Editor’s note: This week the local paper did an expose about a local high school wresting coach who was arrested and charged with sexual assault on a minor by a person in a position of trust.  Turns out this coach has a stellar won-loss record, steered his team to a State Championship and was overwhelmingly chosen “Coach of the Year” by his brethren. Hooh boy:-(  I may be wrong, but I don’t believe that this kind of behavior just showed up one day and this guy turned abusive.  I tend to believe that there were probably a bunch of signs that his character was in question – but then nobody knew – or – nobody said anything?  Only those involved really know – but the fact remains there are a good many sports lovers out there who are coaching who have no business being in a position to influence kids…in any capacity, much less a captive audience whose got so much of their self-esteem, effort and guts on the line.

Yeah.  Sports administrators should be more attuned to these character issues…but more often than not the pressure to “win” has more weight than the development of character.  Can you imagine for one moment a Tom Landry, or John Wooden engaging in the kinds of examples Alan Goldberg writes about below?  These men are the role models we need to look up to and expect coaches to aspire to.  The Bob Stoops of the world are too few and far between and the requirements for achieving credentials to coach the vulnerable ones don’t even exist in some systems.  Hence, we’re left to police ourselves.  So if your coaching – take a gander at Dr. Goldberg’s list of examples – and maybe rethink your approach.  The career you save just might be your own.

One of Podium Sports Journal’s most valued articles was contributed by Dr. Scott Martin on Effective Coaching Behaviors.  It provides a definitive and positive model every coach at any level can benefit from.  Check it out.

Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control.  – Tom Landry

by Alan Goldberg, Ph.D.

 

Alan Goldberg, PhD, was the sport psychology consultant to the 1999 NCAA Men’s Basketball National Champion University of Connecticut Huskies, and the 2000 men’s soccer NCAA champions. He is the former Sports Psychology Consultant for the University of Connecticut Athletic Department. As a nationally-known expert in the field of applied sport psychology, Dr. Goldberg works with athletes and teams across all sports at every level, from professional and Olympic caliber right down to junior competitors. Dr. Goldberg specializes in helping athletes overcome fears & blocks, snap out of slumps, and perform to their potential. His book, Sports Slump Busting (LLumina Press), is based on his extensive experience getting teams and individual athletes unstuck and back on track. Outside of sports, Dr. Goldberg works with performing artists, sales and business people, test takers, and public speakers.

From the Editor (10.1.2011)  Some of you may begin hearing about Dave Scott and Mark Allen’s concerns over the upcoming release of Matt Fitzgerald’s depiction of  (“IronWar”, VeloPress, 2011).  They feel strongly enough about the piece to sue the author and VeloPress for defamation of character and state flat out that there are erroneous stories and misrepresentations galore in the text.  They both reaffirm their non-participation in the project, and state that Fitzgerald’s sensationalism takes stylistic license and is fiction, at best.  Long before this story, Podium recorded this Podcast with Dave Scott back in 2007.  Its worth a replay on its own merit, but in light of these revelations regarding Fitzgerald’s depiction its worth listening to again.  How cool would it be to hear the story from Mark Allen’s point of view.  Maybe Mark would like to contribute his interview to make this a matched set?  Mark………?

The beauty of this interview is the incredible depth of  knowledge and experience Dave Scott provides in discussing all manner of mental toughness.  That he and Mark Allen had such an epic race is testament to grit, skill, training, mental focus throughout the 9 hours of the most rigorous physical challenge one can imagine.  This interview is a must read for any IronMan competitor or for that matter ANY endurance athlete wanting to know about the techniques they used, the focus they were able to muster, the attitudes by which they raced, as well as the respect and appreciation for being able to compete at such a level.

Thanks Dave – Come on, Mark….we’d love to hear from you as well. 

