Articles for mental performance coaches who are interested in the MGCP sports psychology certification program.
Phases of Mental Coaching with Athletes As a mental game coach, your success depends on how well your athletes can apply what you teach them. In this video, I discuss the steps I take from awareness to application. My #1 challenge as a mental coach is helping my athletes apply what they learn to practice and competition. Athletes can usually …
What Age do Athletes Start Mental Training? This is a very common question we receive from parents when they call in to inquire about mental coaching. However, there is not one simple answer because your answer depends on: Typically, we tell parents that most athletes can engage in a one-on-one mental training program if they are 12 and older. However, …
AMAP Assessment Works I was surprised to learn one fact from the results of the survey on using assessments in mental coaching… 28 percent of mental coaches reported they still do assessments the old fashioned way: they use interviews only. I have nothing against using interviews for doing mental game assessments with athletes, but I do think there is a …
Mental Skills Coaching Session Apart from building rapport with your athletes in the first session, where do you start with your athletes? For certified Mental Game Coaching Professionals, the first step is to explain our programs with a potential athlete or parent. We explain the mental coaching process and what’s included in the programs. In some cases with young athletes, …
What Works for Athletes in the Real World? 30 years ago, I finished my Ph.D. in Sports Psychology at The University of Virginia. But it wasn’t a smooth transition from school to a career in mental coaching… My education prepared me to teach college students sports psychology and motor learning at the university level. I taught college students for two …
Starting Mental Training How do you work with athletes that have no idea that mental training can help improve their performance or consistency? I received a question recently from a mental coach who works with shooters. Here’s the question: “In the shooting sports, you need full concentration and a clear mind. How do I start with students who have no …