“Too often, sport psychologists are asked to ‘fix’ struggling athletes with mental problems as they approach major competitions or rebound from poor performances. Although MST (mental skills training) programs may prove beneficial in the short run to develop skills and deal with specific problems, such approaches fail to address athletes’ long-term development goals” (Holliday et …
Why should you join the mind gym this offseason? Read More »
My last blog post was on the topic of psychological safety and its role in an athlete’s experience. Now, I want to explore the concept of psychological flexibility (PF). Perhaps the primary difference between the two concepts is that psychological safety (PS) is “other referenced” meaning an athlete depends on factors outside his or her …
Psychological Flexibility: What Is It? Why Do We Need It? How Do We Get It? Read More »
In Episode 53 of The Freshman Foundation® Podcast, my guest Bill Eckstrom and I discussed the concept of psychological safety in the context of athletics. Psychological safety has a number of different definitions in the sport psychology literature. One definition that has been shared is: “A social environment within which individuals take interpersonal risks by …
Psychological Safety: What Is It, Why Do We Need It, and How Do We Get It? Read More »
As a mental performance coach, I advocate that my clients reflect on their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors to build self-awareness. However, my reflective practice has been lackluster this year whether it is reflecting on my client delivery work, my self-care, or the development of a relatively nascent business. I will show myself some self-compassion in …
I have been thinking a lot about the process of change lately. Mostly, I’ve been thinking about how I can best help my mental performance coaching athletes achieve their goals. I take responsibility for a large part of the change process because helping clients to generate their desired results is my job. However, there is …
The Process of Change: How Do We Meet Athletes Where They Are At? Read More »
As a clinically-diagnosed anxiety sufferer, the phase “what if” has historically had a very negative connotation to me. In the past, when I have considered a question in my mind that starts with “what if,” it has led to a vision of the most catastrophic outcome possible. Failure. Death. Embarrassment. You name it. However, I …
The Power of “What If…?”: Envisioning Possibilities, Not Catastrophes Read More »
Modern day baseball has become a data analytics laboratory of sorts. Coaches at all levels are utilizing a wide array of data to improve player performance. As a self-proclaimed student of the game, I believe that using data to improve performance is a critical part of the game’s evolution. However, as a mental performance coach, …
What’s the most effective way to coach focus of attention in baseball? Read More »
I recently let my emotions get the best of me while coaching my 8th grade son’s baseball game. I humbly say that it is a rare occurrence that I lose my cool while coaching. However, I am guilty in this instance. It led me to wonder, how do emotions affect coaches and their coaching? My …
Coaching is emotional: How did I lose control on the field and what did I learn from it? Read More »
In Episode 37 of The Freshman Foundation Podcast (https://michaelvhuber.com/podcasts/), my guest is Laurence Halsted, who is a two-time Olympian fencer. Laurence spoke about his experiences as a young athlete in England. He glowingly spoke about his first fencing coach who provided him a great deal of autonomy to explore his sport. This led to a …
How Can Control Be a Positive Function in the Coaching Equation? Read More »
I don’t watch a lot of television and when I do, I usually rewatch shows that I really enjoy. I know that sounds pretty boring. However, I’m not afraid to admit that’s my style. Friday Night Lights (FNL) is a critically-acclaimed show about a Texas town that is centered around its high school football program. …
What can a TV character teach us about the coach-athlete relationship? Read More »