Check out their Websites:  Dave Scott, Inc.com and Mark Allen Online.com

Scroll down to read the text or Click Here to listen to the PODCAST OF: 

THE DAVE SCOTT INTERVIEW PART 1

THE DAVE SCOTT INTERVIEW PART 2

THE DAVE SCOTT INTERVIEW PART 3e

Stay tuned after the printing of the interview to see the Ben Van James Channel’s YouTube Video of the entire race, complete with all the side stories and amazing features of arguably the most interesting endurance event in the world.

Who is Dave Scott?

Dave Scott is the most recognized athlete and coach in the sport of triathlon. He is a six-time Ironman World Champion and the first inductee into the Ironman Hall of Fame.
Dave’s career in triathlon began with the inception of the sport in 1976. He won his first Hawaii Ironman in 1980 and went on to win again in 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986 and 1987. In 1993, he was honored for his accomplishments in the sport and became the first inductee into the Ironman Hall of Fame. To celebrate, Dave came out of retirement and at the age of forty, after a five year absence from competition, decided to race again. In a stunning and memorable performance, beating out an impressive field of professional athletes – many of whom were in their twenties – Dave placed second overall. This incredible physical and mental feat earned Dave a new nickname among the triathlon community and he has since been known as “The Man”.
In terms of a personal philosophy, Dave believes that coaching people is more about being a teacher than a coach. Dave combines years of wisdom, wit and creativity to his passion for helping others. After thirty years in the sport, he continues to maintain world-wide appeal as fitness and nutrition consultant, product marketing consultant and nationally recognized speaker. He also organizes or is the main keynote for many fitness camps, clinics and races held throughout the year, forging relationships with many people along the way. Dave is based in Boulder, Colorado and greatly enjoys spending time with his three children and maintaining a healthy and physically fit lifestyle.

Podium – How did you make the transition from being a major competitor to coaching?

Dave Scott – It wasn’t a transition in any definitive way. I always had a synergy between my competing, teaching and coaching and there was always an overlap even when I was racing in my prime. I started out as a coach.

I actually started coaching swimming before I was a triathlete. I coached all through that period both as an amateur and after I turned pro. There was a two or three year hiatus where I was just focusing on athletics, when I realized how much I really enjoyed teaching. That teaching element came back to me. Also, I was fearful I wasn’t going to last in a sport that wasn’t recognized in the top 3 or 4 of this country and I worried how I was going to make an income. My dad was from academia, was a professor, and I thought I should probably have something steady and a paycheck that comes in every month. My coaching work was driven first by passion. I really enjoyed teaching as much as I did racing, even though the thrill of working with athletes is different than the individual thrill of competing at a world class level.

Podium – Interesting point. In retrospect, when you consider your life as a coach, as an athlete, as a parent, in any venue….what has been your biggest thrill in sport?

Dave Scott – I always enjoyed the game of getting fit and getting prepared, not just the physical part of it but I liked the parallel and the harmony between your mind and body and getting ready. Knowing that when you’re going to step into a race, there wasn’t a question of “Oh, I hope I do well”…It wasn’t a degree of arrogance, either …but rather, it was always more a vote of confidence…I know I’m going to do well in this race, Ironman, I just don’t know how well I am going to do?” I had a certain standard at that baseline level, but I always had one or two steps slightly higher than that I tried to reach. Each race had its own nuances, the competition was different, the training was different, my life circumstances might have been different going into the preparation for that race. But I always felt that when I went into that race I could say, “Okay, I’m going to have a good race…here we go!”

Podium – You’re talking about the definition of your goals. Give us an example of 2 or 3 goals that would be characteristic of you in an event.

Dave Scott – People always think that you’ve got to have a goal and its such and such. I think there is a real definition in my mind between your objective and a goal. I look at an objective as more seasonal or longer term…and then I have separate goals that are pretty short term. Quite often they are only two or three weeks out – because they’re tangible.

