Mental Coaching for Athletes –

6 Keys to Bring Home the Gold 

As a sports coach, I teach the x’s and o’s. Beyond that, and just as critical, is the mental coaching for athletes — helping players stay dedicated no matter their results is a never-ending process, as confidence comes and goes with all athletes. Maintaining perspective and enthusiasm is never easy, especially with one of the most difficult skills to perform in sports — hitting a baseball or softball.

When watching the recent Paris Olympic games, nothing excited me more than seeing an athlete who took pride in ‘just being there,” whether they fared well. When an athlete feels like they have won by being there and having the opportunity to compete, that is what sports perspective is all about and the mindset I try to instill in players.

What’s the secret? A never-ending attempt to change for the better – improvement comes and goes, but striving for it makes you a winner. Understanding that winning is about embracing the opportunity and giving your all, day in and day out, makes one a winner every time. The problem is that most athletes have drilled into their minds from young ages that only the scoreboard counts.

Winning a Gold Medal Every Time 

Here are ways to help your athletes gain the perspective that wins gold every time.

Coach them to:

1.       Prioritize their mental, spiritual, and physical health daily.  Attending to all three is a significant win, no matter what the scoreboard may read.

2.      Reflect on the previous day and think of at least one area they could have handled better. Inform them to set that knowledge aside for a similar future experience.  Performing one thing better than previously is a significant win.

3.      Likewise, teach them to be determined to learn something new each day, especially something they have been curious about but haven’t devoted time to.

4.      Remind them that improving someone else’s day or making others feel good about themselves establishes them as leaders and winners.

5.      Explain the importance of accepting new challenges, knowing they are the right person for the job. It’s easier to win when one has optimism and a vision of completing the task.

6.      Help them learn to tune out negative thoughts, no matter how depressing the situation may seem. Winners think in terms of expectancy and positivity.

Finally, coach them to set little goals that further their big ones and a timetable for achieving them. They don’t have to be huge, but anything that will feel like an accomplishment when completed is a win, and the daily momentum-keepers provide the energy boosts necessary to win.

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