing football representing my school, the Gisler Gators, on a perfect Saturday morning. As one of the fastest on the team and able to catch anything thrown at me, I played wide receiver. I had already [...]
Think Like An Underdog And Win Competitions!
Win With An Underdog Mental Attitude Have you ever noticed that it’s easier to play loose and free in heavy competition when you’re the underdog? When you don’t expect to win? When everyone thinks your opponent is better? It’s a sports cliche even in top pro sports that the competitor with “nothing to lose” is the most dangerous to play, especially when playing at home. In the sport of golf, [...]
Don’t Be Just A Parent, Be A Source Of Inspiration!
I hear this complaint from parents quite often: “She says he wants to get to the next level but when I remind him he needs to run, lift weights or do drills, she says he’s tired or has to do homework or some other excuse." Why do they say this? Stop preaching and nagging your athlete. Instead, start INSPIRING them. Think about this, when Wayne Gretzky was a boy, [...]
Building Confidence For Youth Baseball Athletes
Every coach and parent knows that youth baseball players perform better when they are confident. It’s no mystery, even to the kid. Truthfully, it’s really quite simple and most parents already know how to do it, but they just don’t do it. It all comes down to these 2 THINGS adults can do to build their child’s confidence in sports or anywhere: 1. Positive encouragement 2. Unconditional approval See, I told [...]
Youth Sports Tip Part 2: Powerhouse Athlete
This is the part 2 of turning a head case into a powerhouse athlete. Your athlete is a human being with all sorts of things going on in his/her life. You must remember, at all times that these are kids who have not figured out their identity or their personal power and are going through all sorts of crazy changes like the following: Some have been bullied Some have major family problems. [...]
Focus Tips For Athletes That Coaches And Parents Should Know
When athletes are lacking focus, coaches often say things like: “Get your head in the game!” or “You need to focus out there.” What Do Coaches Need To Understand First? Coaches need to first understand that non-focusing is built into kids’ hard wiring showing as curiosity and exploration in order to learn as much as they can. That’s their job as a kid and it’s actually a very powerful survival [...]
Words Of Encouragement From Coaches: Are You Doing It Right?
There are so many trite cliches floating around in the sports world that are often repeated by unknowing coaches. Some of them are very useful and when communicated consistently can ingrain solid beliefs and habits that lead to becoming great performers like: “You are relentless.” “You can do this.” Notice the elegance of simplicity in those 2 encouraging messages. That’s what works for athletes. On the other hand, I have heard [...]
How To Handle Your Sports Nerves
As an athlete, performer or competitor, getting nervous, tight, or any way physically tense, even in a very subtle way will hinder your ability to perform and is one of the major mental blocks. I operate under this principle: Performance = Potential - Interference. Meaning, you will play, compete or perform your best when you have no interference or mental/emotional blocks. mental block called nervousness To be able [...]
What Is Sabotaging Your Performance?
As an athlete, performer, or competitor, not being able to push yourself past your comfort zone is one of the major mental blocks. First off, I operate under this principle: Performance = Potential - Interference. This means that you will play, compete, or perform your best when you have no interference or mental and emotional blocks. What do you call this mental block? To be able to clear this [...]
Controlling The Negative Voice In Your Head
As an athlete, performer or competitor, quieting that negative and destructive voice in your head can hinder your ability to perform. This is one of the major mental blocks. I operate under this principle: Performance = Potential - Interference. Meaning you will play, compete or perform your best when you have no interference or mental/emotional blocks. CLEARING MENTAL BLOCK To be able to clear this mental block, the negative [...]
A Guide To Being Less Critical For Better Sports Performance
As an athlete, performer or competitor, self-criticism, beating yourself up and focusing too much mistakes can seriously hinder your ability to perform. Self-criticism is one of the major mental blocks. I teach and operate under this principle: Performance = Potential - Interference. Meaning, you will play, compete or perform your best when you have no interference or mental/emotional blocks. How Do You Get Rid Of Mental Block? To be able [...]
How To Break Bad Sports Habits
"I know what I need to do, I’m just not doing it." Or, "Why do I keep doing that over and over when it only ends up hurting me? Why can’t I break this habit or pattern?" "I know what I need to do, I’m just not doing it." I once had a high-end sales person come to me who said, "Craig, I feel like there is a [...]
How To Overcome Fear In Sports
Every athlete, performer or competitor knows that there is always room for improvement. You can never completely master any sport or competition. Yes, you have those moments when you are, what I call, in the flow or zone where you are performing your best and you know it. Of course you want more of that. I’m with you and that’s what mental toughness is all about. I teach and operate [...]
Stress: It’s all how you look at things
Years ago, when I was in the corporate world, managing 50 employees, I thought I had it rough. At the time, I felt like my entire world could crumble any day starting with losing my job and I put myself under that stress 7 days a week. When I decided to go home at night from work was entirely arbitrary as I couldn't actually ever get to a point in [...]
Daniel Jahn Maximum Sports Conditioning
Daniel Jahn - Former D1 Baseball Player and Now CEO & Director of Instruction for Strength and Conditioning Programs I tend to think about athletes who never quit or give up. I think about athletes who love working hard and welcome any challenge presented to them. Mentally tough athletes can deal with adversity and struggle in a way that ends in positive outcomes for the individual and his/her team. Athletes [...]
3 Tips For Creating Sports Confidence
How to Build Confidence as a Young Athlete, by James Leath First of all, let’s decide something right now. You are not competing with anyone else, ever again. Starting now, your primary strategy is to make everyone else around you play at your level. You won’t make excuses; you’ll cause others to make them. You won’t play down to an opponent’s level; it’s up to them to play at yours. [...]
Craig Sigl Story: The Gift Of Pressure
Have you had a major setback you need to come back from? Maybe facing a huge obstacle right now? I’m going to tell you a true story about overcoming adversity that turned into the greatest thing that ever happened to me. I began my toughness trainer career as a manager at a Fortune 500 company. Now, Before becoming a manager, I was an hourly worker. One day I’m a worker [...]
How To Handle Not Winning
Before watching the video below, you should know that I don't believe in using the word "Losing" except to reference, FOR OTHERS, events when you don't win (so they know what you're talking about). The truth about a game, match or meet is that there is no real reason for athletes to use the word. When asked (like by a parent) how an athlete did in a competition, they could [...]
4 Things Coaches Look For In Volleyball Tryouts
What do volleyball coaches look for in team tryouts? From my experience of coaching at the high school, club and collegiate level, there are three important categories at all levels: athleticism, skill and will. 1. Athleticism This has elements that can be trained and others that cannot. For example, height cannot be affected by training regimens. While height has its advantages in volleyball, it is never enough if the person [...]
Gymnasts and Cheerleaders: Getting Over Fear
Fear is a tricky subject all trackers, free runners, gymnasts, or any athlete has to face. Let me introduce myself. My name is Raven McCarthy from The Colony, TX. I do Freerunning, coaching, music, and run a parkour team in Dallas. I was a gymnast for nine years and a freerunner for five. Within those fourteen years I've seen and done a lot of things that aren't really about skill, [...]
Mental Cross Training For Performance Breakthroughs
As an athlete looking for tips and advice on how to get to the next level in your sport, you might be missing out on a very powerful resource that could give you an edge over your competition. You see, the typical athlete that I work with has a coach who has experience in that sport...great! Typical athlete also gets specific tutoring or classes in how to acquire certain skills. [...]
Avoid overtraining. Relaxation is necessary for performance improvement
Every athlete serious about getting to the next level is working hard on improving in their sport. Most of the athletes I work with are students in high school and college with a full academic load on top of their practice and training regimen. Many of them have packed schedules with barely enough time to eat 3 healthy meals and often short themselves on sleep hours during test crunch times. [...]
How To Coach U8 Soccer Practice
Each age group of youth soccer teams comes with its own set of challenges and rewards. Here we will focus on a typical session for under 8 players, addressing their needs and learning styles in order to optimize their learning whilst maintaining a fun, engaging environment. Before we look at some practice session examples it’s important to try and understand the players we are working with a little bit better. [...]
3 Biggest Mistakes Volleyball Players Make In Training
Training for any sport is a huge factor determining whether or not an athlete will be successful. One of the biggest mistakes an athlete or a coach can make is not utilizing the principle of specificity, where the training must match the physical demands of the specific sport. Volleyball is an anaerobic or stop and go sport requiring quickness, jumping, agility and explosiveness. These types of activities require fast reaction [...]
The One Best Lesson a Coach Can Give the Team for the Season
It has been said that athletics is a great developer and teacher of character. There is a great deal of truth in that statement, but it also is a great revealer of character. I’m sure there are numerous examples that come to mind when you think of high profile What you are as a person is far more important than what you are as a basketball player -John Wooden [...]
What To Do When The Nerves Get To You In Sports Competition
Ok, this is part 6 of our series of techniques and strategies for how to play your best game even when under pressure. Let’s quickly review the first 5 tactics shall we? 1. Mentally rehearse being in pressured situations. Plan how you will think at that moment and imagine perfect execution of your skills. 2. Get in the present moment directing your mind to your senses 3. Use comparisons of [...]
How To Stop Sabotaging Your Performance Under Pressure
Pressure tip #5. When athletes or other performers are just about to do their thing under extreme pressure of having to execute their skills, a curious thing happens… A part of your mind tries to take over and guide you to do it correctly. It wants to make sure that you have covered all of your bases and considered everything that needs to be done. If it isn’t bringing you [...]
Pressure Tip #1: What The Best Clutch Players Have In Common
Michael Jordan Lionel Messi in soccer, Tom Brady in football, Mr. October Reggie Jackson in baseball, Michael Jordan in basketball, Patrick Roy in Hockey… What do these athletes have in common? They are all clutch players who have come through under pressure more than most. Now, you may think that athletes like this are just blessed with some kind of mental ability the rest of us don’t have…and [...]
Mind Racing Under Pressure? – Drive It!
Trouble with video? Click Here To Watch on Youtube Transcript: Like a race car is designed to drive, your mind is designed to think. When coaches and others give you well-intentioned advice to "stop over thinking," they don't realize how futile this directive is. How do you stop over thinking? I guess you could go to the Himalayas and meditate with some Buddhist monks for a few years and you [...]
Get Perspective to Diminish Pressure
Let me remind you from my first pressure tip that pressure affects ALL athletes negatively, even world-class athletes. It tenses you up and hurts your ability to think strategically. If you want to perform better, you want to minimize those effects, right? Why do us athletes feel pressure in the first place? What is pressure and where does it come from? Simply put, as humans, we attach more meaning, more [...]
Extreme Focus To Deal With Pressure
Today I’ve got Technique #4 for How to perform brilliantly under pressure. Have you gotten the idea from me yet that the key to performing under pressure is to prepare for and practice mental skills BEFORE you ever get to the pressure situation? I’m still amazed that in this day and age there are athletes wanting to get to the next level of their sport and they do next to [...]
What Parents Need To Know About College Recruiting
The college experience is, in many cases, the most important four years in our children’s lives, as it will shape their personal and professional direction for a lifetime. That being said, securing admission to a college or university that best match a student’s desires, strengths, and aspirations is essential. Student-athletes bring a unique quality to the table when it comes to college admissions. They offer a “special talent” that can [...]
3 Best Exercises for Off Ice Hockey Training
Coach Nye Talks Hockey… The ‘How To’ to better development of a hockey player can be very complicated. There are so many off ice hockey instructions and exercises out there we wonder who to believe. When I am speaking to young hockey players I always suggest keeping things to the basic movements in hockey which include certain muscle groups. You can't go wrong with these: The muscle groups I am [...]
What is a sports psychologist and is coach a decent substitute?
In plain language, sports psychologists are coaches who consult and train athletes on improving their mental game. This new type of coaching only began in the 1970’s and has quickly bloomed into a huge part of the sports world. Professional sports teams often employ sports psychologists to help even the highest level athletes reach their potential. Some coaches are very aware that they are not trained and do not have [...]
What values can our young athletes learn from sports
“Hello, this is Craig Sigl, how can I help you?” I said as I answered the phone. The sports mom on the other end of the line went on to tell me about her 15 year old daughter who plays softball for club and high school. She went on to tell me how she has paid a lot of money for private hitting coaching, league fees, transportation and everything else [...]
How I coached a player from “bad attitude” to collegiate all conference
"From Rage to Riches or ... ...how to go from the guy who kicks dirt and water coolers, throws helmets, and breaks bats, to a collegiate first string all conference clean up hitter batting over .400" Three years ago a young man was recommended to the program I conduct for college baseball players. Standard practice is that I invite the player in for an "evaluation" before we begin working. It's [...]
How Brandon Bostick & Athletes Recover From A Choke
This past weekend, in American Football, we saw an amazing comeback by the Seattle Seahawks over the Greenbay Packers. It was almost miraculous. With the game having only 5 minutes to go, I actually told my friend that the game is over and the Seahawks have lost. (We are in Seattle so it was quite sad at the time). I said that I thought that maybe they had a 2% [...]