With athletes I say, “Listen, its December, you’re out of shape, we’re just starting…where do we want to be in two weeks?” I do this because day one of a training period looks a lot different than day 14. Psychologically you feel a lot differently two weeks out. At first, you are thinking, “I don’t know if I can do this.” There is a lot of self-doubt…but you finally get through it…it’s painful. The second day you’re sore…you realize you’ve got muscles…the third day you feel a little bit better…the fourth day you feel a little like an athlete…and by the fifth day you’ve really turned the corner.

Getting closer to competition, I look at three goals that are all individually determined. They aren’t focused or involve my competition. I never focused my goals on Mark Allen or what I had to do in the swim or the bike compared to Mark Allen. Ultimately, the competition level sometimes dictated that. After many years of racing, in 1989, we had a very very close race. It seemed like we were bouncing off of one another. It was influenced by our competitive natures.

As an example, let’s look at the goals in that particular race. As it turned out, it was the Epic race in our particular sport, that being the Hawaii Ironman World Championships. He was able to win that race by 50 odd seconds…but we were essentially glued together the whole time.

My feeling on the swim in preparation for that race was such that I was swimming better than I ever had, even in college. I was 35 then. So my first goal was to get to a certain level in the swim right from the outset where it was extremely uncomfortable. I never thought of discomfort as pain. People say what’s the pain like? Pain is when you’re out of shape, just as what I described before, or you are injured. The barometer for discomfort is very finite. You can take it up and take it up and it can feel very very hard and then all of the sudden you ratchet it down just a little bit…and you think, “Okay this is manageable.”

It is the ratcheting up of that exertion level to the point where it hurts. I said I was going to go right to that point right from the start, because the second part of my goal was to see if I could drop anyone who wanted to try and stay with me.

I wasn’t the best swimmer. The better swimmers had already broken away from me. But the people I was most concerned with, including Mark Allen, were in the group right behind me. I wanted to tell those athletes that I was willing to go out extraordinarily hard. I was willing to work at a high level of discomfort. If they tried to stay with me I wanted them to know that this was going to be a very painful day for them. My first goal was really about myself, my conditioning and my intention to dictate.

I had much the same mindset on the bike. People asked me how I would pace myself going out on the bike. I would ride the first 20 miles as hard as I ever did an Olympic distance race (a 40k race). I would try to set the precedent. My breathing rate would be really high, and I knew my legs would feel heavy and loaded…I knew I would be producing pretty high levels of lactate. Physiologically I had trained to handle a pretty high load, but I knew after 20 miles I would ratchet it back a bit. I knew I didn’t want to suffer the consequences of being too overzealous in the beginning, 80 miles later.

My second level goal was targeted further out in the race, where I wanted to dictate pace. I wanted other people to be thinking about me, worried about when I was going to go hard. Psychologically, I wanted them to be reactionary to my pace. I wanted to get them out of their game plan. That is the way I always raced. I would identify periods where I felt solid or strong, or during a particularly difficult section of the course, I would decide to go very hard, right now.

As that particularly race developed, there was a shadow behind me pretty much the whole day. That shadow was Mark Allen. Two distinct times I put my goal into play, at 80 miles and then again at 96 miles. I was going to really make his legs hurt on the bike. I felt that even though I didn’t break him, I know it was uncomfortable for both of us.

Podium – These goals are still process oriented even though you are focused on the particulars of a race.

Dave Scott – You know, I look at it like pulses, in exercise. It’s not like a metronome. For example, when people train on the bike, they know the gearing, they know the terrain, they know the ups and downs of that course because they have repeated workouts on the same course so many times. They become comfortable because they know what to expect. But in a in a race all that goes out the window.

You have to be familiar with the course knowing elevation changes and where typically windy conditions may exist on the course. But the race dictates a whole plethora of different challenges. I always felt the easiest way to tackle a race is to break it up into pieces and do what you can do in the moment and not look ahead. I coach my athletes to train themselves physically in workouts to NOT always do what they like.

