Teaching the Mental Game

I had a discussion with a friend of mine yesterday about the importance of the mental game. I mentioned to him that this year I will be focusing on the mental game and teaching it to my players. He agreed with it's importance, but he didn't agree that you can teach it. His opinion is one that either you have it or you don't and you have to find the players that have it. Very similar to a player with speed. His daughter plays at a high level and has already got a scholarship with a top PAC-12 team. However, when I first coached his DD years ago, she did not have it. Nor did she have a very high game I.Q. That cannot be said about her now.

I say you can teach it and reinforce that part of the game just as you can the physical part of the game. However, it does make for an interesting discussion. I'm wondering what people here think. Is there aspects of it that cannot be taught? Let me know what you think.

I believe the mental game can be taught, rehearsed, and practiced.

RHC, started a good thread here: Toilets, Bricks, Fish Hooks, and Pride. I purchased Brain Cains book on iTunes as MP3. DD and I listen to it toghether and talk about it.

Every practice we try to work on her mental toughness by putting her in game situations and try to simulate the pressure and her responses to good outcomes as well as bad ones.

This is an underestimated skill that can be worked on and developed IMO...

smddad said:

I say you can teach it and reinforce that part of the game just as you can the physical part of the game.

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Nobody is born with a perfect swing, it has to be taught. If that player is WILLING to be taught then he/she will go far. The same can be said for the above statement. You can teach aspects of the mental game but if they don't have the "burn" for the game you won't get far. You can't teach willingness, they have to want it. For those that are not as "willing" as others, you can teach players to be humble which can lead them to being willing to learn more. All IMO, of course.

knightsb said:

I believe the mental game can be taught, rehearsed, and practiced.

RHC, started a good thread here: Toilets, Bricks, Fish Hooks, and Pride. I purchased Brain Cains book on iTunes as MP3. DD and I listen to it toghether and talk about it.

Every practice we try to work on her mental toughness by putting her in game situations and try to simulate the pressure and her responses to good outcomes as well as bad ones.

This is an underestimated skill that can be worked on and developed IMO...

Click to expand...

I didn't know they have the book on MP3! I'll have to get that version and play it in the car. I have the book, but some methods are easier to get my DD to listen/read. Thanks!

If you can’t teach the mental game why do so many professional teams hire sports psychologist to teach it to their players?

I would suggest you read Mind Gym, a book that covers the mental game of sports.

Don't wont to hijack theard but think my question is in line with the OP. I have players with different problems. Batting-Droping hands, lunging at ball etc. I have tried drills from I got from here, suggestions, and "Don't do -----" untill blue in the face. Is this a mental or want to problem. Mental=The mind just doesn't know how to get the body to correct bad habit. Want to=They are just happy with status quo. If the fix is easy then fine otherwise I will do what comes natural but not correct.

Phathead said:

Don't wont to hijack theard but think my question is in line with the OP. I have players with different problems. Batting-Droping hands, lunging at ball etc. I have tried drills from I got from here, suggestions, and "Don't do -----" untill blue in the face. Is this a mental or want to problem. Mental=The mind just doesn't know how to get the body to correct bad habit. Want to=They are just happy with status quo. If the fix is easy then fine otherwise I will do what comes natural but not correct.

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The mind doesnt actually recognize dont no etc. It will bypass the dont and acknowledge the remainder of the statement. Its a cool phenomenon in psychology.

Eliminate dont, no etc when teaching.

IMO, the mental game absolutley can be coached/taught/learned, same as hitting, throwing, fielding etc. Not all players have the same athletic or mental capabilities and limitations. Not all players have the same motivation, drive, or desire.

Lots of great comments, smdad great thread. Depending on how far you want to peel the onion. I used many mental strategies helping my daughter with good success, however I had limited success when working in a team setting.
Both taught me some valuable lessons. Here are some of the thing I learned on my quest to be a better parent and coach to my daughter and the kids in our community.

1. Trust
A. In the teacher's ability and knowledge of the subject matter. Not an issue with my daughter, but in the team setting some had questions that needed to be answered and having a track record of success helped.
B. Is the content being taught going to help me, the athlete specifically improve.

2. Examples of success. Can you show me someone like me that this has helped improve?

3. Willing to change. Is the athlete(s) your working with willing to do things different, and for how long.

4. Environment. Is the athletes, coaches, and the parents positive and uplifting? If no, all the mental improvements and confidence you are building will be torn down on the car ride home.

What part of the mental game are you trying to improve? Dealing with Success - Failure, Confidence, Concentration and Focus, Playing under pressure?
Sports are a combination mental and physical skills. Improving either one will affect the other one. Good luck

Not all sponges will absorb water at the same rate. If a sponge is hard, dry and perhaps even older, it may not absorb the water at all. If another source contaminates the sponge with oil perhaps, it will deflect the water and not absorb any of it, insisting the oil is better anyway.....

Try to find the absorbant ones and keep them away from the oil.