The typical advice you’re getting from instructors and other mental game coaches isn’t really working. It isn’t really helping you get to the next level, is it? Maybe you’ve read a few sports psychology books on the topic. Notice any patterns? It’s likely you have. They all teach from the same... Read more

Before becoming the mental toughness trainer, I played a lot of sports, especially golf.  (I still do) In addition, as I look back at what held me back (not just in sports, but in life), most it was this:  The need to control! (The opposite of trusting yourself and your skills.) Remember the formula from... Read more

Today I begin my series on the mental toughness side of sports training. All athletes and performers know they have more ability, skills, and talents than they have been showing in competition or on the stage. You are here because you want to see your talent show up a lot... Read more

Focusing On What You Can Control Helps Manage Stress And Keep You Focused On Being Productive In The Face Of Uncertainty • Firstly, I hope you and your families are healthy and safe. As we navigate these unprecedented times, I want to check-in with you and make sure you’re staying... Read more

To answer that, lets first answer this: What is a mental block in sports? Definition: It’s where an athlete physically cannot perform a movement or motion that they have demonstrated talent and ability for in the past. A number of baseball players came to us for a mental block known... Read more

   What is Excellence? Seeking excellence is not the same as seeking perfection, but rather a perfect effort. Get Mental : Erika Westhoff    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... Read more

DO YOU LIKE TO READ BOOKS? Reading can be helpful with education, vocabulary, inspiration and many other ways. The key to finding a great book is selecting a topic that you are passionate about. This past week I was in a Barnes & Noble and came across a running book... Read more

It’s mid-season. You are grinding through five-plus days per week of practice and games. You’re getting physically exhausted, and mentally you may be slipping into negative thinking as you try to keep up with all the sport and academic demands. How do you beat the mental grind game? Here’s a list... Read more

“In the big leagues everyone has ability. It always comes down to mind games. Whoever is more mentally strong—wins.” Muhammad Ali Why the game is 90% mental and yet coaches and parents talk about it that way, yet fail to support ways to improve the student athlete mindset?  Because they just don’t... Read more

Now that March Madness (including the Masters) are behind us and as the sports world’s attention shifts over to Baseball and Softball, I am going to make that my segue to talk about tackling the biggest problems of those two sports, Fear of Failure, by sharing 3 Mental Strategies To... 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

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