We all have a tendency to take the easier path. When we train with other people invariably someone will attempt to push the pace because your training is competitive. You have to respond in those situations. But if you can do that and practice that when training by yourself at periods where you feel discomfort, you can perform better in the race. But you must set those little goals to make them tangible.

Podium – How do you address athletes when they just don’t have it that day?

Dave Scott – Sometimes athletes that I coach will tell me “I felt really bad at the start of the bike…my legs were really heavy.” I’ll respond with a question which is usually, “What did you do right?” This takes them aback because they just told me a big negative. They don’t see where I’m going with it, because all they focused on was how bad they felt. So, I will elaborate. I ask them, “How did you correct that, what did your mind tell you to do right then.” I ask them about that to get a sense of their mental programming. Most of the time they will say, “I felt bad and I knew it was going to be a bad day.”

If your programming is like that in a race, a molehill becomes a mountain really fast. The magnitude of that molehill becomes psychologically overwhelming. So I give them a couple of strategies to work on.

I’ll ask them to take a physical inventory of their entire body the next time they get there. I’ll suggest that they stand up, do a physical inventory all the way up and down their body over a very short distance…maybe only a hundred yards from one pole to the next. And I’ll have them just relax, think about breathing, think about flowing, whatever those words are that they’ve used over and over….until they get back in control. It’s important that they do something different. Stretch their Achilles, move from side to side, change posture, tempo, cadence, position on the bike…these are all shifts that when combined with relaxing, breathing and focusing on their flow will restore their control.

Podium – What are the most essential mental conditioning skills you coach your athletes?

Dave Scott – The most important ones involve routines because routines breed confidence. The very first one is to be consistent. Consistency is huge. It helps build the second one which is mental tenacity. Those two go hand in hand. The third one involves dealing with adversity and/or how you turn adversity into a positive.

I go over every type of scenario that could possibly come up with the athletes I work with. I can talk about a 100 different things that could happen before the race that aren’t in their normal regimen of preparation. Things like their goggles break, they couldn’t pump up their bike, they had a flat tire, they walked out of the transition area and security wouldn’t let them back in, all those things that psychologically rattle people and that can set the tone for the race. I’ve seen it too many times that even though an athlete hasn’t even started the race…..they’ve already lost.

Handling adversity during the race can be even more important. During the race you can be too programmed for a certain time or work output. Physically they want to have their breathing a certain way, their stroke rate, tempo, shoulder rotation….but what if somebody bumps you and knocks you out of line and your goggles get skewed. How do you deal with that? You were in a great drafting position but now everyone’s gone and you’re by yourself, or maybe even pulling an entire train of people. That was not your plan, so handling adversity is probably the most difficult skill to instill. Contingency plans must be rehearsed for every imaginable circumstance.

Podium – Talk more about programming.

Dave Scott – It is important to have the highest degree of faith within yourself because that breeds the highest likelihood of success. Otherwise, there is self-doubt. Self-doubt allows all these other things we’ve been talking about to come into play. Because of this, it is pretty easy to know who has the ability to win the top races.

When I go out to Hawaii, I am asked all the time…”Who is going to win?” I usually say there are only 2 or 3 people who know how to win. It is the folks who know how to finish and are consistent in the big races over time that can win. Turning that corner is the key. That requires the highest faith in oneself. Everyone wants to win Ironman Hawaii. No one wins in Hawaii unless they have turned that corner.

Podium – How do you coach people to break through those barriers in their mind?

Dave Scott – We’re way too focused on controlling little things – the focus on splits, we constantly check on our heart rate, on our watch, our power meter, the gearing on our bike, how many ounces of electrolyte replacement drink we’ve taken in, etc. Going back through my entire career I never wore a watch in an Ironman.