How To Build Confidence In Young Athletes
You’re a coach (or a parent) interested in developing a strong mental game for your athletes, right? First off, let’s define that so we know what we’re talking about here. I define it as: Focused, Confident, Determined and Resilient, especially under pressure. You also know that if your athletes were to play with more of that, then they would bring their “A” game to competition like you get to see [...]
Three Soccer Drills For Kids
Coach U12 and under soccer players to develop confidence through these drills Hello! My name is Goran Popovic, and I'm a football/soccer coach with UEFA A license. Today I'm going to show you some soccer drills for players under 12 years of age. These three soccer drills for kids are just like the ones I demonstrate on the components of football development when I train teens, high schoolers and [...]
Should I let my kids quit sports
What to do When Kids Decide to Quit Sports I was recently asked to be a panel member on Huffington Post live (video below) where we discussed the issue whether sports parents should let their kid quit. This is a very delicate subject that sports parents often must face and regularly ask my opinion on. There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this. My main idea I want sports parents to [...]
The Cause and Solution For Overcoming Mental Blocks In Sports
Many athletes in certain sports such as gymnastics, competitive cheer, trampolining, baseball, pole vaulting and golf are extremely vulnerable to mental blocks that keep them from performing like they do in practice or the past. First of all, what is a mental block in sports? It’s where an athlete physically cannot perform a movement or motion that they have demonstrated talent and ability for in the past. For example, [...]
How To Run A Soccer Practice For Youth Players
How to coach youth soccer The biggest challenge that is faced by a coach is consistently providing an engaging and fun environment for their players. In providing a quality training session soccer coaches assist players to unconsciously improving an array of skills, such as motor, technical, and social, in each training session. For starters, it is rule of thumb to depart from using “The Three L’s”, which is [...]
3 Softball Drills You Can Do Indoors
SOFTBALL PITCHING DRILLS One of my favorite indoor pitching drills, shown to me by Bill Hillhouse, uses socks instead of real softballs. The technique is simple...find a mirror or any other reflective surface (a glass door can work in a pinch). Ball up a pair of socks and practice your pitching by pitching the socks at the glass surface! In my house, I happen to have a full length mirror [...]
Leading Your Basketball Team To Victory
As a coach you must provide the necessary leadership in order for your team to be victorious and to create a long-term climate of success. In order for a leader to be followed they must have a winning philosophy and system that can be articulated with passion to the team. In order for the team to commit 100%, they must see, through the coach’s passion and by example, how much [...]
How To Close Out The Win When Leading In Volleyball
As a volleyball athlete and coach, I have seen numerous situations when teams who are leading a game or a match become complacent allowing the momentum to shift to the opponent. This is by far, the worst way to lose because the win was almost in the palm of your hand. I’m sure we have all seen teams come back from incredible odds. I remember one of our teams being [...]
3 Reasons Your Athletes Should Practice Active Visualization
I’ve written extensively on “How” to visualize and the actual steps. This is actually the easy part. The hard part is developing the discipline to do it on a regular basis. In my work with athletes, I’ve discovered that those who don’t do it much, it’s because they are basically not convinced enough that it will actually improve performance. They are convinced that physical practice, training and drills will improve [...]
4-Step Visualization Techniques For Sports
If you have been an athlete for any amount of time you have undoubtedly heard from a coach or trainer that you have to “visualize” good performances before you ever go out there to do it for real! Well...this is good advice except that very few coaches actually teach their athletes HOW. So, what exactly is this "visualization?" To put it simply, it’s taking some time to imagine yourself [...]
Helping Your Child With Sports: 3 Tips For Parents
What can you do, as a parent to help your child build confidence in sports? All parents want our children to have more confidence and lack of it is the second most common issue parents bring their kids to me for. (The first is fear of failure). When I work with young athletes in my office, I often have one or both parents with us for the first part of [...]
5 Tips For Avoiding The Crazy Parents and Sports Dilemma
All over the world, every day, a scene plays out in the sports world: Dad (or mom) is a helicopter parent or living their dreams vicariously through their kid. Parent spends a lot of time and energy to advocate for the kid with the coaching staff. Parent has as his highest value in life - “success” and he usually defines it by wins and losses, good and bad performances. Parent [...]
The Key To Building Confidence For Sports
In this video below, Craig teaches the most powerful key to opening the door to your hidden natural confidence. Confidence is a thought that something can be accomplished. Craig reminds athletes that you have to clear the mental baggage patterns that prevent athletes in maximizing their confidence thus, athletes should clear underlying limiting/ destructive beliefs at the power (subconscious) level of the mind. You will find out that a simple [...]
Coaches: One-size-fits-all philosophy doesn’t work
Coach, your job is one of the most important authority positions a young person will encounter and you have tremendous power to influence them...if you use it wisely. I know you care a lot about winning and I want you to keep that desire...it's a good thing! The video below is your first step toward that end. And when you're done with this video, go to this one where I [...]
Top Strategies To Replace Negative Thoughts In The Athletic Mind
Every athlete deals with negative thoughts or self talk as it's sometimes called. Even the best competitors on the planet have had their moments of fear, worry, and anxiety. You can take some comfort in the fact that you are in the same boat as your sports idols when it comes to doubting yourself and your abilities. Knowing that, don’t you feel better that your negativity is normal? But is [...]
Believing You Can Win Makes All The Difference
"Mental Toughness Academy" for youth sports. CLICK HERE for confidence for kids. "How To Be A Fearless Competitor"CLICK HERE Next-level training for adult athletes Transcript I once worked with a world class athlete who had competed at and then fallen out of the pro ranks and was trying to get back in. In fact, she had been going against the top players in the world in [...]
Mental Training, Sport Coaches, and Parents
There have been numerous studies conducted to find out what do highly successful athletes have in common. Besides the obvious - talent and hard work - a number of surprising conclusions have come to light. At the top of the list are how much the athlete had support at home and the high quality of the coaching. I work with young athletes every day in my office and I always [...]
Religion, Sports, and Mindset: Discover The Power
Julie was 16 when she came to me devastated that she did not make the varsity soccer team. The varsity coach had seen her play the year before and even complimented her on her excellent defense at the end of a game as she came off the field. She had worked on her game over the summer and thought she was a shoo-in this year. But it didn’t happen and [...]
The Benefits Of Sports Participation
As a sports parent or youth sports coach, you know that sometimes it can feel like it’s the most thankless job on the planet. There’s a million things you could be doing for all the time you spend with young athletes and sometimes, the lack of appreciation can get you down. So, I’m writing this post to give you boost! To help you feel great about what you are [...]
Sports And Life Coaching
You might have seen or heard the term “life coach” and wondered if this is anything like regular sports coaching. Actually, sports coaches and parents can learn a lot from this profession that will definitely help their athletes performance at any age. First off, what is life coaching? It’s guiding, assisting, and inspiring you to close a gap between where you are now and where you want to be. In [...]
How To Get A Confident Shooting Hand In Basketball
Michael, a 16 year old basketball player has finally made the varsity team at his high school. He lives, eats, and breathes basketball following his favorite stars in the NBA and College. His dream is to play for UNC like his hero Michael Jordan whom his parents were inspired to name him after. Michael has everything going for him - height, speed, quickness and a great shot that he [...]
When Should Athletes Work With A Sports Psychologist?
The quick answer is when the athlete recognizes he (or she) is not performing in competition up to potential. Here’s the interesting part of that answer...it is actually rare that an athlete consistently plays up to ability. And even then, great athletes will do everything they can to lock down in the mind what they are doing right so that a great performance can be replicated for later. Because every [...]
The Art of Coaching Different Genders in Sports
Do female youth athletes and male youth athletes need different kinds of mental strength training? Do they respond better to different coaching tactics? The answer is yes. We need to understand that males and females have differing genetic tendencies passed down from our ancestors as part of our history of successfully dominating the earth. Females place a much higher value on community and getting along with others on their [...]
5 Easy Mental Strength Training Drills For Sports
So...apparently there's this opinion floating around social media that a person cannot actually learn mental toughness as a skill. I used to get angry whenever I think about it. Now I just smile because I know that those who ignore that nonsense and really work on their mental game are giving themselves a huge advantage!While other athletes are buying into this fallacy and falling behind...you can take the lead!Mental strength [...]
How Mindset Psychology Can Help Athletes Come Back From Disaster
There are many ways to teach mental toughness which I define as: Focused, Confident, Determined, and Resilient, especially under pressure. I am constantly seeking new information and understandings about what makes us more likely to achieve our goals. Since the greatest issue that I see with athletes needing help is in overcoming fear, well, that’s how I’ve structured my teaching over the years. However, I came across another way to [...]
What Is A Growth Mindset For Athletes?
It never ceases to amaze me how small of a percentage of the general sports world there is that really takes advantage of developing their mental skills. I’ve conducted numerous workshops for youth sports teams and coaches over the years teaching mental toughness skills.In my workshops, there are always some athletes that hang on my every word. They ask questions, they participate, they take notes, and I can see that [...]
Perfectionism in Sports: Good or Bad?
Perfectionism in Sports: Good or Bad? “Practice makes perfect!” This is a saying that nearly every youth athlete has heard while struggling to master a new skill or advance performance. However, is striving for perfection really a good goal — especially for the youngest athletes? What constitutes perfection will vary from sport to sport and athlete to athlete. No matter what the case, it is vital that the athlete [...]
8 Great Things About Getting A Bad Youth Sports Coach
What To Do When You're Stuck With A Bad Youth Sports Coach "Craig, Any tips to help an athlete "get through" a season when they are stuck with a bad coach (overly critical, aggressive, demeaning, etc) so they don't lose their confidence?" Yes. I often see athletes in this predicament. The secret is in appreciating the fact that the difficult coach pushes you into [...]
When To Teach Children Mental Skills
At what age/competition level should a youth athlete focus on building up their mental strength? Any age! I work athletes as young as 8 years old in person and we have them even younger going through the Mental Toughness Academy along with their parents. The key is to make the learning “age appropriate.” I don’t teach the same way to an 8-year-old as I do to a college athlete [...]
Sports Injury Mental Impact On Young Athletes And How To Help
In this article Craig will show the sports injury mental impact on young athlete and how to help. Question: What kind of trouble can a serious injury have on a youth athlete's confidence? Wow, this is a very loaded question as I just finished creating an extensive video training to deal with conquering sports injuries. The thing that parents and coaches need to understand about youth athletes getting injured [...]
The Secret To Coming Back From Defeat
Why do you think some athletes can suffer defeat after defeat and never let it slow them down, while other players lose all confidence over one mistake? Here is the article of The Secret To Coming Back From Defeat. The true answer is that there are many variables BUT, the most common reason for this difference can be summed up in one word: FEAR. Particularly, fear of failure in all [...]
What Does It Take To Be A Leader?
Today we are featuring a guest post on coaching leadership from Warren Nye, who is the Founder and CEO of UltimateHockeySource and the UHS ProShop. He has some tips on how to be an effective leader which all parents and athletes can learn from as well. If you have any comments or questions for Coach Nye, please add them to the comments below… What Does It Take To Be [...]
The Ways Athletes Improve Confidence
Do you lack of confidence in your sport? Learn from our guest Mental coach expert, Gene Zanetti, "The Ways Athletes Improve Confidence". Coaches always tell you to just be confident and to just believe in yourself, but they never tell you actually how to do it. A lot of it is because they were not formally trained in how to do it themselves. The first thing is to realize it [...]
How To Develop Strong Determination
The word “determination” has multiple meanings depending on the context of it’s usage but, for the purposes of sports, the dictionary says: “The quality of being determined to do or achieve something” In simpler terms, it means how much of yourself you will put into making a goal a reality. You must have read lots of stuff dealing with "how to increase self determination," but while they [...]
Learn How Professional Athletes Support Their Kids In Sports
Here is the next video in the series of interviews with Ethan J. Skolnick Lead Sports Writer covering the Miami Heat and the NBA and Dr. Andrea Corn a licensed psychologist. In this video, Learn How Professional Athletes Support Their Kids In Sports. What I tried to do was interview some athletes that were children of athletes themselves. I was curious to see how they were raised and [...]
Motivating Your Children to Reach Their POTENTIAL
If you have ever heard the word “potential” tossed around about your child, you may have wondered how you could help your child reach that illusive goal. The following tips of "Motivating Your Child to Reach His POTENTIAL" are from Volleyball Momʼs Survival Guide, by Janis B. Meredith of JBM Thinks Sportsparenting. “You have so much potential!” How many times have you said that to your child? Teachers often [...]
How To Overcome Fear And Build Confidence For Youth Athletes
Today we have another article from Ethan J. Skolnick Lead Sports Writer covering the Miami Heat and the NBA and Dr. Andrea Corn a licensed psychologist. In this video, they share tips on how to overcome fear and build confidence for youth athletes. You want to be able to motivate youth athletes to overcome fear and build confidence by being helpful and making constructive suggestions, because intimidation [...]
