We’ve heard it all before…that the mental game is the most important part of our athlete’s performance. So why is it that we don’t spend the same amount of time working on our athlete’s mental game as much as we work on their physical game? Most of us would say, “We just don’t have the time!” I would disagree, because if we deem it important, we will certainly find the time. 

As an athlete, it is imperative to develop an elite mindset. Establishing this early on in one’s athletic career will allow for both physical and mental fortitude in situations that require athletes to overcome adversity. It allows athletes to overcome their mistakes with the belief that they can develop their abilities. What can they do better next time?

1. Humility Matters: You’re the only one bad break away from being out of the game. Talent is fragile and every day you have on the court or field is a gift. Enjoy it! Use it and be grateful. 

2. Inner Light Matters: Pride comes before the fall. The world is full of superstars who fell from grace because of their arrogance and misguided ambition. 

3. Emotions: are good followers and terrible leaders. Keep emotions in check, because if we are impulsive during the game, it will only bring the team down. 

4. Mental Blocks: Even the greats have OFF days and mental blocks. We are all human. Know your triggers and learn to think positively and move on to the next play. 

5. Defeat: lets you reset the game plan. Loss allows us to be better competitors because it allows us to get better, raise the bar, motivate new growth and a higher order thinking. 

Self confidence is imperative to optimal athletic performance! Confidence is the athlete’s belief that they can overcome any obstacle and perform an athletic skill successfully. Our task as coaches is to make sure we are helping our athletes build said confidence to achieve their potential. There always seems to be an athlete that is naturally confident and is willing to put themselves in a difficult situation that poses a challenge because they know they are going to come out of it successful. Why do they already possess this skill? What have they done in the past that has made them confident? AND furthermore, how do we share this quality with all of our athletes?

I believe confident athletes in particular have tried skills in the past where the outcome has NOT been dependent on whether they win or lose. As coaches, if we can maintain unconditional love for our athletes, where they feel both respected and valued, they will be more likely to take risks, which in turn will ultimately increase their confidence. 

One way we can continue to help our athletes develop their self-confidence is to continue to hold them accountable and place high demands and expectations on them. 

“Win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” “Winning isn’t everything.” These cliches have been spoken for decades, but I wonder, is it really all about winning? Some might say yes, some no, but I will tell you one thing: I, personally, hate losing! 

Through the years as a coach, I learned to give myself until midnight the night of a loss to dwell, reflect on ways our team can develop our weaknesses, and then move on. We obviously can’t take that game back, but we can learn from our losses.   

Sports are full of mistakes. Sometimes, the winning team is the one who didn’t let the mistakes impact their performance. And sometimes, we lose because we couldn’t overcome the mistakes, not because we were not talented enough to do so. Based on this concept, it is safe to say that sports in general has an enormous impact on our athlete’s mental capacity. Why is it that some of our athletes cannot overcome their mistakes and others can? Why is it that some athletes dwell on the negative, while others let it roll off their back?