I would only focus on what I thought I could do. Some thought that was arrogant, but I felt it was more of a realistic appraisal of what I thought I was capable of. I was focused on my ability and my training and conditioning going into the race. I thought I could do the swim in about 50 minutes while the really fast guys would finish in 48. I felt I could ride close to 25 mph, in roughly 4:35, and maybe run a 6 minute pace (2:37). This kind of thinking was never in relation to anyone else….I was only thinking in terms of what my capabilities were….in perfect conditions. How often do you get perfect conditions? There are never perfect conditions. But I felt those marks were realistic. People wondered how I could gloat like that? I never thought of it like that, I just thought about my capabilities…it was also true that I felt completely responsible for my actions during a race and what I could do. I never looked at it arrogantly…I thought of it as having confidence in my ability and preparation.

Podium – What about nutrition plans and the gut check an athlete needs to keep themselves properly focused?

Dave Scott – These things have changed over the years and the nutrition plan is very important. You can plan really well, but that is never a substitute for listening to your body. Hydration is more variable than caloric intake, but with everything considered we can plan to a high degree of accuracy what they are likely to need. That’s all part of confidence building….knowing they are prepared. Marking their water bottles, preparing gel packs, etc. is a real key for confidence.

The problem is that athletes often lose that intuitive feeling on hydration. What overrides the thirst mechanism is all the other stimuli you experience during the competition. If you actually listened to your body…am I loose?…am I focused?…is my energy level going well?…am I carrying the same gear?….am I maintaining the same running pace?…if I noticed I’ve fallen off a little bit…. I will need to drink some at the next aid station coming up. But many athletes lose track of that because their focus becomes too narrow.

When you feel that high level of discomfort inherent in the heat of the battle, you don’t try to run away from it. That discomfort is right there. Denying it is nonsense. Acknowledging it and focusing on what I’m going to do about it is the key. Too narrow a focus takes people away from that conscious awareness.

There are an infinite number of things we do to override the discomfort when we train, but, in a race a lot of times that awareness goes out the window. A finite nutrition plan is important to keeping your wits about you and helping you maintain that pace on your bike. But it needs to be good enough so that you can prolong that output on the run. In triathlon, it’s all about the run. The best athletes are remarkably in tune with themselves.

Podium – Do you do anything with mental imagery, visualization, or relaxation to control arousal level?

Dave Scott – Every athlete is different coming into a race. Most endurance athletes are better off keeping themselves calm and keeping that level of calmness. I ask my athletes to think back to their last really good work out and a time when they really felt in control. I have them make a list of those tangible things they recognized in their swim. I ask them how did you feel? Be really specific. How did your shoulders, arms or triceps feel? How did your lats feel? Describe that in 5 or 6 phrases. Do the same thing on the bike and on the run.

As athletes we’ve got very short retention and recall. If you have a very long or prolonged taper before a race, or if you’ve been sick or traveled, people often feel as if they’ve lost it. I will have them go back to the last few days, maybe the last Sunday…one where they had a strong training session and write down those tangible things they remember. Maybe it was that ride around Carter Lake, or on your home course, or your last race. What were the tangible things you remember from that? How did you feel on that? Remember that you felt powerful, and the snap you felt at the bottom of your stroke. These are the things to focus on. I have my athletes write them down.

When people see me when I run they wonder if I’m injured. I’m not injured, its just bad form. It looks dreadful. But in my mind I see myself being really light on my feet with my whole body really relaxed, my arms floating through space, and so quick that as soon as my feet make contact I imagine they are just floating on silky water. The imagery and connotation of easiness over smooth water is one that really felt right to me.

I see myself running like the best and most fluid Kenyans. In reality my form is horrific, but when I run I think that imagery helps my economy of effort because mentally I’m the most relaxed guy out there. I can run hard but remain relaxed. I remind myself of feeling lightness, with quick steps, fluid relaxed arms and torso…and I say those things in my mind over and over.

The number one thing is that I always remind my athletes to watch their breathing. I ask them, “What is your breath doing?” Over and over, focus on breathing, breathing, breathing, because that controls the physical side. Once you get to the point where you feel like your respiration rate gets up really high, then you’re likely to experience that feeling of panic….by then, you’re completely out of control.

