In the intense world of student athletics, most people are unaware mental training is equally important as physical performance. However, most athletes are unaware mental training is just as crucial as physical.
What is mental training?
Jennifer Blash, head coach of Colonia High School volleyball, believes, “Mental health comes from putting yourself in situations to learn how to handle them. It also focuses on players having self respect and being confident within themselves.”
Athletes develop resilience through mental training. Sports are extremely competitive and often come with significant pressure to perform well. Student athletes tend to face unique challenges such as balancing their studies, competitions, training. Blash believes a way to balance this is, “completing tasks before games to be fully in the zone rather than having a wandering mind.”
How do you benefit from mental training?
Mental training techniques such as visualization, mindfulness, and positive self talk, can provide athletes with the tools to manage stress and anxiety. It helps foster a growth mindset and obtain mental resilience. Joel Ferris a psychologist at Colonia High School stated, “Mental resilience is created by having a good self image and mental awareness of things that destroy that resilience. Most athletes don’t realize that their greatness doesn’t come from when they are doing well. It comes from when things are going really bad and when they can overcome it.”
Setbacks and bounce backs
By acquiring a strong mental mindset, athletes can better handle setbacks, maintain focus during competitions, and bounce back from failures. It helps them have the mindset that there will always be a chance to redeem themselves. Keep a mental note that no one is ever perfect. Senior Abdelrahman Marghany states, “After a match, my team collectively helps each other move past what happened and learn from it. We can’t change the result so we shouldn’t be getting worked up over it.”
This mindset motivates him to not give up. While being injured during his final season, Marghany continued to stay positive and believed in himself. After recovery he completed his season and has no regrets.
Benefits off the court
Additionally, mental training enhances focus and a sense of control over emotions. When in high-pressure situations, student athletes can return to what they learned through mental training to prepare for emotional setbacks. Techniques such as meditation and breathing exercises can help athletes stay calm and allow them to bounce back at a faster pace from whatever might be occurring. Athlete Rachael Sullivan stated, “When I am confronted with a stressful situation, I Isolate myself to collect my emotions and process what’s occurring. I always count down from 10 as a breathing exercise before I revisit the situation.”
Importance of Mental training
Studies suggest that around 30%-40% of student athletes experience mental health challenges in their everyday lives. This has caused coaches all over the world to learn new techniques to help their athletes acquire the healthiest mindset possible.
