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Tryout Preparation
Shaun Goodsell, MA
As the summer comes to a close it marks the conclusion of the summer
training season. Many are turning their attention to tryouts and the
preparation needed to be their best to make the team. I get asked
often what kids can do to deal with the pressure of tryouts so that
they can play their best. There is no doubt that how they manage
this pressure can have an impact on how they perform.
With this in mind, I would like to offer three tips in an attempt to
empower young athletes to use the pressure to help them rather then
hurt them.
First, focus your thinking on what YOU are going to DO rather than
what you hope the result is. Many young people put significant
pressure on themselves because they associate EVERY action with
their desired outcome. This puts a lot of unneeded pressure and
often results in a tentative, non-assured brand of performance. I
encourage kids to create two clearly defined actions they strive to
execute with excellence. Staying committed to these clearly defined
actions keeps the focus of control within the young athlete and goes
a long way to maintaining a more stable emotional state.
Second, create realistic expectations. I often hear people talk
about something they are never going to do or always going to do.
This is the language of expectations that are unrealistic. Athletes
that seek perfection as a norm set themselves up for disappointment
and self sabotage resulting in an enormous amount of frustration and
unproductive energy. Being able to live more in the middle, where
mistakes are not fatal but opportunities to make adjustments, helps
the young athlete stay away from the "highs" and "lows".
Third, try not to personalize the result. The reality is some will
make the team they were hoping to and some will not. Making the
tryout result personal can impact not only the tryout process but
the entire season as well. The goal of youth sports is to give young
people the opportunity to have fun, develop some friendships, create
a place of belonging and excel doing something enjoyable. No matter
what happens the privilege of participation is a gift and can be
enjoyable no matter what team you make.
As the tryout season approaches, I believe it is a chance to develop
some skills to manage pressure and be your best in spite of the
pressure. This is a valuable skill that can be applied for the rest
of your life. Using these three tips will give you the Mental Edge.
To find out more about this topic and to schedule a free
telephone consultation, please call 763.439.5246.
Shaun Goodsell
President and CEO
Mental Edge
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What They're
Saying about the Mental Edge “We wanted
to send you a thank you for the wonderful work you have done with
our son, Tyrone. Somewhere along the line, the pleasure and
enjoyment Ty got out of sports began to feel more like pressure. He
had a harder time focusing and felt frustrated with his performance.
Through the profile assessment and the individual sessions with you,
he learned tools to help him with positive thinking, managing
disappointment and diversity, focusing, and increasing his
confidence in all situations. He could apply these tools immediately
and see the results in all areas of his life… his grades, his
relationships with family, friends and teammates, and his sports
performance. Most of all, he’s having FUN again. You made an instant
connection with him and understood exactly what he was feeling. Your
honest and direct approach quickly built a high level of trust and
he valued you as a trainer and coach. We’ve spent a lot of money
over the years for sports training but the Mental Edge program was
definitely the best dollars for the results we ever invested in our
son.
Thanks to Justin Johnson for his coaching and guidance (especially
during the pre-tryout time) and to Dawn for keeping it all
organized. You have a fabulous program and we would be happy to be a
reference at any time.”
Colleen and Dan Simcoe
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Thank you for
being such caring and giving people! It is awesome for Jack to have
such a positive mentoring relationship!
Cheryl
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“I wanted to take a minute and reflect on the
time that you spent with Allison. I can’t tell you how much a change
we’ve seen in her since she started the program with you. She became
acutely aware of what issues that she needed to address if she
wanted to achieve the goals that she has for herself in hockey. She
has worked so hard on improving her physical skills – which she has,
but she really needed some focus on the mental part of the game;
both on and off the ice. You helped her so much in that area! She
feels that she is so much better prepared to handle the issues that
affected her in hockey, and I have really seen the difference in her
game since starting the program with you. As we both have told
Allison, this is just a beginning in developing a stronger mental
approach to the game, and that she has to consistently use the tools
that you gave her to continue improving her game.
What’s even better is the “blueprint” that you left her with in
which the both of you collaborated on, that will help her deal with
future situations as they arise. She now has the tools that will
help her better deal in the future with all the issues that affected
her play in the past.
From a parent’s point of view, it was great to have someone outside
the family with credibility to discuss these issues with her. She
readily accepted your ideas, guidance and counseling and again, the
results were outstanding. We know that we will be in touch again
with you soon to develop a “maintenance” program for her as she
continues down the path of achieving the high goals that she has for
herself.
Thanks so much for your time with Allison; she really enjoyed the
time she spent with you, and she feels, as my wife and I do, that
she really got a lot out of the Mental Edge program. Thanks again!”
Respectfully,
Don Micheletti |
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