I see that more often with the amateur swimmers who become disoriented because they don’t have the comfort of the lane line or the flags in the pool or pace clock. Their orientation is thrown all out of whack. I’ve always found that more skilled swimmers have a calmness or peacefulness in open water. It’s all just water to me. Even though the start is very fast and frenetic, there are feet and clamoring around. That part is all about breathing, breathing, breathing. I’ve watched lots of races where I see swimmers with their head down and they take 4-6 strokes and then take a breath and another 4-6 strokes. They’re hypoxic by the time they get a hundred meters out. Breathing properly is key.

Podium – The calm is huge to you isn’t it?

Dave Scott – I like to see an athlete that is calm, but ready. That hour before the race is when that element of self-doubt tends to creep in and permeate people. I always tell people to add some levity. Internally. I don’t recommend cajoling your competitors, I think that’s contrived. Also, I think it’s important to do again and again after the gun goes off. You have to have an appreciation of the joy in racing and the funny things that happen out there. I remember in the ’89 race with Mark Allen. The sirens are going off, everybody is yelling and screaming and I see this drunk guy at the end of the bike ride in cut offs and a big beer belly. It was a killer race, and we were running sub 6 minute pace and this drunk guy runs out on to the middle of the coarse with the cops chasing him and right before he’s dragged off… he yells…”Come on you guys, pick it up!” I still laugh about it.

Here is the entire race as courtesy of Ben Van James Channel – thanks Ben.

Ironman Hawaii 1989, Dave Scott v Mark Allen. Part 1

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Ironman World Championships 1989, Dave Scott v Mark Allen. Part 2

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Ironman World Championships 1989, Dave Scott v Mark Allen. Part 3

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Ironman World Championships 1989, Dave Scott v Mark Allen. Part 4

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Ironman World Championships 1989, Dave Scott v Mark Allen. Part 5

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Ironman World Championships 1989, Dave Scott v Mark Allen. Part 6

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Meditation helps reduce the negative impact of stress & tension on the body

By Dr. Stephen E. Walker, PhD, CC-AASP

Have you ever wondered how your thinking might influence your physical health, performance or well-being? In the second quarter issue of 2005, research was presented by Dr. Alan Rozanski in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology focused on developments in the field of Behavioral Cardiology. This article reviewed research on the origins, physiology and impact of emotional social chronic stress risk factors on the development and course of heart disease and stroke.1

Rozanski offers a strong review of the literature that illustrates how depression, anger, anxiety, marital discord, occupational stress, and Type D personality traits are associated with those emotional catalysts that hurry us along toward a heart attack. We all have some kind of a genetic set point for heart disease that comes from our family history. As for stress and the role that emotions play, it is clear that emotions are among the culprits that trigger chemical shifts in our blood so it becomes toxic to the endothelium that lines the arterial walls. But how?

Readers seeking clarification as to how much of this disease is attributable to our poor choices in diet can take heart. Dr. William Roberts, editor-in-chief of the American Journal of Cardiology, is more inclined to focus on our poor choices in diet. He states, “Of the 6.5 billion people on this planet, 5 billion will never have to worry about heart disease because their diets contain no meat, and it matters little whether they exercise.” As such, he is a champion of cholesterol lowering medications in the Western world and EBCT heart scans which provide a coronary calcium score…”to date, the best measure of coronary vascular disease (CVD) in people without symptoms.”2