Success In Sports – Smell The Roses
When talking about winning in sports, it seems like all the messages are about struggle, fight, win! Yes, you hear about how the “struggle” brings you happiness and fame. But how often do you hear the message find the happiness and joy in what you have right now. I recently read an article that talked about how so much of life is about finding the lemonade in the bag [...]
How To Use The Power Of Visualization In Sports
Visualization is one of the most powerful techniques an athlete can use on a regular basis. Discover techniques from Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar How To Use The Power of Visualization In Sports by watching the video below. Every morning I would always do a little workout. A little run, a little jog, I'll talk more in detail about that later. At the end of that, I would [...]
10,000 Hour Rule – The Talent Code
We watch professional athletes and anyone who has made it to the top of their profession and they make it look easy. I was amazed to learn when I first read Malcom Gladwell's book about the 10,000 hour rule. Many coaches, parents, and athletes have heard at some point throughout their involvement in sport that 10 years and 10,000 hours of practice are required in order to become an elite [...]
The Outlier Effect: Building Confidence in Sports
In our first article, we defined athletic confidence, and discussed many forms of interference when building confidence in sports, including excessive praise, lack of competence, fear of failure and poor adult mentorship. One additional hidden factor, coined “The Outlier Effect” by author Malcolm Gladwell, can be one of the most devastating confidence crushers, through no fault of your athletes at all. One of our biggest problems in youth sports, and [...]
Effective Communication Skills Is The Key To Success
Today we have a special guest post from Ethan J. Skolnick Lead Writer covering the Miami Heat and the NBA and Dr. Andrea Corn a licensed psychologist to talk about effective communication skills. They offer some excellent advice and insights some that is shared in the Effective Communication Skills video below. There’s going to be good reasons why children do leave organized sports at the age of [...]
What Grades Do I Need For A Sports Scholarship?
Your athletes definitely need to be physically qualified to be eligible to play on college and have a sports scholarship or athletic scholarship. But there is a big competition among athletes for scholarship, so academics is very important too. If you have low grades on your high school, you are cutting your chances in half right off the bat. Learn here on what exactly the grades you need to [...]
Are You Good Enough For A College Sports Scholarship?
Almost every athletic child is aspiring to have a college sports scholarship. It is very important to prepare at very early age and examine oneself if deserving to have a certain opportunity. Now, evaluate yourself if you are good enough for a college sports scholarships by watching this video. Please share your thoughts at the comments box below, we’d love to hear what you have to say! [...]
Why Mental Skills Training Is Critical to Become a Pro
The confidence that comes from being mentally tough is so important in any sport, including baseball. And like any other skills, you will have to work on mental skills training. Without it, it is very difficult to overcome those failures, which obviously, nothing in life is failure. It is all a stepping stone and lesson to be learned. To be in professional sports and to have so many [...]
What Does Being Mentally Strong Lead To?
Being mentally strong really means you are able to overcome adversity, able to be honest and truthful with yourself during failure, and able to overcome coaches or players who do not have your best intentions at heart or in mind. You’re going to get a lot of coaches who have the mentality of dealing with players in an abusive manner – mentally abusive, emotionally abusive, and psychologically abusive. Neither does [...]
Ethical Issues Major Baseball League Face
For the parents and coaches here is some information on the Ethical Issues Major Baseball League Face from Matt Bruback. Parents and coaches they have to understand major league baseball runs the draft. Major league baseball runs the minor leagues. Major league baseball picks and chooses picks and chooses who they are going to draft, where they are going to draft them, who the prospects are, and pretty much [...]
Advice For Young Baseball Players
If you are seeking professional advice for young baseball players here's some tips for you from Matt Bruback. First off you can do your research. My father was really big on Baseball America. It gives you a lot of information. You have this idea that all the clubs are working against each other. They are trying to have the best talent. Once you learn the different teams [...]
How To Get An Athletic Scholarship
In planning for college athletic scholarships, parents are going through a lot of research in discovering what is the best school for their young athletes to become equipped on what they do best. Basically, there are a lot of concerns coming to your mind in securing that the needs of child will meet to your capability of supporting them. Discover the best tip you can have on how to [...]
Should You Rely On Your High School Coach To Get Recruited?
If you want your young athlete to to get an athletic scholarship for college, it is very important to get him/her started early. At this time, his/her high school coach's role might be significant in the recruitment process to play for college. Should You Rely On Your High School Coach To Get Recruited? Find out if you should just rely on your high school coach to get recruited by [...]
The Truth About The College Recruiting Showcase
Getting an athletic scholarship is a big deal for young athletes. In recruiting athletes nowadays, coaches are looking for kids in some sports clinics and college showcases. Parents are sending their children in these events to be recognized too. Discover how going to sports clinics or showcase will help in getting an athletic scholarship by watching the video below. Please share your thoughts at the comments box [...]
Common Mistakes In Athletic Recruiting
Avoid these common mistakes in athletic recruiting. Most parents want to put their child on the best schools for their future. Some parents go after scholarships but has low quality in terms of training for their child. Learn more about common mistakes in athletic recruiting by watching the video below. Please share your thoughts at the comments box below, we’d love to hear what you have to say! The [...]
Best Timing to get Recruited for Division 1 Schools
Do you know that coaches really suggest that athletes should start being recruited in their early age? As a parent, It is really an important thing that you make a right decision and support for your child. Learn more on when is the best timing to get recruited for Division 1 schools by watching the video below. In this video, Tim Ryerson, an expert college athletic recruiter, will guide [...]
The Importance Of Setting Goals
The Importance of Setting Goals - You talk to just about anyone who is very successful in sports and they will tell you the importance of setting goals…objectives that dictate the direction you want to travel. Goals are an important aspect of success, as they represent not only the starting point of one’s journey but also the end result after all the hard work, dedication, commitment, sacrifice, etc., one [...]
Tips by Lamar Hull: Mental Game in Basketball
Being able to master the metal game takes time and experience. A young basketball player will be mentally strong through his/her experiences. I started to gain mental toughness at an early age when my older cousins started pushing me around. I was able to transfer that state of mind to the basketball basketball court by saying in my head that, “I’m the best player on the court!” I used [...]
How to Choose the Best Sports Performance Training Center for Young Athletes
As a parent,choosing the best sports performance training center for your young athletes is essential for his or her field of sport. It is an important factor for your young athlete's greatness and success in his or her career. Discover How to Choose the Best Sports Performance Training Center for Young Athletes by watching the video below. In this video, Peter Vidmar, a world renowned American Gymnast in Olympics [...]
Need To Boost Your Confidence In Sports?
I know exactly how an athlete feels when coach says you need more confidence if you want to be a valuable player. I have worked with hundreds of athletes who come to me with “lack of confidence” or “low confidence” in their sport. How is someone supposed to overcome that? Is low self confidence something that can be "fixed"? Well, what if I told you that the truth about Confidence is... [...]
Coaching Confidence In Young Athletes
We have a guest post today from a renowned author and coach – John O’Sullivan. He is the man behind the book, Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids. His two decades of experience as a soccer player and coach for youth, high school, college, and professional level makes his book very valuable and informative. Hence, today [...]
Tips For College Athletic Scholarships
Ever wonder if your child has what it takes to get a college scholarship or even play at the college level? I bet the answer will surprise you. Learn from our expert college athletic recruiter, Tim Ryerson, what it takes. It is probably one of the most important things an athlete needs to figure out when they start the process before they start. Discover Are You Good Enough To [...]
How To Develop Confidence in Baseball – Learn from Pro Player
Most of us think that we already know what does mental toughness is, but the truth is we still needs to develop and learn. It's not about how young or how old you are, the real deal is have you develop your mental toughness on its peak. Discover Learn from Pro Baseball Player: How To Develop Mental Toughness by watching the video below. What mental toughness means [...]
How To Motivate Your Child Out Of A Slump
If you have a child in youth sports, then you know that kids sometimes get into a slump. The question is how to motivate your child out of that slump. The following is an excerpt from The Football Momʼs Survival Guide, but the truths are for every parent of a young athlete who struggles with lack of motivation. Itʼs not fun to watch your son struggle, fail, and suffer [...]
Girls In Sports: Coming To Grips With Being Competitive
We, at the Mental Toughness Academy, want to support girls in sports and those girls owning their power! Today, we have a guest post from Dr. Andrea Corn, a sports psychologist and Ethan Skolnick, a sports columnist to give us some insights into the minds of female athletes they have worked with. As a child growing up outside of Pittsburgh in the 1980s and 1990s, Swin Cash wasn't that different [...]
How To Find Your Courage In Sports
Taking risks is essential for a youth athlete's development and success at his or her chosen sport! Doing so will open up new opportunities to greatness! In every sport, there are times when you have to show up and perform under pressure or do something you don't normally do. This is the time to find your courage. It's there and you don't need any special superhero abilities to access [...]
How To Build Self Esteem By Building Trust
Youth athletes need to build trust in themselves and their coaches to move up to the next level in their sport! Without trust, development is impossible! Just ask Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar. In this video, Peter shares how trusting his coach fully to teach him how to acquire new difficult moves and skills helped him gain self-esteem and confidence. We'd love to hear your thoughts about [...]
Advice For Parents Involved In Sports By Olympic Gold Medalist
As a parent, you always want the best youth sports experience for your child. But do you often ask yourself where you should draw the line when it comes to your involvement in your youth athlete's sports training? Olympic gold medalist Peter Vidmar, who is also a parent of 5 athletes shares with you How Involved Parents Should Be In Youth Sports Training. He has his own kids in [...]
How Goal Setting In Sports Training Makes You A Better Athlete
Yes, your youth sports athlete knows how to prepare for competition, but can you say that they are mentally-equipped to face the monotony of everyday training? In this video, Peter Vidmar, the highest scoring American gymnast in Olympic history, shares his experience on how goal setting has helped him be a more effective gymnast both in training and in competition. Read on to know more about How [...]
Learn Why A Never Quit Attitude Is Essential To Success In Sports
Winners never quit and quitters never win! Teaching perseverance to your youth athletes will definitely set them on the path to success not only in youth sports but also in life! In this video, Peter Vidmar shares how he got powerful motivation to persevere from a bulletin board in a cafeteria and what he saw in his father as he grew up. Have something to say? Make [...]
Over Training Can Lead To Burn Out In Sports
Too much of a good thing can be bad! Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar talks about the number one reason for burn out in sports! In this video, Peter shares how his relentless gymnastic training schedule led to fatigue and how he came back from a slump with some simple relaxation. If you want to know whyOver Training Can Lead To Burn Out In Sports all you [...]
Proper Sports Preparation Leads To Confidence During Competition
Proper sports preparation is crucial to success. It gives youth athletes confidence that they need to overcome challenges and realize their full potential! In the video below Peter Vidmar, writer of the amazing book "Risk, Originality and Virtuosity", wants you to Learn How Sports Preparation Leads To Confidence In Competition. Read on and discover how being prepared will help youth athletes build confidence in a competitive setting. [...]
Inspiring Youth Athletes: The Bob Feller Act Of Valor Baseball Award
Today we have a special guest post from Peter Fertig, who recently created an award in honor of Hall of Famer Bob Feller of the Cleveland Indians. Mr. Feller, a World War II Navy Veteran, was one of Peter’s heroes not because he was one of the best baseball pitcher’s ever to play in the 20th century, but because of what he gave up to defend this country in [...]
The Psychology Of Competition In Sports
Let's talk about the Psychology of Competition in Sports. How do you create a winning mindset so you are prepared and ready when it comes to competition time? Today we are sharing insights on The Psychology of Competition from Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar. This is Part One from Wendy Lynne, Director of Mental Toughness Academy's interview with Peter. I had a motto and many of us [...]
How To Build Confidence When Coaching Boys Vs Girls
Girls and boys each their have unique needs when it comes training. In this video, Coach Jen Croneberger discusses ways on How To Build Confidence When Coaching Boys vs Girls. Coach Jen works with many community groups helping girls with leadership, teaching motivation and confidence. Read on to find out more about the different approaches for you to build confidence among boys and girls. Make your thoughts [...]
Overcoming Fear In Sports Leads To Trust and Respect
Every youth sports athlete experiences fear especially in the game, sometimes even breaking them down. But what if you can use fear to your advantage? Every athlete experiences fear, especially right before a big game or event. Sometimes it even causes them to completely break down from the pressure. But what if you knew a way to use fear to your advantage? According to Olympic Gold Medalist Peter Vidmar, [...]
Coaching Tip: The Power Of Sports Mantras
Coaches and parents have tremendous influence over their players’ behaviors and beliefs on and off the field. Often, however, the big picture gets lost in young athlete’s minds because there are so many small pictures (details) to remember. Let’s start here by asking ourselves what is it that we really want our youth athletes to learn by participating in the sport? Hold that thought… Recently I thought back to my [...]
Coaching Tips For Youth Basketball
As youth sports coaches, we spend almost all of our energy preparing young athletes both mentally and physically for the next competition. Here's a few coaching tips for the new youth basketball (or any sport) season.Even after the state championship, or the biggest match of the year, there is always a new season to train for and another challenge to prepare for. But there comes a time in every [...]
