Using Mental Skills in Coaching


“A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don’t necessarily want to go, but ought to” (Rosalynn Carter)


Great athletes learn to –

Manage pain (Pain means improvement)

Develop skills by commitment and plain hard work

Push their bodies / minds beyond what they thought capable


95% of 5 year olds rate themselves and only 5% of 18 year olds !! Sad statistic



Great Coaches who impact on their players are the ones that

-          treated players like equals
-          listen
-          believe
-          challenge
-          have fun and are enthusiastic
-          care and support
-          trust and have respect
-          give time and attention

They give their players CONFIDENCE (they feel special, valued and have self belief)

1. Think of all the things that may impact on your teams ability to perform (eg sleep, motivation, skill level, preparation, confidence, knowledge, attitude)

All of these have a mental component and some a physical. Once a skill is mastered 50-90% of overall success depends on the ‘mental’

2. How can you improve you mental skills coaching? You need to teach

- Self confidence
- Commitment
- Coping with pressure
- Concentration
- Self talk
- Relaxation and Centering
- Imagery
- Goal setting
- Organization
- Preparation
- Life balance
- Hard work and toughness
- Values and culture

• Environment where hard work is rewarded
• You want to develop self sufficient players
• Question them
• Teach intrinsic goal setting / process focused not outcome (that will come)
• Manage your behaviors (kids are great observers, terrible interrupters)

3. How do you currently ensure that your players get:
- Information (use the funnel effect)
- Regular success
- Progressive challenges
- Positive support and encouragement

4. What mental skills do you need in your team? (Will depend on age and level)
-          What mental skills are they lacking
-          List the areas you think need addressing
-          What can you do to address them
(eg write down the values for your team and describe three behaviors for each / goal setting)

Dreams and Goals
You need buy in from everyone
Explain the need for shared goals as well as individual ones
Individual should be the building blocks to achieve team ones
Take time to do this and break season down if needed
Each goal should have a plan and time frame for review
They have to be written down
Players can share the role of reviewing them
Look at the ‘what ifs’


5. Players when they are ‘in the zone’ have
-          clarity
-          know the game plan
-          know their role

• How do you know when your players are confident?
• How do you know when they are not/
  
• What do you do to help build confidence?
  
• Low confidence / low performance

-          process goals
-          intrinsic goal setting
-          reinforce the positives
-          give opportunity to achieve

Worried about opposition

-          focus on goals

-          imagery

-          reframe opposition (colour code them)

Negative thoughts

-          circuit breaker word

-          self talk

-          reinforce the positives

High anxiety

-          relaxation

-          explore success



6. Embrace failure and no excuses. It will lead to

• learning
• pushing boundaries
  
•  tougher goals
• build resilience

Failure is just another form of feedback

“Don’t complain about that which you allow”(unknown)