When Should Athletes Work With A Sports Psychologist?

2016-01-14T12:33:53+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?2016-01-14T12:33:53+08:00

The Art of Coaching Different Genders in Sports

2020-09-29T03:37:00+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 Sports2020-09-29T03:37:00+08:00

5 Easy Mental Strength Training Drills For Sports

2021-03-02T04:30:28+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 Sports2021-03-02T04:30:28+08:00

How Mindset Psychology Can Help Athletes Come Back From Disaster

2016-01-14T12:35:23+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 Disaster2016-01-14T12:35:23+08:00

What Is A Growth Mindset For Athletes?

2016-01-14T12:35:57+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?2016-01-14T12:35:57+08:00

Perfectionism in Sports: Good or Bad?

2020-09-30T02:42:30+08:00

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 (as well as coaches and parents) keep in mind that perfection is a goal that is never attained — instead it’s a goal you will forever strive to achieve. After all, [...]

Perfectionism in Sports: Good or Bad?2020-09-30T02:42:30+08:00

8 Great Things About Getting A Bad Youth Sports Coach

2021-02-18T07:43:50+08:00

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 seeking some help in building mental toughness and having the opportunity to practice it in real life. I have run into many athletes who go through many years of “good” coaches [...]

8 Great Things About Getting A Bad Youth Sports Coach2021-02-18T07:43:50+08:00

When To Teach Children Mental Skills

2020-09-30T02:41:42+08:00

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 but the lessons are generally centered around the same concepts: Focus, Confidence, Determination & Resilience, especially under pressure. That’s my definition of Mental Toughness. Younger athletes learn faster and the messages [...]

When To Teach Children Mental Skills2020-09-30T02:41:42+08:00

Sports Injury Mental Impact On Young Athletes And How To Help

2020-09-30T02:40:59+08:00

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 is that this isn’t just an injury. This is destruction to a young athlete’s identity as a person at a time when that is a primary objective of all kids. The [...]

Sports Injury Mental Impact On Young Athletes And How To Help2020-09-30T02:40:59+08:00

The Secret To Coming Back From Defeat

2020-09-30T02:38:27+08:00

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 its forms. I often teach that the difference between elite athletes and lesser athletes is that elite athletes want to win and they might even hate losing…but they aren’t afraid of [...]

The Secret To Coming Back From Defeat2020-09-30T02:38:27+08:00
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