Keeping Your Head in the Game
by Linda Petlichkoff, Ph.D.
Keeping focused on the right things, at the right times is an important key to having a successful performance as a competitor.

Understand what you need to do to keep your head in the game!
When most athletes talk about improving play, they tend to focus their attention on physical skills, game strategies and getting themselves to "peak" at the right time of the season. Unfortunately, when athletes focus solely on these components, they are forgetting other key ingredients - proper sports nutrition, hydration and mental preparation. Athletes who fail to eat a proper diet and/or who do not stay hydrated during practice and games will lack the self-confidence they need to compete. Futhermore, they may engage in negative or self-destructive self-talk when they lack the energy to perform. Here are some exercise to help prepare yourself for success:

Reflect on Past Performance

You should write down why you felt so successful. What were you thinking about prior to competition? During competition? How confident did you feel going into the competition about physical and mental preparation? Contrast those notes with a situation in which you didn't do as wll as you would have liked. What were the differences?

Know the Game Face

What level of stimulation (getting up for the game) do athletes need to perform their best? Ask yourself where you were over or under stimulated when you played poorly? Did you engage in positive self-talk when you played well? Did you focus on the performance rather than the outcome when you performed your very best?

Keep a Sports Journal or Training Log

Journals provide a mechanism for you to write down information specific to different aspects of your preparation. The components that you choose to evaluate may differ from other athletes and that is okay! It is a personal account of your performance and/or lack of success.

Focus on Things You Can Control

Often, athletes worry about things that they can't control (officials, crowd or opponents). That kind of worry just interferes with performance. Instead, focus on things like physical and mental training, eating a proper diet prior to competition and staying hydrated.

Practice Positive Self Talk

Do you know an athlete who is their own worst enemy or biggest fan? Draw a vertical line down the center of a piece of paper. On the right side, jot down everything you say that is negative with regard to performance, practice and competition. On the left side, you should jot down everything that is positive. Repeat this for a few days. What did you find out about yourself? Look for ways that you can turn a negative into a positive.

Individualize Your Program

Ask yourself the following questions to help personalize your own program:

  • Have I eaten enough today to give me the energy I need?
  • Have I had enough fluids so I can perform my best?
  • What can I do to learn to relax, control my anxiety level, use mental imagery or engage in positive self-talk?
  • How prepared do I feel?
  • What do I need to do to get the most out of my training?

Note: Used with permission Gatorade Sports Science Institute. Linda Petlichkoff is a professor of Kinesiology at Boise State University.
Copyright (c) 2000-2002, TTNL Reprinted with permission.