Failure in Sports: Learn How To Bounce Back Quickly
Knowing how to move on from failure in sports is a great tool for a youth athlete to have on and off the game. This is part 4 of our series of interviews with Jen Croneberger, a mental game coach for the (NPF) Women's Professional Softball Team. In this video Coach Jen Croneberger wants you to Learn How To Bounce Back Quickly From Sports Mistakes. Make your [...]
How To Recover From Mistakes Or Choking
Mistakes and chokes are bound to happen and can bring youth athletes down. Jen Croneberger, a Mental Game Coach for the Women's Professional Softball Team, has spent the last 10 years working with athletes, instilling confidence and building strength, both mentally and physically. This is part 3 of our series of interviews with Coach Jen, in this video she shares with us Tips On How To Recover From Mistake [...]
Confidence Boosters To Overcome Performance Anxiety in Sports
Are you self-critical of your performance after losing or not performing to your potential? If so, believe me, you are not alone! It is a natural tendency to criticize your performance after a loss and dwell on every mistake, beware it is a big confidence buster. You can overcome performance anxiety with these few tips. But first, ask yourself... When thinking about your game do you: • Focus on the [...]
Expectations In Sports Leads To Failure
Jen Croneberger is a Mental Game Coach for the Women's Professional Softball Team, a well as other the top travel softball teams in the eastern US and works with many community groups helping girls with leadership and confidence. Have you ever expected so much just to be met with disappointment later on? In this video Coach Jen shares with us how Expectations In Sports Lead To Failure. [...]
Mental Preparation In Sports Leads To Confidence
Being mentally prepared can go a long way when it comes to your youth athlete's development and overall performance in competition. It is something that they can use both on and off the game. This is part 1 of our series of interviews with Jen Croneberger, softball and mental game coach, CEO/Founder of Excellence Training Camps, Inc., and a 2-time Centennial Conference Coach of the Year nominee. Doubt is [...]
Confidence Building For Kids: Boost Your Youth Athlete’s Self-Belief
Confidence building for kids is not as easy as it may seem.Today we are featuring a guest post from Naomi Richards, who calls herself The Kids Coach Today she shares with us her confidence building tips for kids. What happens when a child walks off the field after a game that they were disappointed and upset with the outcome? They often come away doubting their abilities, what they are [...]
How To Be A Supportive Parent In Youth Sports
Support from parents is essential in making sure youth athletes reach their full potential on and off the game. This is part 9 in the series of our interviews with Coach Dan Clemens. Here, he talks about How To Be A Supportive Parent In Youth Sports. Read on as Coach Dan shares tips on how you can give all the support your children need. We'd love to [...]
Should You Let Your Child Quit Sports?
As an expert in working with kids in sports, I get this type of question often from parents: Should you let your child quit sports? We want to help our daughter, now 12, with handling the pressure of playing premier club soccer. She is by far one of the better skilled players and excellent at practices but would shut down if she fumble or felt she made a mistake on [...]
Best Ways Coaches Can Deal With Parents
Parents can sometimes be too pushy when it comes to their children playing their sport. In this video Coach Dan shares with us the best ways a youth sports coach can deal with parents. This video is the 7th part of our series of interviews with Coach Dan. What you are about to read is about Best Ways Coaches Can Deal With Parents. Make your thoughts known [...]
How To Help Athletes Concentrate Better In Sports
Concentration is key in being successful in any sport. Youth athletes need all the help they can get when it comes to improving their ability to concentrate. This is part 8 of our series of interview with Coach Dan Clemens. In this video he discusses ways on How To Help Athletes Concentrate Better In Sports. Here, Coach Dan gives tips on how to help your athlete concentrate better. Make [...]
Helping Kids Cope With Frustration
In this video Coach Dan Clemens discusses ways on how to Help Kids Cope With Frustration. This is part 6 of the series of our interview with Coach Dan Clemens. Read on below to discover how Coach Dan helps kids deal with frustration in sports. If a kid is upset after a game, it depends on the kid. At some point, all kids are going to be [...]
Building Mental Strength And Achieving Peak Performance In Athletes
What is the best way to achieve peak performance and Building Mental Strength in athletes? To answer this question, we wanted to share with you Bob Adrian’s tips and strategies for coaches. Bob trains coaches on “Best Coaching Practices”; and in this article offers many great ideas and suggestions on how to cultivate an attitude of mental toughness… Quite often coaches lament about their teams when they are struggling to [...]
Coaching Tips For Youth Baseball
This is part 5 of the series of our interview with Dan Clemens. In this video, Coach Dan shares techniques in Teaching Motivation in Youth Sports. Find out how Coach Dan Clemens motivates his team by reading on. We also would love to hear what you think; please do leave your comments below. I try to bring a lot of passion to the game as a coach. [...]
Deal With Pressure To Win In Sports
In this video Coach Dan discusses effective ways to Deal With Pressure In Order To Win In Sports. This is part 4 in the series of interviews with Coach Dan Clemens. Let's find out how Coach Dan and his team deals with pressure and use it to win. All of us will feel pressure at some point in our lives. The biggest thing, first, I tell kids [...]
Visualization: Building Confidence In Baseball
Building Confidence in Baseball through Visualization. This is part 3 in the series of interviews with Coach Dan Clemens. Here, he shares with us How To Build Confidence In Baseball: Use Visualization Read on as Coach Dan discusses how the power of visualization can help you become a more confident baseball player. If the kids can think back to a time when they have been successful at [...]
Rutgers Scarlet Knight Players Learn From Passion NOT Abuse!
Rutgers Scarlet Knight Players Learn From Passion NOT Abuse Since the Rutger Scarlet Knights coach is being so pillared in the press lately, Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer wanted to weigh on how coaches can lead with passion - not abuse! It is also important you keep a vigilant watch that your kids are never subjected to that kind of abuse... Recently Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer was interviewed [...]
Optimistic Vs. Pessimistic:Tips On How To Be An Optimist
So you want to know how to be an optimist? In this day and age, it can be a struggle to remain optimistic with the daily doom and gloom in the papers, on TV and even in Facebook. I find a lot of people have become pessimistic, because they feel overwhelmed with financial difficulties or watching others suffer hardships caused by the fluctuating economy. There are also new challenges [...]
Coaching Young Baseball Players: Having Fun Vs. Hard Work
How can youth baseball coaches create a fun training environment while also instilling the value of hard work? In this video, Coach Dan will be discussing about Coaching Youth Baseball: Having Fun Vs. Hard Work. The myth out there is we want the experience to be fun for the kids, so they can go off and do what they want to do. When coaching young baseball players, [...]
Strategies For Dealing With Tough Coaches
Here is some Strategies for dealing with Tough Coaches. We hear from players all the time that they have coaches that they don't like or don't like them. Either way it affects a child's performance whether positively or negatively. It is then necessary for them to know how to deal with these tough coaches to maintain their focus in and out of the game. This is Part 6 of a [...]
Tips On How To Handle Mistakes Coaching Youth Baseball
This is first of the coaching tips series for youth baseball coaches and youth sports parents featuring Dan Clemens, a youth coach veteran and the author of the book, A Perfect Season: A Coach's Journey to Learning. EVERYBODY makes mistakes, even coaches! Coach Dan Clemens, a 10-year youth coaching veteran in four sports, shares Tips On How To Handle Mistakes Coaching Youth Baseball. In this video, Coach Dan discusses how [...]
Win or Lose – Should Youth Athletes Get Trophies?
Lately it seems that many leagues and coaches are giving out awards and trophies just to recognize youth athletes for participation regardless of the outcome of the game. While this approach has a lot of fans, it also has a fair share of critics. Win or Lose - Should Youth Athletes Get Trophies? This is a big change from the way sports were played for most of us growing up. [...]
How to Build Self Confidence
Yes,you can really create self confidence, because it is merely a state of mind. How to build self confidence? It’s not some thing that happens to you by accident or you magically wake up with it one day. I bet you already have a lot of confidence or you would not be playing your sport. I also know most every athletes, in fact, most people would like even more [...]
Do Less, Be More: Simple Sports Relaxation Make You A Better Athlete
Did you know that you can do less and be more at the same time? Let us show you how simple sports relaxation can make you a better athlete. Being an athlete at a young age can be very demanding. You get up for school early in the morning; go through your classes for 6 hours and go to training for another 3. Once you get back home, you realize [...]
Concentration In Sports
Crowd cheering, coaches shouting, team mates giving direction and opponents trash talking make it difficult for even professionals to keep their focus. That is why it is very important to learn how to concentrate no matter what is going on by keeping your mind present in the game and fixed on your goal. Today we are featuring Part 9 of a series of interviews with Raven Magwood, a teenage [...]
How To Visualize Success in Gymnastics
Many athletes stay up the night before a game worrying if they are strong enough, tough enough, good enough. What they should be doing is seeing and thinking how they will defeat their opponent. Athletes have a powerful tool to help them stay focused in the competition... Today we are featuring Part 8 of a series of interviews with Raven Magwood, a teenage author, motivational speaker, and TV talk [...]
How To Develop Perseverance For Youth Athletes
Hard work in sports? It is tough for most young athletes to understand the benefits of hard work. In the next video, in the series of interviews with Raven Magwood, she shares her secrets to getting herself to put in the hard work to be successful in sports and in life. You definitely have to work on perseverance. I tell parents and student athletes this all the [...]
Addiction To Energy Drink Health Risks
Addiction to Energy Drink Health Risks Courtesy of: Therapeutic Boarding Schools For Teens - TheFamilyCompass.com If you missed the article on Healthy Meals To Feed Your Athletes Before A Big Event, by sure to check it out by clicking here.
Are You Mentally Tough?
What is the biggest hurdle for student athletes that holds them back from performing and achieving their best? When an athlete is experiencing a lot of things that are too much for him/her to handle they become overwhelmed, it easily affects their performance, either in school, sports or in other aspects of their life. Sometimes, this overwhelm of life causes him/her to give up or perform less in all areas [...]
Healthy Meals To Feed Your Youth Athlete Before The Big Event
The food your youth athlete eats prior to game time can have a big impact on their energy, stamina and overall performance. Just like an electric car won’t run on regular gas, giving your youth athlete the wrong kinds of pre-game meals and snacks means you are not setting them up for success. What your athlete should eat is often affected by the timing of their game. Here are [...]
Promoting A Positive Self Image For Youth Sports Athletes (Part 3)
We at Mental Toughness Academy are committed to helping youth sports athletes in all areas of their sports. If you hope to get a college scholarship or play for the pros, the self image you present is going to be very important. Today's article is Part 3 of a series of articles on how to Promote A Positive Self Image For Athletes to help build self confidence and improve [...]
How To Coach Kids With High Expectations
Coaches are always trying to find the right way on how to coach kids using balance of pushing their athletes and helping them develop their own intrinsic motivation. Today we are featuring Part 4 of a series of interviews with Raven Magwood, a teenage author, motivational speaker, and TV talk show host. In this video, Raven shares with us how she dealt with the high expectations of her coaches [...]
Intrinsic Motivation In Sports
I ntrinsic motivation refers to motivation that is driven by an interest or enjoyment in the task itself, and exists within the individual rather than relying on any external pressure. It is based on taking pleasure in an activity rather than working towards an external reward. An athlete no matter how good he/she is needs motivation. At times they will get discouraged by what they see or hear from other [...]
Goaltender Coach Interview (Part 2)
A youth sports athlete's image is a critical component to how he/she is perceived by others and could determine whether he/she gets the opportunity to compete at the collegiate or pro level. This is Part 2 of a series of articles on How to Promote A Positive Self Image For Youth Sports Athletes to help gain self confidence and improve your self image. If you missed Part 1, click here. [...]
Quickly Improve Your Performance in Sports
Although we focus mainly on the mental aspects of the game, our passion is to bring you up-to-date information to help you improve in all areas of playing your sport. So today we have a guest post from Dr. Larry Van Such, a Speed Training Coach, on how to quickly improve your performance. Besides who doesn't want to learn how you can Run Faster, Jump Higher, and Out Hit Your [...]
How To Stop Bullying In Sports
Bullying happens in and out of school and certainly in sports these days. Kids who experience bullying can easily develop an inferiority complex. How To Stop Bullying In Sports is an important question that needs answers fast. According to Alfred Adler, inferiority complex is when "the feeling of inferiority is highly intensified to the degree that the child believes that he will never be able to compensate for his weakness". [...]
Raven Magwood teaches positive self talk statements
Trembling, tremors, unsteadiness, body getting weak, pounding heart and sweating, these are just some of the symptoms that an athlete can feel when they are experiencing anxiety in sports. We all know how this can affect their focus and concentration during the competition causing them to lack confidence and lose the game. In this video Raven will discuss how an athlete can stay positive to overcome anxiety in sports performance. [...]
Raven Magwood – The Seven Practices Of Exceptional Student Athletes
Raven Magwood is a teenage author, motivational speaker, and TV talk show host. At 19 years old, she has accomplished more than most do in their lifetime. When she was just 11 years old, she was a national gymnastics champion and published her first book, On to Victory! The Winning Edge. By 13, she had published her second book, Double-Sided that is being made into a movie. At 15, [...]
