Sports Psychology Coach Doron

1. Sports Psychology Coach Doron

2. Agenda • Who I am • Introduction to Sports Psychology • Role of a Sports Psychology Coach • Give you tips on specific mental skills such as confidence, dealing with pressure and routines • Homefun 

3. My Name • Coach Doron • Coach “D” • Sports Psychology Coach

4. Education • University degrees in: • Psychology • Graduate Diploma in Sports administration & • Masters in Sports Psychology • Studied extensively the characteristics of peak performance or flow

5. Experience • Two businesses – Flow in Sports (www.flowinsports.com) & TSPA (Tennis and Sports Psychology Academy) www.tspa.ca • Both are related to sports psychology • Work with professional athletes of all kinds of different sports • Concordia University Stingers Football team’s, recreational hockey referees sports psychology coach

6. Introduction • We often hear that the game is 90% mental or more • Often more so the higher up the performance (from recreation  city provincials  national  international or professional • Unfortunately, at the lower level, athletes either do not know how to improve their mental skills or spend little or no time working on the mental part of their game

7. Introduction • Unfortunately, it is often viewed as something necessary for the weak-minded competitor who has “issues.” The reality is that the mental game of sports affects every athlete, no matter what their strengths or weaknesses may be. • Physical vs psychological • Physical (how fast, tall, muscle etc.). • Psychological (confidence, attitude, mental imagery, self-talk, routines, goal setting etc.).

8. Definitions • Psychology: The study of human and animal behavior. Also considered the study of the mind. • Sports psychology: It is the principles of psychology used in a sport setting. • Through sport psychology, an athlete can gain the “mental edge”, “mental toughness” or improve their mental skills. • Confidence – a belief in yourself; self-talk – internal dialogue with yourself; motivation – an action towards a goal etc.

9. Sports Psychology at LLHS • Last year pilot project in developing a course in sports psychology • Went well and expanded • Now part of all sports concentration • Sports psychology coach follows all sports concentrations on and off the field

10. Goal of Sports Psychology Coaches • Teach athletes techniques that are commonly used in sport psychology such as mental imagery, relaxation, goal setting, building confidence, learning to focus, create a positive self-talk and regulating energy levels and becoming more optimistic. • Through learning and practicing these techniques, an athlete or person has the ability to reach their potential, achieve peak performance or what is called “flow”.

11. My Role within the team as a Sports Psychology Coach • Help the team perform better via the way you think • Give periodic workshops such as this one to the team • Specific workshops within units of the team • Help you one-on one in improving your mental skills • Help you become more positive • My job is to help you create, recreate and maintain peak performance • Get you working on your mental skills. Therefore, expect you to write down whatever is asked of you and or do any other work

12. One-on-One Consulting • Open Door policy • Meet me whenever is convenient for you • Office for now is room C317 (digital classroom) • Flag me down before, during or after practice, a game, in the hallways and tell me that you want to meet with me. Call the school or send me an email ldoron@flowinsports.com • You don’t even have to have a reason i.e. I just want to improve but I don’t know how. • Fee … can charge up to $100 per hour… but • Free of charge to LLHS Panthers 

13. Confidence & Performance • Relationship between confidence and performance? Dependant variable? Optimal performance Independant variable? What will the graph look like? 100 Performance What happens as confidence increases? 50 Overconfident! 0 50 100 What is this called? Confidence Yesterday’s incident – humbled you Get it?

14. Messing Up - Procedures • 1st step: Recognize it • 2nd step: learn from it • 3rd step: forget about it • Use the word next time… next time we should do this; next time we should do that. Talk it over on the bench; do not assign blame on the field!

15. In Pressure Reacting to foul play Laying blame Out Referees Opponent Fans Focus The ability to be in the present (not in the past, not in the future but thinking right here, right now. Focus on things that are in your control Examples: Dealing with pressure, referees, opponent, reacting to foul play, laying blame, fans Every second that you think of things that are out of your control, you are wasting valuable mental strength!

16. Routines • Extremely powerful mechanism related to peak performance • Must high – five (or low five) when leaving / entering game with substitution. • Getting up when opponent scores a TD.

17. Homefun • Get sports psychology binder – bring every time you see me. • Pen • Positive attitude  • Handout that I gave you… asks you to list your personal and team goals. • What does it mean to be a Panther? • Career highlights, highlights this year and your lowlight. • Mentally, your and the team’s strong point(s) weak point(s) and suggestions • Complete this for the next time I see you

18. Positive Video • Click here