Sports Psychology Articles

Why Top-Seeded Teams Lose

Mental Game Coach During the Pandemic

Have a Champion Mindset for every Competition There are no guarantees in sports. Being the top-seed does not guarantee victory… Being ranked higher than your opponent doesn’t guarantee winning… Having a faster seed time entering a competition doesn’t mean you are assured winning a title… Being the defending champion does not guarantee a repeat. Yet so many top-seeds … Sport Psychology Article…

How to Turn Losses into Lessons

Learn from your Mistakes

Growing Pains in Sports “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” This phrase was the introduction to a sports show called “The Wide World of Sports” to describe the human drama of athletic competition. Athletes seek a sense of joy and accomplishment when they succeed in sports. Likewise, you sometimes have pain when you fall short. … Sport Psychology Article…

How UVA Handled Pressure Successfully

Successful Pressure Handling

Are you Successful under Pressure? Each individual athlete responds to pressure in his/her own way. Kobe Bryant stated he played his best when the pressure was on, “Everything negative – pressure, challenges – are all an opportunity for me to rise.” Brazilian soccer star Neymar Jr. implied he doesn’t feel pressure, “There is no pressure when you’re making … Sport Psychology Article…

How to Thrive as an Underdog in Sports

Underdog in Sports

The Underdog Mindset in Sports The definition of underdog is a team or individual that has a small chance of winning a competition. Here are a few examples when you may be considered the underdog: Athletes’ or teams’ mindset determines the chances to pull out a win or successful outcome when over-matched. Thus, you want to work on … Sport Psychology Article…

Drought or Slump? Getting Back on Track

Getting Back on Track

Maintain Confidence during a Performance Drought A drought or a slump… that is the question. The distinction between these two terms will determine how quickly you break through when you are not having your best athletic performances. When athletes label a couple of bad performances as a “slump,” they imply that it as a long-lasting problem. These athletes … Sport Psychology Article…

How to Improve your Visualization Skills

Returning to Competition After Injury

Visualization Skills for Athletes Being focused in the present moment is essential for athletic performance, but many athletes struggle with maintaining this type of focus, especially after making mistakes. Often athletes make faulty predictions based on past outcomes. These faulty predictions are accompanied by negative images where the athlete sees themselves messing up in their next game or … Sport Psychology Article…