How to Reach your Peak Performance in Football
Peak performance is the result of great preparation and consistent peak performance is the result of consistent mental preparation.
Great preparation shouldn’t be reserved for only the most important competitions during a season, yet many athletes prepare for regular season competitions differently than championship competitions.
Preparation should be a habit. Approaching competition in the same way, no matter the significance of the game, is what leads to consistency and it is that consistency that produces top-level performance.
In other words, it is nearly impossible for athletes to flip a switch and perform at their peak suddenly at the end of the season. End of the season performances are a culmination of all the preparation undertaken throughout the season.
One area of preparation that changes the most between regular season and championship season is mental preparation. Many times, athletes start visualizing and learning mental strategies to improve focus when champions roll around.
You cannot reap the benefits of mental preparation unless you consistently dedicate time throughout the season to improve your mental game.
Inconsistent preparation causes athletes to fall short of their goals.
Great preparation is the approach of Temple University football each time the team gathers together, no matter if it’s practice, training, scrimmages, film sessions or games.
The Owls treat every game with the same amount of importance. Temple linebacker Chapelle Russell says every game is a championship game in his mind, especially as conference play starts.
RUSSELL: “Every game from here on out, in my eyes, is a championship game. Conference game, every games matters. It’s a championship mentality, every time you come out you come out to this field. We want to continue working regardless of our opponent, worry about us… Any bit of mental prep we can do to add an advantage to [our] game, that’s what we are going to do.”
As you see, there is more to preparation than physically showing up for practice. You need to be focused during practice and training sessions. If you are not focused in practice, you will lose focus in competitions.
If you do not hustle, push past comfort and go all out in practice, your effort will suffer in competition.
If you do not mentally prepare and work to develop your mental skills, you will lack the mental toughness necessary to overcome obstacles and perform at your peak.
If you are not ready each and every game and prepared as if it were a championship level competition, you will continue to produce inconsistent performances.
Consistency and peak performance are the products of your preparation habits. Develop sound preparation habits and you will be able to rely on those habits to produce peak performance on a continual basis.
Preparation and Peak Performance:
The key is to ask yourself, “What would I do if my championship competition was in two weeks? How would I get ready to perform my best?”
And mental preparation for competition is the most important after all the training is complete.
Mental preparation includes entering the role of athlete, fueling your confidence, focusing on one step at a time, and preparing to trust in your skills.
Remember, consistent preparation leads to consistent performance.
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- How Consistent Preparation is Key to Performance
- How Preparation Boosts Confidence
- Athletes Who Worry About Preparation
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The Focused Athlete
It’s probably no secret that you have many opportunities to become distracted in sports. Athletes are bombarded with both internal and external distractions everyday in practice and competition. Focused athletes are able to get the most from their skills because they are more efficient with practice and more concentrated in competition. Athletes who lack focus let distractions run wild through their mind and don’t know how to adjust or refocus.
The Focused Athlete was developed for any level coach, parent, or junior to professional athlete who wants to improve performance and gain a competitive edge. It does not matter if you are a fledgling junior athlete; or a seasoned professional, plagued with distractions; or you just wanting to learn how to improve concentration…
“The Focused Athlete” is a complete system to teach you how to focus like a champion and harness the power of a zone focus every time you step on the playing field, court, track, or course in practice and games!