sports psychologist

Building resiliency in junior athletes is more important than ever before. In modern society, youth athletes are raised in environments that are more comfortable and where immediate gratification is at their finger tips every step of the way. Although technology has its advantages, studies show that it has also made junior athletes more sensitive to the stressors of training and competition. Simply put, athletes emotionally feel struggles more than in the past.

Have you ever experience choking in your sport and wondered why it happens and how to overcome it? If so, then this article is written for you. First let's address what choking is.

Choking is one of the most frustrating and misunderstood experiences in athletics and it's a common reason why so many athletes seek SPMI services. It happens when an athlete fails to perform at their normal level during a high-pressure moment—not due to a lack of skill, but because the mental pressure becomes overwhelming.

Performance and results are the number one goals driven in sports society. These two facets of sports are at the forefront for so many athletes starting at a young age. Millions of young athletes every year are constantly bombarded by comparison of other athletes. Much comparison is done through the use of various metrics such as ranking, times, points, and more.

 At SPMI, almost every athlete’s goal is to achieve a peak performance state often referred to as a flow state or the zone. This mental state provides the maximum benefits for athlete, ensuring optimal mental performance. A peak performance state, often referred to as a “flow state” is when the athlete’s brain operates in a unique and highly efficient way.

Currently, having worked with athletes at SPMI for over 14 years I have seen one particular mental attribute that stands out alone, mindset. An athlete’s mindset single handedly can determine the outcome of a competition. This is most apparent in moments of opposition when an athlete finds themself in an undesirable situation. There are two distinct types of mindsets that athletes fall under.

As we prepare for Thanksgiving, athletes all over the US will be unknowingly practicing a powerful mental skill. This one mental skill often goes overlooked. In fact, most athletes don’t even consider it to be a mental skill, however, recent studies show that it has profound positive benefits that target multiple areas of the mental game. This one mental skill is called Gratitude.

When determining the underlying factors which lead to every athlete’s struggle there is a common mistake seen among much of the athlete community. This mistake if not understood early on may lead to an increase in poor performance by the athlete and in worse situations, complete burnout of the sport. As I write this article to you, I write this not out of judgement but out of compassion to help improve your role as an athlete, parent, coach, or caretaker. 

One of the greatest misconceptions in mental toughness is the belief that controlling one's bad thoughts is about countering bad thoughts with good thoughts. Recent empirical studies have found that this approach often leads to an increase in cognitive anxiety. Trying to control one’s bad thoughts often leads to an increase or strengthening of bad thoughts. Therefore, One powerful solution to calming the mind does not begin with one thoughts but instead with one's senses.

Since SPMI was founded in 2011 I have witnessed the rapid progression of how social media has infiltrated the lives of young athletes. From the acquisition of instagram by what was then Facebook in 2012 to shortly after, the first notorious selfie by Kim Kardashian. The rise of social media has been anything but beneficial to athlete development. It’s opened the door to an increase in performance anxiety, unhappiness, and in extreme cases, depression.