Craig Sigl, Author at Mental Toughness Trainer

Mental Training, Sport Coaches, and Parents

Craig Sigl2016-01-14T12:27:19+08:00

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 start out by telling the parent how impressed I am by their recognizing the value of mental training by bringing their young athlete to a performance coach like me. Winning championships, [...]

Mental Training, Sport Coaches, and ParentsCraig Sigl2016-01-14T12:27:19+08:00

Religion, Sports, and Mindset: Discover The Power

Craig Sigl2017-09-28T18:53:24+08:00

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 she felt her confidence completely drain away as she looked at the posting on the bulletin board of the current team lineups. To make things worse, 3 of her good friends [...]

Religion, Sports, and Mindset: Discover The PowerCraig Sigl2017-09-28T18:53:24+08:00

The Benefits Of Sports Participation

Craig Sigl2020-09-29T03:05:17+08:00

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 doing for kids, your own and others on the teams, and to encourage you to keep doing it! Just the fact that you are here on my site and following tells [...]

The Benefits Of Sports ParticipationCraig Sigl2020-09-29T03:05:17+08:00

Sports And Life Coaching

Craig Sigl2020-09-29T03:36:18+08:00

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 my opinion, the biggest value of any coach or trainer is in providing accountability. For example... Nobody really needs a personal trainer to work out in a gym for more than [...]

Sports And Life CoachingCraig Sigl2020-09-29T03:36:18+08:00

How To Get A Confident Shooting Hand In Basketball

Craig Sigl2020-09-29T03:36:32+08:00

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 has practiced for uncountable hours since he started specializing in basketball 2 years ago. In pickup games, Michael is amazing and nobody can guard him as he makes just about everything [...]

How To Get A Confident Shooting Hand In BasketballCraig Sigl2020-09-29T03:36:32+08:00

When Should Athletes Work With A Sports Psychologist?

Craig Sigl2016-01-14T12:33:53+08:00

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 athlete knows that playing well....comes and goes. And it’s not a pretty thing when it goes... What can a sports psychologist help you with? The formula for the mental game of [...]

When Should Athletes Work With A Sports Psychologist?Craig Sigl2016-01-14T12:33:53+08:00

The Art of Coaching Different Genders in Sports

Craig Sigl2020-09-29T03:37:00+08:00

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 team or anywhere in their sport. Males tend to be more linear and object-oriented. It should be quite obvious to any coach that females also tend to be more emotional as [...]

The Art of Coaching Different Genders in SportsCraig Sigl2020-09-29T03:37:00+08:00

5 Easy Mental Strength Training Drills For Sports

Craig Sigl2021-03-02T04:30:28+08:00

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 training is becoming the new frontier in sports coaching! The great news is that becoming confident and focused on success is no different than learning the fundamental physical [...]

5 Easy Mental Strength Training Drills For SportsCraig Sigl2021-03-02T04:30:28+08:00

How Mindset Psychology Can Help Athletes Come Back From Disaster

Craig Sigl2016-01-14T12:35:23+08:00

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 teach athletes to develop a powerful mental game and it’s called: Mindset psychology. It’s a body of work that basically says that we fall into 2 camps of thinking - Fixed [...]

How Mindset Psychology Can Help Athletes Come Back From DisasterCraig Sigl2016-01-14T12:35:23+08:00

What Is A Growth Mindset For Athletes?

Craig Sigl2016-01-14T12:35:57+08:00

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 they are paying attention to everything we do in the workshop. And then there’s those other athletes that are less engaged than when watching a television commercial at home on their [...]

What Is A Growth Mindset For Athletes?Craig Sigl2016-01-14T12:35:57+08:00

About Craig Sigl