Overcoming Perfectionism in Youth Sports
Perfectionism is often revered in our culture and can be a good thing in small, healthy doses. All too often though, we see athletes who aim to do everything flawlessly and are not happy unless they play the game perfectly. Traits of perfectionism often include being overly critical in self-evaluation, setting excessively high achievement standards and feeling like a failure if certain levels of success are not achieved. What [...]
Brent Bradford Hockey Coach Interview (Part 1)
The purpose of this article is to discuss the importance of an athlete’s positive self image and to consider various ways for an athlete to portray a positive image. Whether an athlete is competing in an individual sport or a team sport, his/her image is an essential component of how he/she is perceived by others which may determine whether an opportunity to compete at the next level is offered [...]
Improving Focus In Youth Sports Hockey
This article will teach you how to improving focus in youth sports hockey. Whenever an athlete steps inside the arena, the loud roar of the people cheering either for their team or their opponent or coaches yelling at them at the middle of the game can get them out of focus, but it is critcal for them to keep their minds fixed on their goal. Improving Focus in Sports is [...]
Sports Visualization
Sports visualization is a one of the most powerful tools an athlete can use to play with a strong, focused mindset. Learn how to play ahead mentally, before the game starts and to execute your strategies in your mind before you actually play the actual game. This is Part 4 of a series from an interview with Jamie McKinven, who is the author of the book,So You Want Your [...]
Daring Greatly Takes Courage
This article is about of daring greatly takes courage. With all the crazy weather, the shooting tragedies and the stress and strain of the holidays, I thought it was the perfect time to get us all inspired and out of our fears and worries. What better way than to DARE GREATLY. In her new book, researcher professor, Brené Brown explains how the concept of“scarcity thrives in a culture where everyone [...]
Performance Goal Setting for Youth Hockey
Performance goal setting has a very important role in a kid’s preparation towards the game. As we all know, the goal is to win, but how they achieve it, depends on their attitude and determination. This is Part 3 of a series from an interview with Jamie McKinven, who is the author of the book, So You Want Your Kid To Play Pro Hockey? In this video, Jaymie will [...]
Parents’ Role In Their Kid’s Sports Performance Anxiety
Kids' emotions unlike adults are more sensitive,they easily get hurt, get frustrated and depressed when they are unable to perform well or unable to meet others expectations. That is why it is very important for every parent to know their role in preventing their kid's sports performance anxiety. Thousands of times a day, worldwide, a child or teenage athlete wakes up on game day with a huge knot in his [...]
How To Build Self Confidence In Hockey
Confidence in sports is one of the things that kids struggle against within themselves throughout their childhood. When they lose their confidence, it can causes the child to feel like a failure and lose the game. This can leave them with a painful experience that they can carry with them throughout their entire sports careers. This is Part 2 of a series from an interview with Jamie McKinven, who [...]
Character Building In Sports
Building a young athlete's character is influenced by the people they deal with in their chosen sport, like their coaches, team mates and parents. Character gets further developed along the way as they mature and discover things on their own--which is exactly why character building in sports is important. Every time you are allow yourself to stay in and work through a difficulty, you are building character. When you [...]
Factors That Influence Substance Abuse In High School Athletes
What are the factors that influence substance abuse in high school athletes? Today's young athletes particularly high school players, are being exposed to substance abuse - alcohol, drugs and other substances that can affect them psychologically. Although high school sports usually do not involve big paychecks and multimillion dollars endorsement deals, competition can be intense mainly because they could potentially lead a young star athlete to great fame and fortune [...]
The Power Of Your Unconscious Mind: Unlock It, Master it. Now!
Did you know that only 3% of your brain’s processing power, is used by your conscious mind and the other 97% is subconscious, unconscious, autonomic, automatic. Isn't that amazing! For instance, you don’t have to think about how to breath, blink your eyes or move your arm right? All these things happen on automatic pilot. Scientists have found that the power of your unconscious mind is perhaps a million times [...]
How To Teach Kids Positive Self-Talk: A Child’s Emotional Bulletproof Vest
Kids are constantly being bombarded with negative messages from the media, their peers and sometimes even coaches that hurt their confidence and destroy their self esteem. As parents we all wonder what we can and should do about it? Well we have some "easy to implement" solutions for you from Devin Hughes. He is a former college basketball player, motivational speaker and author, who learned from his own life [...]
Mental Abuse In Youth Sports
From time to time I hear about emotional abuse in youth sports in my office and in correspondences with the athletes I work with. Playing sports is definitely much harder on today’s youth than the last generation for many reasons. Chief among them is the overheated competition our kids are facing in all aspects of their lives. 30 years ago, there was no such thing as “select sports” and [...]
Good Communication Tips For Youth Coaches
Coaches have tremendous influence over their athletes’ behaviors and beliefs on and off the field. Today I would like to share with you some good communication tips to improve your communication with your team. To Create Good Communication Focus On The Positive And Repeat It Often Recently I thought back to my own experiences as a young athlete. What really stood out for me was not my coach, but my [...]
Sleep Experts Rethink Sleep
Craig and I constantly read and study what gives athletes the competitive edge both mental and physically. When something stands out we want to share it with you... Recently, I read a fascinating article from sleep experts that turns upside down our beliefs about the need for 8 hours of straight deep sleep every night. You can click here to read the entire article, but here are some of [...]
Goal Setting For Kids: A Must For Young Athletes
As parents, we know the importance of setting goals for ourselves, but what about for our young athletes? Today we have a guest post on goal setting for kids written by Michael Hare, the owner of League Pitching Machines, who is passionate about skill development in players of all ages. Every parent and coach wants the best for the young athlete in his or her life, and if you [...]
Lacrosse Mental Game Tactics
The sport of lacrosse is exploding across the country in popularity and so we wanted to share with you an article by Gavin Kent, a sports hypnotist who coaches junior and professional athletes on mental game tactics for lacrosse. Why Mental Toughness Is Important For Lacrosse... The wide-open, fast paced nature of lacrosse rewards creativity and ingenuity. A variety of different looks, plays and schemes, require an adaptable game plan [...]
Athlete Hard Work Beats Talent When Talent Doesn’t Work Hard
A lot of kids think that an athlete has to have extraordinary talent to get to the top of the sports world. Well you might be surprised by expert strength conditioning coach, Kurt Hester's belief that hard work beats talent, when that talent doesn't work hard. Kurt grew up in South Louisiana and learned a very young age that he would have to work to help his family out financially. [...]
Baseball Mental Game Coaching Tips
We are always happy to find expert coaches who believe strongly in teaching and coaching the mental side of the game along with they physical. Today we want to introduce you to an expert in baseball coaching tips, Jack Perconte and share with you his article on Baseball Mental Game Coaching Tips That Coaches Should Be Telling Their Players…. As we all know, there is both a mental and physical [...]
Resilience in Sports – Miracles Really Do Happen
I wanted to introduce you to Bob Jackson, our new Northeast Manager in charge of business development for the Mental Toughness Academy. We talk a lot about resilience in sports as the cornerstone of mental toughness. Resilience means being able to bounce back from losses and difficult experiences. Resilience is getting back on track quickly when things don't go your way. The 1980 US Men's Olympic hockey team is a [...]
An Inspiring Baseball Story – How Dave Clark Overcame Polio To Play Professional Ball
Ready to be inspired? Here is An Inspiring Baseball Story - How Dave Clark Overcame Polio To Play Professional Ball We were lucky enough to be introducing Dave Clark, an amazing person with an amazing story that clearly exemplifies mental toughness and a never give up attitude. Imagine being 5-foot-2 and playing professional baseball. And not just playing, but managing, coaching, scouting, owning a professional barnstorming team that toured the [...]
How Sports Can Help Your Child Build Good Character
Does playing sports help kids develop self esteem and build good character? Today's guest post from Coach Mario Sousa, who has been coaching youth sports for over 19 years, shares what he believes builds self confidence and self esteem when kids play sports. I believe the way to build a child's self-esteem is by teaching them how to set goals, work hard, accomplish tasks, understand the body, and learn from [...]
Mental Toughness Quotes
Need inspiration or motivation? Check out these mental toughness quotes... It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves. ~ Edmund Hillary, was a New Zealand mountaineer and explorer. What makes you really come together under pressure is determination and focus and toughness. ~ Debi Thomas You have to have the mentality of executing your game when you don’t feel like there’s a lot of hope. I think the best [...]
Mind Body Training System For Sports Excellence
As we all know, both athletes young and old face emotions such as stress, anxiety and anger. When these emotions are stirred up, certain muscles stiffen in the shoulders, chest and elsewhere which can interfere with comfortable breathing and lead to performance declines. Today we have a guest post from movement specialist, Ed Barrera who will share with you some information and tips to help you change your bodies [...]
How Parents Can Play A Major Role In The College Recruiting Process
There is a very important question that needs to be addressed and that is "How Parents Can Play A Major Role In The College Recruiting Process?" We all know our teenagers can't do it alone but how do parents help without taking over our teen's lives? There are many pieces to the college recruiting process that ultimately comes down to the high school student athlete’s ability to play their sport [...]
Sports Injuries: How To Get Past Them
Getting injured in your sport is common place for active kids, but common sports injuries is also something all parents, coaches and athletes fear. No one wants to be forced to stop playing. How you handle your comeback is extremely important. With the right mental attitude you can either come back ready to play or fearful and tentative. Tap here to watch a unique sports injury treatment video teaching [...]
Motivating Kids In Sports Without Being Pushy
As a parent of two teenage boys, like most sports parents, I deal with the balancing act of wondering what are the best ways of motivating kids in sports. Do you let go and let god? Do you give an encouraging push? Or do you get tough on them so that they will get tough on themselves? These questions apply to all aspects of raising children really; not just athletes. [...]
Bullying in Youth Sports: Know How to Stop Bullies
Here is some tips for What Can You Do To Prevent Bullying In Youth Sports. We have our kids play sports for all the right reasons like to have fun, get exercise, learn to deal with other adults and kids and learn new skills. All our good intentions though get cancelled if kids get bullied. There is nothing worse for kids. Bullying by coaches and/or kids is unacceptable. At [...]
Fatigue in Sports: Your Athlete’s Biggest Performance Enemy
Not surprisingly, studies have shown that lack of deep, restful sleep, causing fatigue in sports, negatively impacts athletic performance. At the Mental Toughness Academy we strive to showcase experts to help you and your athlete get the competitive edge. Today we are sharing an article by an expert in fatigue solutions, Captain Douglas Mikulicic. Captian Mikulicic has worked as a line pilot, directed fatigue analysis for Emirates Airlines and today, [...]
How To Trust Your Skills – Pressure Tip #6
Our final Pressure Tip of the series is about developing trust even under pressure for better sports performances. In this final video of the Pressure Tips series, we share a technique to TRUST your skills right at the moment of competing... You start by coming up with a sentence to say or sing out loud while performing your desired action. What you say doesn't have to have anything to do [...]
Imagination Practice Can Be Better Than Real Practice – Pressure Tip 1
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy and thank you for joining our community! This is the first in a series of Pressure Tips to help you overcome any fears or limitations that are holding you back and get your came to the next level! This first video in a series of Pressure Tips helps you understand how to be intense without being tense... Step #1 is you need to start [...]
Stop Negative Self Talk In Sport Performance – Pressure Tip #2
Today's pressure tip is about eliminating destructive thinking and the critical voice inside your head to reduce pressure. It's called negative self talk and it is a significant contributing factor to experiencing stress, anxiety and ultimately, that pressure we are working on getting rid of because it's part of that "Interference" that gets in the way of your best performances. Thoughts like, "I can't do this", "I'm not big enough, [...]
Overcome Fear In Sports
Welcome back for Pressure Tip #3 where you will learn how to overcome your fear by being in the present moment during crunch time in sports competition. You don't ever really eliminate fears, instead, you Master them. You dominate them and use emotions like that to your advantage in sports and in life. Fear is the biggest source of interference to your performance potential. When it happens, your muscles and [...]
How To Focus Better In Competition – Pressure Tip #5
Today's pressure tips help you learn how to focus better in competition. When you do that, your mind is occupied and distracted away from the pressure. This video gives you ideas on how to direct your focus... Can you keep your focus in the moment of pressure and ignore distractions? The first step is to pick a small target and then put your center of attention completely on it. That [...]
How To Come Through Under Pressure – Tip #4
Are you ready to be the hero when your opportunity presents itself...like at the end of the game? For most athletes, the answer to that question is "No." Are you the one everyone looks to for the game-winning goal or clutch score? For most athletes this just adds on more pressure, because everybody starts expecting you to be the one to save the day whenever your team is down [...]
Conquering Fear By Letting Go Of “I”
You may not hear this approach for conquering fear in many sports psychologist offices or read it in a psychology book, because I learned this simple but powerful technique from doing yoga. I am Wendy Lynne, the Director of Mental Toughness Academy. I have been practicing this new approach for conquering fear and anxiety for myself and have found it to be amazingly effective and powerful. So I wanted to [...]
