Mental Coaching for Student-Athletes
Athletics are a form of controlled adversity.
Student-athletes that learn to handle the adversity of athletics are better prepared for the adversity that life will eventually provide.
Mental coaching is not just about success in athletics it is about success in life.
Improve the family dynamic.
As young athletes learn mental toughness they gain empathy, gratitude, and perspective, all of which ease the tension at home.
See immediate success.
Just like any skill, improvements in mental toughness can be seen after just a few sessions. It's no secret, if you put in time it improves, but if you don't it won't.
See the future.
Ok, not really, but you can rest easy knowing that once they learn mental toughness, they will be ready to handle whatever life throws at them in the future.
Would you like to see your student-athlete play with less anxiety and more confidence?
Athletics are a form of controlled adversity.
By definition, there are winners and losers, and it is supposed to be hard. You should want it to be hard. Student-athletes that learn to handle the adversity of athletics are better prepared for the adversity that life will eventually provide. But how do you prepare them to face that adversity? You train. Mental training for athletes is best done when it is done intentionally. When you train a golf swing, it improves. When you practice a jump shot, you make more of them. When you intentionally train in the weight room, you get physically stronger. On the other hand, if you go to the gym without a plan, you will probably leave without results. Mental toughness training for athletes is no different. If you practice intentionally, you will improve. Period. That is where mental coaching comes in. Proper coaching is personal and intentional, and it also uses accountability. With the right mental coach, you will see athletes increase their mental strength and increase their mental skills.
Mental coaching helps individual athletes focus on their thoughts that they can control. It helps them recognize and correct the negative self-talk that can lead to performance anxiety and even depression. It helps them better understand and appreciate the coaches and parents that want the best for them. Mental training can also help an athlete recognize and change their on-court body language. Also, it will help them set and achieve realistic goals.
When athletes start to increase their mental strength and mental skills, they become more prepared to face the controlled adversity that is athletics; however, don't ever believe that this is about wins and losses. While we all love the wins, we should also embrace the losses. Mental training for athletes is not about winning more, it's about flourishing more. When you flourish, you improve, and you enjoy it. Once a person learns these mental skills, they will be ready for the inevitable adversity that life will send their way. Mental toughness training is not just about success in athletics it is about success in life.
Mental Toughness Training Program Basics
The minimum agreement is 8 virtual sessions spaced over 3 months.
Sessions will be scheduled based on each individual’s needs and availability.
For best results, sessions should occur weekly or bi-weekly.
Multiple assessments throughout.
Multiple action plans/assignments.
Noticeable, long-lasting results.
“I tell you what you have done, I really talked to him today. We talk now, he doesn't get mad at me and I don't get upset either”
-Parent of a student-athlete
The sessions were not at all what I expected them to be, and have proven to be very helpful and give much to think about regarding any situation you may be going through.…… he has helped me tremendously on the mental side of things and has helped teach me some mechanisms to use in the future in similar situations if they should arise.
- #50 JJ Guedet. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Mental Mettle Coaching Student-Athlete Curriculum
Discovery Session Questions.
These questions are designed to help the coach learn more about the individual athlete while also helping the student-athlete begin to learn things about themselves. The questions also build a bond between the coach and the athlete while assisting the athlete in identifying areas for improvement.
Personal, academic, and athletic goals.
Many student-athletes need help identifying and simplifying goals in every area of their lives. Through coaching the student-athlete will learn to create small, attainable goals that will yield confidence.
Experiential values and personal statement creation.
By recalling memories of positive experiences the student-athlete will identify the values that drive them in athletics. Once these values are discussed, positive personal statements can be created to bolster self-esteem and purpose.
Analysis of athlete mental assessments.
Depending on the age and personality of the student-athlete different assessments will be used to identify areas for growth.
Recognition and ownership of negative self-talk.
This is one of the most important pieces of the mental coaching curriculum. The student-athlete will learn to identify and change their self-talk. This practice can make big changes in a student-athlete’s game-day performance.
Analyzing and adjusting responses to conflict and criticism.
Coaches, parents, and fans are all sources of criticism for a student-athlete. If it is not handled correctly a young student-athlete can have a very negative response. Coaching will help them differentiate the difference between criticism that should be ignored and criticism that should be appreciated and used as a guide for growth.
Development of appreciation and gratitude.
The student-athlete will learn to appreciate the positive influences and circumstances in their lives. If continued, this practice can have lifelong benefits that ultimately allow individuals to lead a happy, successful adult life.
Changing mindset towards adversity.
Athletics allow young student-athletes to experience adversity in a controlled setting. In order to receive the most benefit from this fact, they must see adversity as a tool for growth. Coaching will help develop the mindset that will allow this to happen.
Creation of empathy and understanding of the perspectives of others.
Many student-athletes develop a narrow view of themselves and their world. Specific coaching exercises are used to reveal the perspectives of others which will allow them to better understand their teams, their coaches, and their parents.
The ultimate goal is a more confident and more successful student-athlete that will develop into a confident, successful adult.