Recently I went to Louisiana to work with the Louisiana Monroe Warhawks baseball program. I have to say it was a great experience. Many teams can learn a lot from what is going on over there in Warhawks Nation.

There are certain characteristics that all great teams must have if they plan on winning a championship. One of them is hard work. Teams must put in the time and be dedicated to conditioning, practice and getting prepared for their games. These elements resonated through each player as they displayed the desire to want to work hard and get better. It wasn’t just with lifting weights or swinging the bat during BP. It was also the willingness to sharpen their mental game. Their eagerness to learn, train and put themselves in position handle the adversity of competition.

Another aspect important for team success is building a productive culture that ball players are willing to buy in to. Our main focus for the week was to establish being accountable, motivated and to be in control. It’s important for each player to be responsible for their actions on and off the field of play. Players also need to maintain control at all times. As soon as an individual allows another element to distract them, whether a bad call, an opponent, a coach, weather, anything, then they have completely given up their power. Don’t ever give up your power and become powerless, ever! This mantra has to be a pillar in the foundation of what a team believes in.

The last thing that great teams must posses to have any chance of being a dominant force is team chemistry. This factor goes a long way and makes up for many obstacles that will be endured throughout the course of a season. The ULM Warhawks have an impressive foundation of team unity and family. These guys are willing to have their brother’s back no matter the situation. All is possible when a team is as close as what I witnessed in Monroe.

These key factors have led to a fast start for Warhawks Nation. They currently hold a 4-1 record and have the Nations highest RPI rating out of all Division I teams. The key to keep this rolling will be their dedication and trust to continue to buy in to the culture that has been established, through thick and thin. When adversity strikes their bond will need to be stronger than ever. And from what I saw throughout that week in Monroe, the Warhawks have all the team ingredients to go far this year.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

I know Tiger Woods’ troubles on and off the golf course have been well documented since that dark November night more than two years ago but there was something even more disturbing that happened at Pebble Beach this past Sunday.

Tiger wore a pair of white golf spikes.

This may not seem like front page news but it is vey interesting especially with Tiger’s extremely average performance in Abu Dhabi two weeks prior where he was expected to win as he entered the final round with a share of the lead. Tiger has always prowled the golf course on Sundays in a set outfit since the beginning of his PGA Tour days consisting of all black clothing and a red polo shirt.

This is not a man forgetting to pack another pair of spikes, as he is THE reason Nike Golf exists and is always the best dressed man on a golf course, this is a man who has lost confidence in his game, ability, and himself when the stakes are raised. The sheer fact that Tiger is thinking a pair of white golf spikes is the answer to his woes is cause of greater concern.

Further evidence of Tiger’s deflating confidence could be seen in his pre-shot routine. Thursday through Saturday he would take two slow and relaxed practice swings then address the ball. On Sunday he would take three or more very exaggerated practice swings, as he simply did not look comfortable with the added pressure and expectations of a possible victory.

Many athletes have experienced paralysis by analysis, essentially over-thinking to the point where it becomes detrimental to ones performance. This is what the former worlds number one golfer is experiencing, Tiger is over thinking the room, many analysts still believe he is the best golfer in any tournament he enters. Tiger needs to believe that he is the best on Sundays again if he wants to once again dominate the sport. Sure Jason Giambi wore a slump busting leopard print thong, but if Tiger believes white shoes on Sunday is the answer to his PGA winless streak then the streak seems destined to continue.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

This past week the PGA Tour made its annual trip to the Monterey Peninsula for the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. This unique tournament offers the opportunity for amateur golfers to play alongside the PGA Tour professionals. These amateur golfers included the likes of Tony Romo, George Lopez, Ray Romano, and Bill Murray. As fun as this tournament is year after year, it requires the PGA players to focus and concentrate even more because of the increased distractions. This was how Phil Mickelson, one of the most skilled at concentration, was able to pull out a tournament win.

There are three main components to concentration – attention, sustained attention, and sizing up of the situation.

Attention is selectively focusing on relevant environmental cues. There are many distractions during this tournament, but by focusing one’s attention to the meaningful surroundings, one’s concentration improves.

The second component, sustained attention, is all about maintaining this attentional focus. The reason Phil is so mentally strong is because he is able to maintain a high level of focus over the course of a five-hour round of golf. Try to increase your focus little by little and see if your performance improves.

Sizing up the situation is the final component to concentration. Athletes must understand the situation. For example, a basketball player at the end of the game must ignore the distractions of the fans, trash talk, and referees, but must still be aware of the score, the time remaining, the number of timeouts, and so on. Understanding the situation is what Phil Mickelson does on the golf course every day. Coming down the stretch on Sunday, he knew exactly what to do to execute his shots for an impressive win.

Concentrating is not an easy thing to do and it takes practice, but if you can try to hone in on these three components, your concentration will improve!

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex

Jeremy Lin has taken the NBA by storm. In one of the most unlikely stories in NBA history, he has captivated the sports world with his brilliant play and underdog nature. This is probably the biggest phenomenon in sports since… lets say… Tim Tebow!

There are many amazing factors about this Jeremy Lin story. The fact that he is Asian American playing in the NBA is one (The first American born player in history to be of Chinese or Taiwanese decent). Or the fact that he played his collegiate career at Harvard University (Only one other player has ever played at Harvard and made it to the NBA). Or the fact that he wasn’t even drafted coming out of college. Lin has definitely seized the moment even with all these odds stacked against him.

Although all of these factors make for a great story, probably the most impressive and overlooked element of all is the fact that he continued to work hard and prepare himself to take advantage of his opportunity.

A lot can be learned from Lin’s story. Always work hard at your craft no matter what. You may not be getting the time you want or feel you deserve. You may feel like things aren’t going the way they should and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. It’s easy to fall into a rut and lose confidence in your game when things aren’t going your way. Regardless of the tough times you are going through as an athlete, you must be prepared at all times because you never know when your number will be called.

Sports Psychology/Mental Training from Mental Apex