What Is Self Confidence?
When it comes to being a top performer in the classroom or during the game, nothing will give you the edge you need like self confidence. Today we have guest author, Steve Rogers sharing with you how you can get self confidence, and how you can apply it to everything from school to sports, so you can give your best and get great results for your efforts. What is self [...]
Youth Sports Parents: Tips for Dealing with The Coach Tips 7-9
We all as parents want our kids to be successful in their sports, of course. However, how you and your child interact and deal with their coach can make a big difference in their happiness and success while playing their sport. In this Part 3, of a 3 part video series on Success Principles for Kids and Sports, we share with you some simple, but critical things you can [...]
Burnout In Coaching: Is It Time To Hit The OFF Button?
Burnout is starting to be a bigger and bigger problem if our everyday life. It kind of makes you want to flee sometimes instead of standing up and fighting, doesn't it? Especially in today's world when all anyone seems to want from us is more. More work, more time, more efficiency, more commitment, more risk-taking, more sacrifice, more, more, more. It seems like our lives are so fast paced [...]
Sports Visualization: The Shortcut To Great Performances
I am sure many of you have heard about using sports visualization to improve in your sport, but do you use it? Many people are put off by the word visualization, because they think they cannot do it or some people still are not convinced of the benefits. I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer and I teach youth athletes how to use mental game training to boost their performances. [...]
The Power of Positive Thoughts In Sports
We hear from youth sports parents all the time at the Mental Toughness Academy, who worry that their child, "uses such negative self talk" or "beats her self up all the time". I think this is an important issue parents need to address. Negative thoughts and beliefs don't normally "go away" without perspective and retraining our minds. Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Wendy Lynne, the Director of the [...]
The Importance of Being Mentally Strong to Get a Sports Scholarship
As parents of athletes, we all have in the back of our mind "Wouldn't it be great if Johnny could get a sports scholarship to college" - right?!? Having the right natural abilities is definitely the first step, but there are a lot of gifted athletes competing for athletic scholarships. The following is a guest post discussing how mental toughness is the key ingredient. The Importance of Building Mental [...]
How Parents Can Best Support Their Kid Playing Sports? Tips 3-6
This is Part 2 of our series of the top 9 ways parents can support their young athletes. Cheering your child on and encouraging them on from the stands is great, but there is much more to it to being a great sports parent. Check the next 3 tips on how to support your kid playing sports in this video... href="http://www.mentaltoughnesstrainer.com/wp-content/files/2012/05/Kids-In-Sports1.mp3" rel="nofollow">Kids In Sports So How [...]
Kids And Sports Success Principles For Parents Tips 1-3
Sports for kids isn't like it was in my day! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for Youth Sports. Today, there is travel teams, select teams, showcases, try outs for kids as young as 8 years old. There is far more pressure on kids today playing sports. More than ever it is crucial that parents know how to ensure that their children in sports build life skills and [...]
Hard Work Leads To Success – Learn From Karl Mecklenburg
Hard Work Leads To Success - Learn From Karl Mecklenburg. We love introducing you to amazing people in the youth sports world that are working to positively impact our kids in sports. Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth sports. We have recently partnered with author and business coach, Chrissy Carew who created the site Insightful Player, to help kids build [...]
What Parents Must Know About Their Children In Sports
When you finish this article/Video, Go to the Categories and Select "Parents" for more tips. Transcript As a parent, you want the best for your child, but it is easy to make it worse for them! Having your children playing sports is very important for their overall character development, but read on to make sure it does not go wrong. Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, [...]
Learning + Enjoyment = Winning – NOT Parent’s Pressure On Kids
Do you as a parent find yourself confused as to how much pressure you should put on your child to help them reach their athletic potential? Did your coaches, mentors and parents put a lot of pressure on you and so you think that pressure on kids work too? Read on to find out that is not always the best way to go... Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! [...]
How Athletes Can Stop Choking Under Pressure?
It’s the 1986 World Series and the Boston Red Sox are winning by 2 runs in the last inning with 2 outs and 2 strikes on the batter. A very easy, slow ground ball was hit to Bill Buckner, the Red Sox first baseman, but instead of picking it up he let it go through his legs. It went down as one of the worst chokes in the history [...]
Mental Performance Anxiety – The Hidden Culprit
Performance anxiety seems to be the number one issue in youth sports these days. Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes. It is easy to blame it on the kid's parents or coaches, but I think anxiety in sports goes much deeper than just pressure from sports parents and coaches. Love to know your thoughts and experiences in the comments [...]
High School Baseball Coaching Tips – How To Focus
I have coaches telling me all the time that they have trouble getting their players to focus. So I decided to write this baseball coaching tips post to help you teach your high school players a quick technique on how to focus. High School Baseball Pitching Coaches Learn How To Get Your Players To Focus Let me tell you a story about Jim, a 16-year-old varsity pitcher. [...]
‘On Air’- Craig Discusses the Importance of Mental Training for Athletes
Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer was recently featured on a sports radio talk show discussing “The 4 Keys for Developing Mental Toughness for Teen Athletes”. We thought there was some valuable information in the interview we wanted to share. Some of the questions that were discussed in the talk show are: How you might be sabotaging your performance without even knowing it? How developing mental fitness [...]
Can Some Performance Anxiety Treatments Actually Make Your Problem Worse?
Are you one of those people that occasionally suffer from performance anxiety? It is such a common problem among athletes you would think that sports psychologist would have some good solutions for athletes by now. Unfortunately this is NOT the case. Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer. If you have never been to see a sports psychologist this short dialogue will give [...]
Top 9 “Must Haves” For Kids In Sports To Be Successful
What Are The “Must Haves” For Kids In Sports? Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the mental toughness trainer for youth athletes. I hear from our parents all the time about how their kids are struggling in their sport for a variety of reasons. We all get our children to participate in sports for "all the right" reasons and when it does not go as planned it [...]
National Youth Sports Program Launched To Build Confidence For Kids In Sports
I hear stories all the time from frustrated parents about their kids in sports wanting to drop out. If you want to make sure your kids are getting the best experience possible from their sports program be sure to read on... Has this been a problem for you? If so, we would love to hear what happened with your kid in the comments section below. Listen here:National Youth Sports [...]
How To Master The Mental Game Of Baseball
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer and I am here to teach you How To Master The Mental Game Of Baseball in this latest video for baseball players. Although the video features the issues experience by baseball players, the lessons apply to any athlete who wants to learn how to kick out that voice in their head that says they are not good enough! [...]
When It Comes To Learning Life Skills, You Can’t Beat Sports For Kids!
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes. Parents always ask me what are the best sports for kids? There is no "right answer and luckily there are so many different sports for kids that parents can choose from to have their kids play. What is important is choosing something that works for your child's temperament and idea of fun. You Can’t [...]
Sports Psychology For Youth Sports
I still get disappointed when I hear from coaches and parents who blame kids for their lack of effort in reaching their potential. I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth sports.The bottom line is, kids in sports always perform their best when they are free of fears and limiting beliefs. That is what stops kids from giving their best efforts. In this video, I share with you the [...]
Give Your Athletes The Competitive Edge Through Mental Coaching
I want to tell you a quick story about a coach whose success changed dramatically after learning the tools and techniques of mental coaching for his team. Coach Brown loved the game of basketball and teaching his players the ins and outs of the game. He was dedicated to creating excellence in his players, so he made sure to study every drill and training he could get his hands on. [...]
How To Fire Up Motivation For Athletes
How do you think elite athletes find the motivation to work as hard as they do to be the best at their sport? They DIG DEEP and find the fire in their belly that drives them to be the first to show up, the last to leave, and have the energy to inspire their team to greatness. Have you always wanted to know how elite players find the motivation to [...]
How To Be A Good Goalie
Do you play hockey or watch hockey? Ever wonder what it takes or how to be a good goalie? In this video, Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer gives some tips and pointers what to do on the mental side of the game to be a good goalie... Listen and Discover How to be a Good Goalie How To Be A Good Goalie As a player, your [...]
How To Overcome Fear and Anxiety In Sports
Every athlete experiences fear and anxiety, especially before big games or matches. It is normal and healthy. If used in a positive way it can help you focus and be pumped up with energy. But for some of your athletes I am sure it causes them to freeze up and miss opportunities. I worked with a pole vaulter who was so fearful she eventually was unable to run down the [...]
How To Get Out Of A Hitting Slump
Today we have a guest post from Larry Cicchiello, who is the successful author of “Excellent Baseball Coaching: 30 Seconds Away.” (Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer added some mental training tips on this topic below Larry's article) Very simply, a baseball hitting slump occurs because of something that you are now doing that is mechanically incorrect when swinging the bat or it can be something that you were doing correctly [...]
How To Deal With A Difficult Coach
A 12-year old quarterback and his dad came to my office to work with me to improve his performance. He was barely holding back tears and I could hear in his voice a sense of giving up. He told me his goal as a football player was to play quarterback for the University of Washington Huskies. It was his dream ever since he met Jake Locker who was the Husky [...]
The Forgotten Element of Youth Sports Coaching: Mind Over Matter
This is a guest article on Mental Toughness from Coach Lonnie who blogs at Kids, Youth Sports Coaching and Parenting Tips... Week after week, millions of coaches across the world are teaching young athletes how to play the game. In all sports, coaches are instructing their athletes on how to kick, catch, throw, swing or do whatever to develop sports skills necessary to compete in their respective competitions. They teach [...]
Lacrosse Success Tip: How To Build Trust
Here is the article about Lacrosse Success Tip: How To Build Trust. Bill is a mid-fielder on his high school lacrosse team. Ever since he was introduced to it at the age of 10, he has been totally enthralled with mastering the sport. He actually enjoys some of the drills and practices that his teammates find boring. He loves working out and conditioning himself to improve his stamina as he [...]
Performance Anxiety In Sports – What Youth Sports Coaches Need To Know
Craig conducted a workshop at the Northwest Coaches conference to help coaches with their athlete's mental game. This is often way under-emphasized by coaches probably because they just don't have the information. Coaches: You need to get educated or get left behind! Understand what drives fears for young athletes and use your communication skills to inoculate against it. Watch the video: Performance anxiety is one of the most [...]
Performing Under Pressure
I'm Craig Sigl the mental toughness trainer for youth sports. I've worked with many youth athletes who have trouble performing under pressure. I've created a video series to tackle this issue. This Part 2 of a videos series to help youth athletes perform under pressure... Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer shares some simple strategies that youth athletes can use when they are performing under pressure. The first step is to [...]
Sports Parents – A Mother’s Journey Through The Red Sox Farm Teams
Some parents really stand out as exceptional sports parents. I wanted to share with your the story of Pamela Carey and her family because she and her husband really model what it means to be a great sports parent. Pamela is the author of the book, Minor League Mom: A Mother's Journey Through the Red Sox Farm Teams. It is a great read for any sports parent! A Mother's Journey [...]
How to Overcome Adversity In Sports
All athletes experience adversity throughout their sporting careers, but it is the ones who learn how to overcome adversity that get to the highest levels in sports. In this video, Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer explains to a group of coaches how to help their athletes overcome adversity during a talk he gave at the Pacific Northwest Coaching Conference. How To Help Your Athletes Overcome Adversity The Easy Way [...]
How To Motivate Young Athletes For Youth Sports Coaches
How to motivate kids is always the age old question must adults ask themselves. It is easy to coach an athlete if they are motivated, but what do you do if they are not? In this next video in our series for coaches, Craig gives some quick strategies for how to motivate young athletes for youth sports coaches. It is the next segment in a series of trainings videos for [...]
Mental Fitness in Sports
What kind of attitude can get an athlete through all the hardships of playing a sport? What causes some players to consider winning as the most important aspect; and others to consider sportsmanship and honor as more important? The answer to the above questions can be found in the inspiring story of a college softball player and players of both the teams. Enjoy the story in this video, an apt [...]
How to Build Confidence in Sports
Who does not want more confidence in their sport, right?!? It is especially difficult with kids because they believe it is based on their performances. It is critical that you teach them that this is not true! This is Part 4 from a talk, Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer gave on How to build confidence in sports for the Pacific Northwest Coaches conference. How Athletes Use Mental [...]
Focus In Sports
This is an area I think we can all agree is critical for our athletes success, but focus in sports is one of the toughest things to teach. In this video, Craig gives you some concepts so you can start to help your athletes with their focus in sports ... Focus In Sports This video is the next segment of a series of trainings for coaches to learn [...]
Teaching Athlete’s Mental Confidence
Training your athlete to be mentally confident can be tough, when you are trying to fit in drills and training in the short amount of time you get with them. We get it! However working the mental game into your training will greatly improve your athletes overall performance in the long run. We have seen to be true having worked with 1000's of athletes. In this video, Craig, the [...]
