As stated earlier by Delice Coffey, “The game of basketball is 90% mental and 10% physical” (Coffey). Knowing that, being mentally tough is a key to success. Spencer Wood expresses, “I always define mental toughness and construct an improvement plan to develop mental toughness around the “4 C’s” – meaning an athlete’s Composure, Concentration, Confidence, and Commitment” (Wood).
The first C is composure and that is the ability to control thoughts and emotions. Having good composure means, “[Players] are not ruled by highs and lows of reactions to adversity, feeling out of control or overwhelmed by an opponent” (Coffey). Even when the game is emotional and very intense players with the best composure will be able to finish the game and be
Preparation. What each and every athlete competing in the Final Four has done ever since they stepped foot on this planet. Everyday, in the basketball gym; Shot after shot, after shot, after shot. All for one goal, to win the Championship. The average basketball fan doesn't realize what this means. In their mind, if a player makes a bad pass, he is now a terrible player and is costing the team. Ever think what that competitor has endured to gain access to this moment. Stevie learns this lesson when he meets Chip Graber, Minnesota States star player. Chip teaches him what the life of one of these athletes is like. It isn't just show up and have a 20 point game. It is a tough process. So next time you criticize one of those athletes out there competing while you're sitting on the
Sports psychology deals with the mental and emotional aspects of physical performance. It involves describing, explaining and predicting attitudes, feelings and behaviours in an attempt to improve performance. In the film 'Coach Carter,' directed by Thomas Carter, sport psychology is used effectively to enhance the performance of a high school basketball team. However, this improved performance is not limited to the basketball court, it extends into the classroom where the students use goal setting, motivation, concentration and confidence control, ultimately to become accepted into college, avoiding a life of drugs, gangs and prison.
Something that has always been in my life and repeatedly been said to me, or mentioned is that during a sporting event everything is mental. Now what I have always wondered was that everything in the mental game is based on one’s own preferences, the way one thinks and processes information and how he reacts to a situation. There are various components of an athlete’s mental game such as motivation, agility, confidence; all of which contribute in actual competitions, games or even at practice. More importantly, confidence is more complex because it is what is affected most of the mental game, that’s what makes or breaks an athlete, and that can be affected by a coach, parent, or negative teammate, it’s not just personal thoughts reflecting
Stew Smith wrote an article about mental toughness, he describe his thoughts on it since he was a former Navy SEALs. Navy SEALs has to endure such pain on the body and mind in order to become a SEAL. There is no solution as to acquiring mental toughness when wanting to become a SEAL.
Being apart of a collegiate basketball team involves the usage of teamwork, leadership, and discipline. Sports teach the important lesson of working together, being the vocalist to help motivate others, and reaching goals in a reasonable time frame. These traits pass from the basketball court into the classroom and also into the community as well.
In John Wooden's "Pyramid of Success" he gives all the characteristics that he thinks defines success. There is fifteen different characteristics, there are three of them that in my opinion are very important in success. The most important trait in my opinion is Competitive Greatness. John defines it as " Being at your best when your best is needed. Enjoyment of a difficult challenge." I do not think I would define it that way, I would define it as trying to be the best you can and putting as much effort it takes to become the greatest at what you are doing. The next trait is Self-Control, he defines it as practicing Self-Control and keeping emotions under control. Having good judgement and common sense. I agree with his definition, if you do not agree with a call then do not yell at the refs, bite your tongue and go back to playing. Do not show negative emotions! If the other team sees that they can get under your skin than they will just keep doing it. Lastly and in my eyes the most important is Team Spirit. Team spirit is huge in my opinion, everyone on the team should have the same goal and that is to become and to play at the greatest of your ability. The only way to achieve that goal is to have everyone striving to do their best and want the best for the rest of their teammates. We all know that one guy on the team who could care less if they were there or does not try hard at practice. Or the one guy who always says, "There is no way we can win this game, they are too good." So, what I am saying is that if someone has a big night and puts up 20 points then be excited for them. If a guy hits a walk-off then go
Bro constantly gave me a little motivational saying before each match simply saying, “Nobody works as hard as you, you are in better condition, you are sure as hell tougher, now go kick some ass.” Something along those lines at least. These little saying that bro would give me before each match are what helped build up my mental toughness. An athlete that has gone through what Bro and I have gone through, relies on mental toughness to keep them going when the feeling of breaking appears both mentally and physically. In an article Rainer Wieser and Haymo Thiel explain the same idea of mental toughness allowing for factors like achieving or failing in the process of attempting to accomplish a goal. Wieser and thiel explain when someone has reached their final limits “The only difference for their success could depend on psychological components.” I thought I had reached this point of my limits when I lost the wrestling match in about thirty seconds. Once I gained motivation and reorganized my state of mind, I realized I had not reached my limits. Thanks to my Bro, I had gotten my proper motivation that got me back on track for success. I am both physically and mentally a badass.
