As a kid who grew up in Mason, Ohio, I have always eagerly and impatiently waited for the month of August to approach — a time of year when the Cincinnati suburb fills with energy and excitement as the world’s top tennis professionals flock to the area for the ATP World Tour event. I have had the privilege of watching these elite athletes perform on court for numerous years at the Western and Southern Open tournament, which is hosted within just a five-mile radius of my house. As a young, novice tennis player sitting in the stands, I remember watching in awe hoping to acquire their skills, strokes, and strategy — it was not until my more recent years that I realized it was actually their mentality that I should have been striving for.   Every sport has its unique physical challenges, but there is one challenge that all athletes face: the mental game of sports. This sports psychology component is critical,...

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As athletes, we’ve all experienced a high-pressure situation at some point in our careers. For some, the stress of the situation has no effect on their performance. But for most people, these situations can lead to athletes choking under the pressure. One type of situation that specifically leads to athletes choking is when there is a significant amount of time leading up to a routine play, shot, or throw that gives the athlete time to think. It may be a birdie putt to stay alive in a golf match, a serve on game point, or maybe a game-winning field goal attempt after the other coach attempted to ice your kicker with a time out.  Whatever the sport, there are always going to be situations where things slow down and you can start to think about the upcoming situation.  Time to think, you may say, is a good thing to have. The pre...

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During times of uncertainty, we can start to feel a little anxious and lost. Resilience is something that can help us cope with times of uncertainty. Below are 2 different exercises to help foster the development of your resilience through your support system and accountability through group activities. Exercise 1: Identify three teammates you want to reach out this week and how you want to give and maintain support. A key pillar of resiliency is to identify your support system. Get creative in the ways that you can support each other virtually or from a distance. Click Here   Exercise 2: Movement feels good and boosts your immune system! Here is a workout you can do with your teammates, with instructions on how to set up a "workout meeting" via Zoom. Which exercises will you enjoy more with the support of teammates?  Read Full Article