The Coaches Playbook For Mental Strength
As coaches, you all know what it means to be mentally strong or you would never have made it as a coach. I am sure you developed techniques that worked for you as an athlete and are passing those on to your athletes. Having worked with 1000's of athletes over the years, I have found teaching mental toughness has to be multifaceted because kids are all so different. What may [...]
Youth Soccer Coaching – Dealing With Different Types of Players And Skill Levels
This is the 3rd and final part of a series that Koach Karl Dewazien, an expert on youth soccer coaching, wrote on how to work with different personalities and skill levels of athletes on your team…. THE POTENTIAL SUPERSTAR Problem: Early physical maturing. Signs: Teammates begin to rely on them to help win every game. BAD SOLUTION: Coach siding with the individual, basking in his glory, he will add to [...]
Fighting Through Setbacks
Read the story about minor league baseball player Donnie Webb, from Rick Allen, the Founder of Informed Athlete. This inspiring story tells how Donnie perseveres, works very hard and is extremely determined on fighting through setbacks... Here’s some of Donnie’s story and advice… It started happening in my sophomore year, when I tried out for the high school team and got cut. The coach told me I wasn’t strong enough, [...]
Youth Coaching Tips
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes. I was recently asked to write an article for The Washington Coaching Magazine on youth coaching tips. I wanted to share the information with you, because I know a lot of you are coaches as well as sports parents. If you have any of your own tips to share I would love you to [...]
How To Get Over The Fear Of Making Mistakes In Sports
Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer helps athletes get past their fear of losing or making a mistake, by reminding them about the most important reason they are playing their sport..... Because you love your sport!!! Reminding them of this helps put short term losses and disappointments in perspective AND it keeps the athlete focused on the present moment. Watch this video to see how Craig helps a group [...]
Are You An Inspirational Youth Coach? 10 Things To Consider.
Can anything be more important than having been a truly positive life influence on those with whom you interact? This is a guest post from Michael Langlois who writes a Youth Sports Blog - "Taking You Beyond the Game!", which features articles and commentaries that deal specifically with youth sports. Michael give you tips to evaluate if you are an inspirational youth coach. In the context of sports, and particularly [...]
Youth Baseball Tips For After Choking
You will learn in this article about of youth baseball tip for after choking. Not sure what to say or do when your child is upset after making a mistake or choking? Check out this video for youth baseball tips to help your athlete after choking: This is my story of choking during an important baseball game... I remember very well a baseball game I played when I [...]
Youth Sports Parents Turn Crazy- Marv Marinovich
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer has worked with athletes who are constantly pushed and criticized by their parents. Ever hear of the NFL football player, Todd Marinovich? You will not believe the tactics his father, Marv, also a former player, used to turn Todd into a professional football player. Amazing! He could get an award for one of the craziest sports parents. When young [...]
You Volunteered To be a Youth Sports Coach – Now What?
You have an opportunity to impact many children's lives as a youth sports coach, not just your own child's! Ask yourself, what type of impact do you want to make? Will you be the coach who players request to play for next year? Or will you be the coach that the league administrators ask not to come back? Maybe you’ll end up somewhere between those two options. Either way, YOU [...]
Learn The Secrets of Winning By Tennis Legend Allen Fox
We are honored to share this article about The Secrets of Winning by Allen Fox. Here, Allen discusses the power of positive self-talk and how you can use it to your advantage in sports. We’d love hear your thoughts! Share your opinions by leaving a comment below. Learn some surprising new thoughts on positive self talk... As competitors we are all told, “It is crucially important to believe in [...]
How To Get The Most Out of Sports Parenting Advice
Athletes, do you have parents who mean well, but sometimes give you advice or suggestions that get you angry? Watch this video to learn how to make the most out of sports parenting advice by taking their suggestions and using it to your advantage... How To Get The Most Out OF Your Sports Parents Advice.. “My Dad, who is so annoying, constantly telling me I am doing [...]
How To Increase Mental Focus
Do you beat yourself up after you make a mistake? Loss your focus? Learn how to How To Increase Mental Focus increase your mental focus anytime, even after a mistake... Learn How To Increase Mental Focus How To Increase Mental Focus There’s 3 minutes left to play in the 2nd period and your team is down by 3. You are all desperately trying to score to turn [...]
If Winning Isnt Everything…Then What Is?
Sometimes when you stop TRYING TO WIN you end up winning more. In this article on If Winning Isn't Everything, Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer explains why... Most coaches emphasize winning. I am sure you have all heard the quote from Vince Lombardi "Winning isnt everything...it's the only thing" You've been taught all of your life that to succeed, you always have to work hard towards a goal. Well, that's [...]
How To Get Back Into The Game When Sitting The Bench – Part 2
In this article and video you will learn how to get back in the game from sitting on the bench... Even if your athlete is sitting the bench the whole year, they will be learning powerful lessons that will prove valuable the rest of their lives such as discipline, consistency, perseverance, and especially patience. So how do you help a frustrated kid who is a bench warmer? Watch the video [...]
Avoid Burnout in Youth Sports
I have been hearing a lot about burnout in youth sports lately and wanted to make sure I address this issue, because it is completely avoidable. I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth sports and I am committed to helping kids get back to finding what they love about playing their sport. Youth Sports Burnout is getting to be a bigger and bigger issue among youth sports [...]
Don’t Let Your Kid’s Sports Failures Stick
Before specializing in working with youth athletes, I assisted many adults with anxiety and stress. What makes me different than many others in my field is that I am all about going to the CAUSE of the problem and CLEARING it, and not just dealing with the symptom. In other words, we have underlying beliefs like: "I'm not good enough" that we learn when we are young and it carries [...]
How To Get Back In The Game When Sitting The Bench – Part 1
How To Get Back In The Game Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! Many athletes are frustrated by having to sit the bench. In this video, Craig, the Mental Toughness Trainer, explains how to get back in the game when you just sitting the bench... Is your athlete tired of sitting on the bench? Stop worrying! There are many stories of famous athletes who were bench-warmers for [...]
Youth Basketball Tip – Perfectionism Hurts Performance
Many athletes wear the badge of being a "perfectionist" proudly. Unfortunately, many don't realize it but this ends up only hurting their performance. How does trying to being perfect cause you to lose or under-perform??? Let me explain using a typical client story of mine... [Video Transcript] John, a 13-year-old basketball player, had been playing basketball, since he was 8 years old and absolutely [...]
Show Your Son/Daughter This Video After A Big Loss or Choke
I regularly hear athletes describe in great detail how devastating their last loss or choke was. Unfortunately kids and adults alike, tend to To a lot of kids playing sports, it can seem like the end of the world. What they are missing is…PERSPECTIVE. Playing sports see the loss or mistake in a new light and make it an experience they learn and grow from. Your athlete makes a [...]
Get Laser Sharp Focus and Concentration In Your Sport
In this article will discuss how to get laser sharp focus and concentration in your sport. "Losers visualize the penalties of failure, but winners visualize the rewards of success." Rod Gilbert When you get really good at sports concentration and focus, almost nothing will be able to knock you off your game… crowds screaming, opponents trash talking you....any pressure will be a non-factor and you will see your performance will [...]
Case Histories Of Baseball Players Needing Mental Game Help
There is so many Case Histories Of Baseball Players Needing Mental Game Help. I went to fan appreciation day at the Seattle Mariners stadium a couple years ago. There were 4 pitchers on the dugout that us fans got to interview. I asked the first question: "What do you do for your mental game?" All 4 of them responded but did not answer the question and so I finished by [...]
Get In The Zone Using Clear The Mechanism
We've all heard about “The Zone” right? No, I’m not talking about a special diet or a municipal district. I’m talking about that elusive state of being that you can create within yourself so that you can achieve your potential in performing anything. The Zone has been described as an ecstatic experience when everything works, fits, and is just right. It’s effortless and the perfect actions just happen. It’s like [...]
Applying Sport Psychology To Mental Endurance
The quality of your performance is determined by the quality of the communication you have...with yourself.
Preparation Is The Key To Controlling Your Anger
Ever lose your temper playing sports? Most of us have and it usually never ends up with a positive outcome. Well in sports losing your cool can have devastating results. So how do elite athletes control their tempers? How do your athletes act when they are provoked or teased? Reacting out of anger has brought down even the best of athletes.Watch the video to build mental endurance and know how [...]
Using Positive Self Talk In Sports
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! Craig, the mental toughness trainer teaches a group of football players the importance of using positive self talk to get their game to the next level. “This is a big deal. I want us really locked in on this meeting. I want us getting better because of it. We all need this. I’m going to introduce a guy here. His name is Craig Sigl. [...]
Amazing Paraplegic Skier – Josh Dueck
Recently on the Ellen DeGeneres show she interviewed an amazing paraplegic skier, Josh Dueck. Check out his amazing story and his "never give up" attitude...
Overcoming Fear of Failure in Sports
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes. All athletes have a fear of failure in their sport. It is probably the #1 issue I deal with in my office. Helping athletes overcoming fear in their sport is very difficult for some coaches and parents, because they find that sometimes what worked for them does not work for the athlete. In [...]
Make your Mind Strong – Be Mentally Confident
People believe that you are either mentally confident, or you are not. That’s not exactly true, you have to train your mind, just like you have to train your body. The good news is if you take the time in training your mind to be confident, then it makes practice and drilling easier and more effective and you are ready for anything at your big event or game. Tips to [...]
How Tom Coughlin Became a Champion Coach
We all imagine what it takes to be a champion coaches, but the answer may surprise you. In today's post, Coach Mike Tully from TotalGamePlan.com reminds us of how Tom Coughlin became a champion coach... No wonder the New York Giants are tough, tough enough to win two Super Bowls in the last five seasons. Their coach, Tom Coughlin, is as tough as they come. How tough? Well, not glass-eating, [...]
The Importance of Mental Training In Sports
Why is it important to train your mind to be strong? Many young athletes are still not brought into why the mental game is so important for them when they play their sport. Get Craig, the mental toughness trainer’s perspective on the importance of mental training from a talk he gave to the Lady Big Dogs basketball team… The Significance ofMental Training in Sports? But what is being mentally [...]
How To Speed Up Learning New Skills
Craig recently interviewed Coach Mike Tully from Total Game Plan, who has studied performance for three decades, first as an international sports writer covering the Olympics, the World Series and the Stanley Cup playoffs, and then as a college and high school coach. In this video on How To Speed Up Learning New Skills, craig and Coach Tully discusss 4 skills you need to get you to the next level [...]
How To Improve Concentration In Your Sport
In this article you will learn how to improve concentration in your sport. So many of the athletes I work with complain about their difficulty in being able to concentrate and focus playing their sport, especially under pressure. "Concentration is the ability to think about absolutely nothing when it is absolutely necessary." Ray Knight What Is The Importance Of Concentration In Sports? When you get really good at concentration and [...]
How To Eliminate Anxiety in Sports?
I get asked all the time, the question how to eliminate anxiety in sports and rightfully so. This is a problem experience by both amateur and professional athletes all the time. It is an important issue to address, because it is not only holds kids in sports back from being successful, but also from the enjoyment of playing their sport. Read on for the solution. 90% of all athletes experience [...]
Sports Performance Anxiety Solution
So many athletes experience performance anxiety in their sport, I felt it was important to address the issue and offer a quick easy solution. Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes. Did you know that approximately 90% of athletes experience performance anxiety, so you are not alone! Even Pro athletes experience sport anxiety, but they know how to rise above it. [...]
How to Convince Your Teen For Mental Drills?
For parents, it is very difficult to watch youth athlete struggle in sports, no matter how good it is for them.That is one of the reasons, in this article; we discuss some mental drills which will help them in becoming mentally strong and achieve peak performance. Like every athlete parent, it is painful to watch their kid excel in practice but choke in the big event. This not just affects [...]
How To Motivate Your Junior Golfer
In this article you've got some tips of how to motivate your junior golfer. Do you ever experience stubbornness from your junior golfer or teen athlete? HaHaHa... How do you get across the idea that the mental game is as important as the physical game? Here is a short video that tells the story of how Craig helped motivate his own junior golfer - his teenage son. It might even [...]
How A D1 Softball Player Deals With Repetitive Stress Injury
Enjoy the next installment of her story from Erika Mueller, the D1 Softball player at Brown University... Know How A D1 Softball Player Deals With Repetitive Stress Injury. Just continue reading this article. Playing with an injury is one of the most challenging experiences of my life. This has been topped by a few things, especially not being able to play at all due to injury. It is quite a [...]
High School Golf – The Pre Shot Routine Part 3
Here's part 3 of the high school golf series on how to do a purposeful pre shot routine. In this video, we cover Alignment and Swing Keys. Part 1 is assessing the conditions, creating a trigger to connect to the unconscious mind. Part 2 was all about picking small targets and visualizing Here’s the elements of a great pre shot routine: 1. A pre shot routine with a purpose [...]
How To Motivate A Teenager
This article you will learn how to How To Motivate A Teenager. What every parent wants for their child is to give them the tools to become mature adults, that “know-how” to make good decisions for themselves. So how can we help our kids learn how to make good decisions for themselves? When they leave the house at 18 years old… when we are nowhere around, and they are faced [...]
