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 »
I have played or coached baseball most of my life starting at five years old. I love everything about the game. I have always been enamored with getting better, whether on the field as a player or as a coach. Every time that I think I know everything there is to know, I learn something
The Dugout: The Greatest Place on Earth Read More »
One of my tips for a better 2022 is to have a clear mission statement. Mission statements can serve as a clear reminder of how we want to operate on a daily basis. Rather than chasing specific outcomes, a mission statement will help us stick to a meaning-driven process every day. A number of years
My One Word for 2022 Read More »
I originally published this article on February 15, 2021. I am reposting the article because for most parents, the holiday season is even more stressful than other parts of the year. Sports are generally quiet during this time, but the pressures of family, finances and kids home all the time tend to induce discomfort. Parents
REPOST: How can mental skills training help parents? Read More »
I am reposting my review of “Chop Wood, Carry Water” by Joshua Medcalf originally published in August 2020. The book came up in a recent podcast interview with John Lannan, former Major League Baseball pitcher and now Mental Performance Coach for the Toronto Blue Jays (that episode will drop in early 2022). John and I
REPOST: Is it worth reading? “Chop wood, carry water” By Joshua Medcalf Read More »
Well, another year is in the books and I would be remiss if I didn’t take the time to reflect on the past 12 months. As I was thinking about writing this reflection, my initial reaction was to focus on all of the things that I did NOT accomplish. My business didn’t grow as much
2021: My Year-in-Review Read More »
Mental performance coaching, often referred to as sport psychology, has been part of professional baseball for over 30 years. Pioneers like Harvey Dorfman and Ken Ravizza helped make mental skills training accepted in baseball. Since the 1980s, the prevalence of mental skills coaching within major league baseball has grown steadily and significantly. Today, almost all
How Can Working with a Mental Performance Coach Enhance Your Baseball Career? Read More »
As a Certified Mental Performance Consultant®, I have received several calls recently from troubled parents about their children dealing with fear of failure and elements of perfectionism. In particular, one conversation with a father of a young athlete has stood out. We discussed how language used with children can impact their mindset and motivation. So, how
Our Words Matter: Suggestions for Communicating With Young Athletes Read More »
