Psychology Of Sports

Athletes “choke” or make mistakes for a number of reasons which include but should not be limited to; improper or lack of off the field preparation, not playing enough, and attempting to go beyond their abilities. If we use baseball as an example, if a player does not watch baseball games he will miss invaluable information.

 

Master commentary in addition to the players’ own ability to absorb what is going on is crucial to the players’ ability to intuit what is going to happen when he steps on the field. So for example, by watching thousands of pitch counts both the pitcher and hitter are able to immediately calculate the most efficient-predictable outcome for them. Batters should be able to automatically understand what the demand of the game situation is—so they will be able to execute.  For a fielder, he too should immediately be able to understand where to throw the ball after it has been hit to him by watching thousands of game situations.

 

Next, players need to understand their own abilities and play within those abilities. That comes through constant practice and playing. So for example an outfielder who cannot throw out a runner at home plate on a fly ball to the outfield with runners on second and third should not be attempting to do so (I see this all the time).

 

Players need to be able to avoid getting caught up in the emotion of the moment. That is–if the player gets too excited he will lose focus of the information he has which will cause him to make mistakes. Most players should be able to control being overwhelmed by anxiety by being prepared.

 

Finally, players who look to play as many games as they can will learn through exposure and in game practice, so the two (watching games and playing go together). Visualization which is one of the tolls that players employ can only be used if a player has actually seen, or done what he is supposed to do, otherwise he is just imagining what he should do!  Likewise drawing up plays would only be guesswork, if you do not know how to execute them.

So “choking” and errors really stem from a lack of preparation. The players who are most preparted generally make the least amount of mistakes–simple as that.

 

In Ryan’s three months as head coach we’ve learned he’s not shy. He proved that again when asked about his expectations for this season. “I’ve never gone into a game I didn’t think I would win,” Ryan said. “I’ll let you know when that happens. I have faced a lot of good teams, but I always thought I was going to win even though it doesn’t always come out that way. “For me to sit here and say that I hope we come third, anything but winning everything would be underselling our guys. I am not a guy that’s big on underselling just to say, ‘If we say we are going to be terrible and all of a sudden we are decent, man what a great coach.’ Forget that, I’m going to tell you the way I feel. I think we are going to be very successful — period.”

What can I say? My kind of coach. I don’t usually make these kinds of posts but I loved this one.  

I was asked by a Yale sports psychology student what two things would I say to an elite athlete. I responded that I would say the same thing that I would say to anyone –that you cannot go back a minute, and that if you have prepared yourself properly in advance then things should go well. Simple as that.

I have had an long term relationship with the media. Over the years I have had a number of interesting converstations with  many reporters and television personnel. Most recently I have found a disturbing trend in that members of the media will contact me with an angle for their story. They present as already having made up their minds about their subject matter and their idea of the psychological aspects that are pertinent. If I disagree, they generally try to convince me of their position despite the fact that either research or practice does not support their position. If I don’t relent I generally do not get quoted in their story which is fine with me. They just move on until they either find someone that appears to agree with them, or they simply make it up, or shape their story to give the appearance of agreement.

If this phenomena is happening with me, then I can only imagine what is occuring with other stories of major importance to our country. Let the reader beware!!

A left handed high school pitcher on Long Island throws 95mph, and he is going to be drafted as a horde of major league scouts follow him around this season. However, in his first start he lost which is not unusual for many drafted players or phenoms. However, everyone thought the other team had no shot. In addition, his team is picked to win the county championship–so how in the world did the other team win? Well–they needed to approach the game believing that they could win and of course look forward to the challenge of facing a future major leaguer. If you are fearful of facing such a pitcher or for that matter what appears to be an unbeatable foe–then you might as well not show up.

The thinking that young children should only play or master one position is not in the child’s best interests –it is also outdated thinking. This also applies to high school and college players as well. First, for the young athlete the idea that they should master one position does not take into account changes in their overall development. It also deprives them of seeing the field from another perspective and getting a better overall view of the game, as well as perhaps finding a position they might like. All you have to do is look at the professional ranks to see players who have changed positions. The best example of course is baseball where changing positions is very common. Most youth won’t go on to play pro sports, might as well let them play where they can and enjoy themselves. For the advanced athlete the more positions he/she can play the more valuable they are to the team. Simple as that.

Performance is primarily based upon off the field preparation. That includes both mental, physical, and skill development. This also includes completely understanding and immediately recognizing what adjustments you need to make during the game. You cannot “work on your game” while you are competing. If you are maximally prepared then onfield performance will be virtually automatic and just click-in. 

As the spring sports season begins there is one major rule of thumb that you should use when choosing a team or a sport you are going to play and that is–go where you are going to play. It makes no sense to be on a team where you get no playing time, unless you enjoy sitting on the bench or hanging out with your teamates. Also while you might decide to “play up”, that is play with older players to improve your skill level, you should only do so if you are going play. Otherwise, go to a team or a sport for that matter where you are going to receive a significant amount of playing time.

Unfortunately this is not sport. You have to wonder how we got this way, and what is wrong? Whatever we are doing to prevent crime is not working–ya think?

People ask me all the time why sports fans are so fanatical. There are many reasons why people start reading the newspaper from the backpage, get so wrapped up in their teams or scores, or do not know who their senator is. This is certainly one of them.

For the first time in U.S. history, more than one of every 100 adults is in jail or prison, according to a new report documenting America’s rank as the world’s No. 1 incarcerator. It urges states to curtail corrections spending by placing fewer low-risk offenders behind bars.

Winning changes so many things for both players and fans alike. Even coaches lives are drastically changed. The whole psychological landscape around the Giants and their entire organization has changed. See below.

From The New York Times Written By Tom Branch

The victory has redefined the 61-year-old Coughlin, the way it does any coach who wins a championship after so many years of trying. Coughlin, saying that it is “a very select group,” is one of only six current head coaches who can brag of leading a team to a Super Bowl victory.

“The perception of you does change,” Tony Dungy, the Colts coach who won his first Super Bowl in 2007, said Friday. “People are going to think that because you win, that now you have the answer. Now some of the things that you say do work.”

It has already happened to Coughlin. Against the backdrop of the scouting combine and the coming draft, reporters peppered him about the best way to nurture a young quarterback, given Coughlin’s success with Eli Manning.

The queries served as a jarring indication of how quickly things change. Before the Giants began one of the greatest playoff runs in league history — three road victories and a Super Bowl win over an undefeated team — the questions about Manning were far tougher, and usually centered on Coughlin’s inability to mold him into a consistent quarterback, never mind a championship one.

But now Coughlin is atop his profession, and even his peers said that the perception had changed.

“Championships define players, they define coaches,” Vikings Coach Brad Childress said. “I don’t think there is any question it changes the way you’re looked at.”

Coughlin enjoyed the warm reception, especially since championship teams