How to Train for a Strong Mind
In this video, Craig, Mental Toughness Trainer, talks how to develop a strong mind, what stops athletes from being mentally tough and how to overcome through mental obstacles. What Can You Do to have Strong Mind “Success in life is a matter not so much of talent as of concentration and perseverance.” C.W. Wendte Repetitive training and natural ability can only get you so far. We see talented [...]
Athlete Melt Down? Get Rid Of Negative Self Talk!
Does this sound familiar… You wake up in the morning all fired up to run a few miles to train with your kid. His coach gave him a list of things to work on to make varsity, including improving his stamina. But when he finally comes down for breakfast, he grabs something to go and tells you he’s going over to his friend’s house. “What? But I thought we were [...]
High School Golf – The Pre Shot Routine Part 2
In this video, Craig teaches High School Golfers Visualization techniques and how to eliminate errors before the golfer ever starts to swing. You can drop strokes today with a purposeful pre shot routine and this is part 2 of the series. If you missed part 1, you can go view it here: High School Golf tips for consistency. Part 3 was just posted. Please be sure to "like" this [...]
Sports Stories For Kids
Be inspired of this Sports Stories For Kids. We all love listening and reading great stories and many times they can be powerful teaching tools. There is a new book, Tale Of A Baseball Dream written for children ages 8 to 12, but I really think anyone would enjoy it. It is a heartwarming story of a father's love for his son and the success that can be achieved with the support and [...]
Parenting An Athlete Is Not Always An Easy Task
This is a guest blog post from Annette Reiter, the author of the book Parenting an Athlete. Since we at Mental Toughness Academy feel so strongly that parents attitudes can make or break an athlete, we want to be sure you are getting great resources to support your being the best sport parent.... Parenting An Athlete Is Not Always An Easy Task, Is It? I believe Mental toughness is a [...]
Erika’s Ways To Increase Motivation
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer. What is it like to be an athlete at an Ivy league college? We wanted to give you a view through the eyes of Erika Mueller, a varsity softball player at Brown. Enjoy her take on how to increase motivation. Every person’s athletic journey consists of its ups and downs. The longer you play, the greater chance [...]
What’s Happening To Our Kids? A Call To Action…
The following is an article What’s Happening To Our Kids? A Call To Action by guest coach, lecturer and author of the book Just Let the Kids Play, Bob Bigelow. The former NBA player lectures all around the country address issues involving youth sports. This is part one of a two part article... Picture the typical youth sports game – a blur of motion and sound. Some parentsare busy cheering positively [...]
For College Recruiting Persistence Is Key
This article you will learn For College Recruiting Persistence Is Key, This is the continuation of our guest blogger, Brown University student and D1 Softball player, Erika Mueller: Entering high school my priorities were academics first, athletics second, and a social life and everything else after that. For me this was not something I needed to be force fed. I was always extremely motivated and wanted to be the best [...]
Sports Competition – Winning Is A Habit
This is an interview Craig did on making winning a habit with Dr. Allen Fox who has a Ph.D. in psychology from UCLA, where he won the NCAA Singles and Doubles titles and was named UCLA Athlete of the Year. He played professionally coached the Pepperdine University tennis team into a national power and wrote 4 books including "Tennis: Winning the Mental Match." In Sports competitions, Dr. [...]
Dehydration Is A Major Cause Of Loss Of Focus
Do you remember the tragic story of Korey Stringer, the football player from Ohio State who died from dehydration? Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes. Not drinking enough water is a serious problem in today's society and not just in the sports world. I wanted to make sure I addressed this issue in our blog to emphasize the importance to [...]
Train Your Mind For Focus And Concentration
This article you will learn how to Train Your Mind For Focus And Concentration. Do you remember the crazy movie Animal House? There is a scene where the devil and an angel are each on one of the shoulders of a frat boy. "Yeah, you should do this!" says the devil, but the angel responds, "No, do the right thing!" This is called "Monkey Chatter". It is how must of us [...]
Is Tiger Woods Mentally Tough?
So what is "Mental Toughness" anyway and why do you need it? I believe Mental Toughness is when you are Confident, Focused, Determined and Resilient...Even Under Pressure. Lots of athletes exhibit some of these traits, some of the time, but very few exhibit them ALL of the time. Now most people think Tiger Woods is the epitome of Mental Toughness, right? He certainly has talent, determination, focus and confidence, but he's missing one important [...]
Learn How To Control Emotions – Allen Fox, Tennis Coach
What separates the professionals from the everyday player? Learn how to control your emotions from tennis great, Allen Fox, author of 4 books on the mental game of tennis and former professional player, it is our ability to override our emotional response to give up when faced with extreme pressure. We are going to be sharing with you articles, interviews and videos from other experts in the mental training and [...]
Consistency For High School Golfers – Part 1
This subject of consistency is something I have worked on for myself for many years and led me to develop my mental training product Break 80 Without Practice. Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes and a dedicated golfer. I wanted to share with you in this video one of the important lessons I teach about the mental side of the [...]
What Makes A Great Sports Coach?
Everyone who puts in the time to coach wants to help their athletes succeed. But what makes a great sports coach? In this video, Coach Wayne Mendezona of Quick Handle Basketball camps and former professional player shares what he thinks makes a great youth sports coach... How to become a great youth sports coach... My acronym for coaching is my three P's. The first one is personality. You've [...]
Confidence Tips For Athletes
Confidence is one of those things that is hard to teach and most people just assume you have it or you don't. It's not true! We wanted to share with you some of Youth Basketball Coach Wayne Mendezona, former professional basketball player, quick confidence tips on how to instill courage and a "never give up" attitude in your athletes. Inspiring courage is tough for any leader. We have a guest [...]
Mental Training In Sports Is Critical
In this article you will learn about how critical is Mental Training In Sports. Parents this is important! Your kids need to get mental training for their sport just like they do for their physical skills. I’ve worked with hundreds of kids on their mental game and can definitively tell you that something as simple as a choke or mistake can have a major negative impact on [...]
Mark Herzlich All Amercian Cancer Survivor on 60 Minutes
Here is an amazing example of how mental toughness and hard work will lead to success against the odds... The TV show 60 Minutes featured Mark Herzlich, former All American. Notice in the interview, his single minded devotion to his goal of playing in the NFL - he does not even let cancer stop him! He bets on himself to keep playing football, even when the doctors gave him an [...]
The Ins and Outs of College Athletic Recruiting Part II
This is the continuation of a fascinating story about the process of college athletic recruiting told by a mother of two teenage boys recruited by Ivy League colleges. This is part two of an article by Pam Carey, author of Minor League Mom: A Mother's Journey Through the Red Sox Farm Teams. Pam offers us insight into the process as well as some valuable lessons her family learned... The application [...]
Coach Mendo: Courage For Kids in Basketball Training
Coach Wayne Mendezona runs basketball camps in 7 states. He has played and coached professionally and at the collegiate level. In this video, he talks about how he inspires courage in kids in basketball training To learn more about Coach Mendo's basketball training camps click here Quick Handle Basketball Training
Sometimes It Is TOUGH Being A Sports Parent
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer. I have two teenage boys myself that play sports, so I get it how hard parental involvement is in youth sports! It requires a lot of balance between cheerleading them on and keeping your mouth shut, because none of us want to be perceived as those overbearing parents in sports! Do you ever have those times with [...]
What’s The Right Amount of Sports Parents Involvement?
Finding the Right Balance Of Involvement for Sport Parents... Trying to find the "right" or correct balance between pushing or encouraging our kids and standing on the side lines and keeping our mouths shut, is an issue I struggle with personally all the time. Some parenting experts say that you should push your kids hard to prepare them for the rigors of competition and life. On the other hand, some [...]
Dealing With Performance Anxiety in Sports
Dealing with performance anxiety in sports is always tricky, because the "regular" methods of positive self talk or visualization don't always work. If it is problem that holds your athlete back or causes them to choke at critical moments, then it is very important they start using tools to overcome the anxiety so it does not grow or get worse as they get older. They need to actively work on [...]
How To Perform Under Pressure in Sports
Craig has put together this new video with more amazing tips to help your athletes perform under pressure, deal with any last minute negativity and self-doubts and control those run-away nerves so they stay cool and calm under pressure. If you missed the videos with the first 4 strategies to dealing with pressure, just go to the home page. Click the HOME button at the top left of this page. [...]
Conquering The Fear And Affects Of Injury In Sports
Whether we are talking about a physical injury or a mental one, this is a performer's nightmare and it applies just the same to sports that aren't normally dangerous. Having worked with thousands of athletes I know being injured is one of most athletes' biggest fears and understandably so. You don't only lose playing time when you are injured, but for a lot of athletes and performers it feels like [...]
The Ups and Downs of College Athletic Recruiting
What does it take to get a college scholarship these days? What is the recruiting process really like? Pam Carey, the author of MINOR LEAGUE MOM: A MOTHER’S JOURNEY THROUGH THE RED SOX FARM TEAMS shares her experience as a mom of two teenage boys recruited by Ivy League colleges. I found her story fascinating and wanted to share with you some of her journey. Read on to learn about [...]
Let The Kids Play- The Need For Real Change in Youth Sports
This is part two of an article by Bob Bigelow, author of the book Just Let the Kids Play and former NBA player weighing in on the need for change in youth sports. Let us know your thoughts in the comments below... There are frankly though way too many serious youth sports issues that have been well documented in the major media over the past 10 to 15 years. Some [...]
Tips For Successful Athletic College Recruiting
It is the dream of most serious athletes and their parents to get an athletic scholarship to the college of their choice. There are many things athletes can do to help their chances. We invited a guest expert to give you some tips on how to get a sports scholarship. Even if you are not being actively recruited by colleges there are still things you can do to get a [...]
The Power Of Intention
I wanted to share with you a personal story of a friend of mine that illustrates the power of intention and making a decision. I felt so moved by his story, I sent it to my son and suggest you share it with your kids as well... I'm going to confess to you. You won't find me telling this story often except to help out others. In high school I [...]
Developing Resilience Through Your Child’s Sport
At the Mental Toughness Academy we want to support you to be great sports parents, because you have a tremendous impact on the way your children see themselves and interact with the world. We have found a great resource for you, Sport Parent Support, a website dedicated to helping parents 'foster well-being in children through sport. This article on Developing Resilience Through Your Child's Sport by Anthony Ross, a sports [...]
D1 Girls Softball Team: I Had A Dream
D1 Girl's Softball Team: I Had A Dream. This is the continuation of Erika Mueller's Sports blog... Growing up in a small town in the Pacific Northwest taught me the importance building personal relationships and recognizing the richness of tradition. It also fed my hunger to explore the unknown and build a dream of pursuing something outside of my community and outside of my comfort zone. Once I entered high [...]
Motivational Coach Speeches to Pump You Up for Sports
Welcome to the Mental Toughness Academy! I'm Craig Sigl, the Mental Toughness Trainer for youth athletes. We are all are inspired by great motivational speeches, aren't we? Hollywood has done a great job of allowing us glimpses into the locker rooms to see how coaches use motivational speeches to pump the athletes up. We put together this compilation of some of our favorite motivational coach speeches from some of our [...]
Motivational Sports Videos: Get Motivated and Stay Mentally Strong
I always enjoy watching great motivational sports videos, movies, to find their message still inspires me. Do you remember the movie Billy Jack? It’s not a sports movie, but the character Billy Jack, had an excellent definition of being mentally inspired.. In this video, we present a short montage of motivational sports video clips from some of our favorite sports movies, their inspirational coaches and players as well as their important [...]
Code Of Conduct For Youth Sports Coaches
Youth coaches have a difficult job. They are the key decision-makers. They set examples. Players look to them for leadership. Administrators—and parents—look to them to make good choices. Michael Langlois from Taking You Beyond the Game gives great tips on how to SUCCESSFULLY interact with your youth athletes. Doing The "Right Things": The Code of Conduct for Youth Coaches As adults we often speak to our young people about making [...]
Jump Into Teen Athletes Minds
I want to introduce you to our new collegiate student-athlete Erika Mueller. She is a Division 1 softball player at Brown University. She will be chronicling for us her story about going from high school to captain of her team at Brown and the mindset she had to develop to get there. We thought this would be valuable for you to get insights into the teen athletes minds and what [...]
How To Talk To Your Youth Sports Coach
This article will teach you How To Talk To Your Youth Sports Coach. As a parent of a young athlete you will have to communicate with your child’s coach! It is entirely up to you if this will be a positive event or a negative event and affect your child’s sports experience. I wanted to share an article written by Coach Mike at The Sports Family Club, a non profit [...]
Lou Holtz: You Are What You Make Yourself BE
Lou Holtz: You Are What You Make Yourself BE Encouragement is often the overlooked element in sports. Coaches and sometimes parents are great at telling kids what to do and showing them the skills but encouragement can be very powerful. Today we have a guest post from Coach Tim Wood from SimplyYouthBasketball.com giving us tips on how to make all our athletes shine and teach them the motto "You are [...]
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