There Has Never Been More Evidence That Mental Fitness Can Sharpen The Performance Of All Athletes The mental side of the game seems to be getting more attention than ever. Olympic athletes, NFL teams and Major League Baseball have all strongly embraced sport psychology professionals as core members of... Read more

There are different types of motivation; finding the right blend makes a difference.    What drives your motivation? Are you super competitive and always find a way to be the best on the field? Or are you a technique master who builds confidence through mastering your skills? Each type of... Read more

There are different types of motivation; finding the right blend makes a difference.    What drives your motivation? Are you super competitive and always find a way to be the best on the field? Or are you a technique master who builds confidence through mastering your skills? Each type of... Read more

How do you find, and maintain, that perfect competitive balance where everything just feels easy?    Preseason for spring sports is finishing up; league play is here. Teams are getting more comfortable with each other, players are finding their role on the team and pressure to perform consistently well is... Read more

   Your mental game matters — so what should you do about it?    Do your technical skills matter? Of course. How much time do you spend developing those skills? Most high school/youth athletes spend an average of 10 hours per week practicing and competing at their sport. If you... Read more

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How do you perform under pressure? If you think school is difficult, the SAT is tough and the recruiting process daunting, imagine having your future employment potential dissected under a microscope, both physically and mentally over a four day period of time. At the annual NFL Combine, future NFL players... Read more

EDITOR’S NOTE: Erika Carlson is a practicing sports psychologist who has been a friend and contributor to SportStars for quite some time. She’s written columns for us which have run both in the magazine and online. When she told us she would be attending the London Olympics, we asked if we... Read more

By ERIKA CARLSON   In my 13 years working in the field of sport psychology, the number one thing my athletes have taught me (and research absolutely supports this) is that what you think matters. Managing your thoughts and emotions is the key to consistent performance.   For most athletes,... Read more

 The term “excellence” is thrown around a lot in the world of competitive sports. I’m a fan of this word, so much so that I included it in the name of my business, Excellence in Sport Performance. But like so many terms in the sports world, (i.e. “mental toughness,” “talent”)... Read more

Tryouts are often met with fear regarding outcome (“Will I make the team?”), politics (“This coach hates me.”) and performance (“Can I play my best in front of this crowd?”). How can you better manage the pressure of tryouts and earn that spot on the team? The answer is surprisingly simple:... Read more

Volleyball is one of my favorite sports to watch live. It’s powerful, fast and requires laser-sharp focus. One of the most significant mental challenges of the game is managing mistakes – letting go of mistakes quickly. Mistakes are an incredibly important part of the learning process and they are absolutely... Read more