I chose to do my Field Study report on the Armstrong State University Men’s Basketball team, and I chose to particularly focus on “Game Planning/Preparation”. Armstrong State University is a member of the Peach Belt Conference on the Division Two level of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and is located in Savannah, Georgia. I am currently and have been a member of the Armstrong State Men’s Basketball team since 2012, and every year there are different methods that are used in game planning and preparation. I know this from personal experience and talking with my coaches. There are many individuals that don’t understand what actually goes into a college basketball game; it’s more than just having talented young athletes being put on a court to showcase their abilities. There is practice, film, scouting, motivational techniques, mental sharpening methods, and even extra individual attention to detail. Over the four and a half years that I have been a member of this basketball program, I have witnessed each one of these methods implored in different
Have you ever thought about how important mental strength is? Mental strength is very important in all sports and in every athlete. Mental strength is a key component in all sports. Mental strength is not only believing in yourself,but it is also knowing what to do in a certain situation in that sport.
The different ways I can provide emotional safety needed for complex thinking is by first understanding the demands and emotions that are operating in the context of the mentoring relationship. The four basic emotional safety needed for complex thinking is: (1). Needs are feeling safe, (2) to belong and to be acknowledged, (3) to feel honest about ourselves and well regarded by others, and (4) to have freedom to originate and to lead.
According to James Loehr, a famous sport psychologist, mental toughness is defined as the ability to constantly maintain a perfect performance state during the heat of competition (Loehr, 1986). Since then, Goldberg (1998) has well-defined mental toughness as the ability to stand high in the face of difficulty, and being able to rebound from repetitive setbacks and failures. Fletcher and Fletcher (2005) defined mental toughness as the ability to manage with various
Thesis: This paper argues that basketball is the most difficult sport, for a number of reasons that will be pointed out through the literature on the game, the coaches, and the players.
First, to develop into a great basketball player you need to have your fare share of losses. Great basketball players are only great because they are very hungry to win. What do you think fueled that drive? Well, I will tell you that playing really competitive and losing games was certainly part of it, but it is also losing to teammates during practice.To hold yourself accountable means a lot, not only as a basketball player, but as a successful person in society. The only way to do that is to be put in that position, and to lose. You have to lose close games, and when you just play bad some days, you have to take being blown out and hold yourself accountable.
Mental toughness is not a new concept in sport, but is generally misunderstood. Coaches design programmes to develop mentally tough athletes, predominately in professional sport, to separate elite performers from good performers (Gould, Jackson, & Finch, 1993) as physical talent itself is not the only component that can lead an athlete to success (Gucciardi, Gordon, & Dimmock, 2008).
The experiences of failing and trying again provide a learning process that can translate to greater achievement in school. “A controlled longitudinal study found that adolescents who participated in sports showed improved grade point averages, had increased attachment to school, and were more likely to attend college” (Larson, Reed, and Sean Seepersad). The persistence children learn while playing sports will carry on in other parts of life, such as learning in school, leading to continual success. While playing basketball, I began to grow more mentally and socially. I stayed more active in the games and reacted faster; I would be ready to block a sudden dash to our hoop. In other activities, such as math, I began solving equations quicker and was more focused. Also, as a child I was a quiet and shy. When playing the game, I could not just stand back; I had to get into the action by challenging the ball or trying to get a pass. As my confidence developed, I became more bold and outgoing in other parts of my life.