Category: psychology

mental health in sports

The best way for the coach to deal with psychological problems is to treat them like physical injuries.

One day your athlete might have a sore ankle. Anther day lack of motivation. Or unexpected fear of a skill. Even depression.

You’d have experts as part of the coaching team. Trainers. Psychologists. Etc.

Athletes can recover from a sore ankle. Athletes can get over fear issues.

In recent years, mental issues among athletes have gained visibility thanks to role models like Simone Biles and Ricky Rubio; now, the focus is on prevention and tangible action …

There’s no longer a taboo. There’s no more secrecy or stigma. Tennis star Carlos Alcaraz talks openly about his psychologist. So does Spanish badminton player Carolina Marín. 

Ricky Rubio recently announced that he is taking a break from basketball for his mental wellbeing. 

Simone Biles took a step back from gymnastics for two years to take three steps forward now. She left the Tokyo Olympics and today, she is thinking about the games in Paris. …

Mental health in sports: How the new generations broke a taboo and learned to take a break

Leanne Wong is independent

Almost every high level athlete has coaches. Leanne has coaches.

But increasingly she’s doing more of the planning for herself.

Empowerment.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

husband Jonathan Owens

In her thoughts.

Steph Curry’s coach Bob McKillop

Steph Curry is one of the greatest basketball players all time.

On the Golden State Warriors he’s coached by Steve Kerr, who’s won 5 titles as a player and 4 as head coach of the Warriors.

Kerr is the NBA coach I follow most closely. A fantastic teacher, obviously. And also a vocal defender of human rights.

But in the new documentary, Kerr is not singled out. Yet Steph has nothing but praise for his NCAA Division 1 coach Bob McKillop. The Silver Fox.

McKillop was the only coach to offer Steph a College Scholarship. To Davidson College. A school with only 2000 students.

Smart. Like a fox.

After all, Steph is only 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) and weighed perhaps 150 pounds when leaving high school.

Stephen Curry: Underrated details Curry’s path to NBA stardom.  But is not focused on his 4 championship rings.

The theme is how underrated he has been throughout his career. Many experts quick to count him and the Warriors out. More often than not, the doubters have been proved wrong.

I enjoyed most the parts of the documentary dealing with family. And with his extended family at Davidson.

I’ve been a big fan of Steph Curry for years. As I was with 2x NBA MVP Steve Nash. About the same size — 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) — and also went out un-recruited out of High School in Canada. Finally Santa Clara coach Dick Davey reached out. Smart.

Lesson to be learned is NOT to count out athletes who do not have the ideal physical attributes for the sport.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

age-40 … Crystal Gilmore still improving

“I have a whole bucket list of skills that I’d like to be able to learn before I can stop my training.”

positive feedback

gymnasts dealing with injury

Almost every gymnast — sooner or later — has to reduce training due to injury.

At one big club I scheduled an ‘injury group’ (WAG & MAG). Most trained about 50% of their regular hours at reduced fees. And each had a ‘personal program’ that they completed each day.

I’d coach my own group as well as the ‘injury group’.

Being injured can reduce motivation. Here are some TIPS from top gymnasts.

Inside Gymnastics on Tour 2023

Inside Gymnastics magazine presents Inside Gymnastics on Tour, an all-new one-day, two-track immersive experience for athletes, their coaches, gym owners and parents, dedicated to providing a positive, safe, diverse and fun educational opportunity celebrating the sport of gymnastics in hand-selected gyms across the country. 

… unique set of presenters at each site featuring an incredible some of your favorite Elite and NCAA athletes! … open to any and all ages and levels of participants!

Cost:

  • Athlete – $249
  • Coach – $249
  • Club Owner – $249
  • Parent/Guardian (Attending Without Athlete) – $249
  • Parent/Guardian – $0 to attend select session(s) with their athlete.

SEA – June 17th – Pacific Reign Gymnastics

ATL – July 22nd – Intown Stars

HOU – August 6th – Cypress Academy – Huffmeister

Registration is now OPEN! Click through for details.