Cardiac Psychology does focus on the modification of diet, smoking, obesity and maladaptive behaviors that increase our risk of heart disease. But, for those who try to limit their intake of meat, exercise regularly and otherwise try to maintain a healthy lifestyle…stress is the X factor, and one that implores us to manage our emotions more conscientiously, especially since we can not alter our genetic imprint. It is the stress hormones that accompany the booms and crashes in our disposition. When these are added to the by-products of the food choices we make, metabolic disease ensues damaging the endothelium of our arterial walls. In a huge percentage of people this process also triggers inflammatory agents that surge through our blood producing pockets of plaque throughout the system. The process quietly evolves over many years until Inflammation, “sticky” platelets and an unstable piece of plaque ruptures. Then the party begins in the form of a “cardiac event or stroke” usually in an unsuspecting victim. Every 4 minutes someone dies experiencing their very 1st cardiac symptom. The truth of the matter is that the disease takes a long time to develop, and if we were more attuned to prevention and early diagnosis in the United States, we’d probably have prevented a lot of heart attacks.

Our Self-talk reveals the Mind/Body connection.

Having practiced psychotherapy for several years it is clear to me that no one is immune to “negative emotions.” Virtually all of us have a “bad day now and then.” However, the problem becomes more pronounced when you realize that many of us have “never had a good day” as emotions are concerned. There is sparse relief in our diversions too, as the most popular television shows in every market are the local news….followed by CSI, CSI Miami, CSI NY, NCIS, etc. Want to relax tonight and watch some television? Let’s see…we can hear about murder and mayhem that have actually become the news in our neighborhoods, or we can see dramatizations of it on every network.

Psychologist Dr. Johan Denollet, from Tilburg University in the Netherlands, has developed a psychological test called the DS14 that helps measure the nature and influence of the chatter in our own minds. The term chatter refers to the way in which we talk to ourselves, our self-talk. This internal dialogue is significant in that it is ongoing and characteristic of our emotional experience and affect. It is sensible for us to examine the quality and distinguishing features of that inner dialogue.

Do you often make a fuss about unimportant things?
Do you often feel unhappy?
Are you often irritated?
Do you take a gloomy view of things?
Are you often in a bad mood?
Do you often find yourself worrying about something?
Are you often down in the dumps?

While reviewing these questions we likely recognize patterns in our own self-talk. If our chatter is comprised of self-talk that favors these descriptors; making a fuss, unhappy, irritated, gloomy, bad mood, worrying, down in the dumps…our negative affect and corresponding behavior could be contributing to the production of the stress hormones we talked about earlier. Furthermore, additional items in the DS14 examine the extent to which certain people become socially isolated and what that might mean to our overall health. Denollet explores social patterns such as the tendency to keep to ourselves, avoid social supports, difficulty making social contact and/or communicating with others.

Negative thinking is clearly a problem, but there is another corresponding concern that complicates the situation even more so. Many of those who characteristically think negatively are prone to have few friends and rarely engage socially with others. Perhaps the negative thinking has pushed others away, or maybe their irritability and agitation unduly effected their ability to network amongst coworkers neighbors or teammates. Whatever the case, if someone is deprived of exposure to others who think differently, or they are stuck within their own little pessimistic world…their incidence of heart disease is increased significantly. So ask yourself, “Do I shy away from developing social relationships? Do I tend to stick to myself and avoid communicating with others? If so, much of the literature indicates that a prevalent experience of negative emotions and the tendency toward social isolation intensifies your risk of a heart attack. Denollet’s research has identified negative affect and social isolation as noteworthy risk factors for CVD.³

So, What Can We do About it?

Pretty much all of us have been on a job interview. We tailor our resume and take the time to craft a good cover letter. Realizing the importance of a good first impression, we dress well, think positive thoughts, rehearse answering questions, focus on the positive attributes we can bring to the job…and we probably deemphasize those things that won’t help us much. We have to work at it but like any other life skill, practice helps us groove the thinking pattern. Remember when you first learned to drive a car and how uncoordinated it felt in the beginning? How much focused attention did it take? Now, it is likely that the basic driving skills are so well integrated by pattern and routine that they hardly require deliberate concentration. These things are guaranteed…if we emphasize a positive outlook and practice a good attitude, we are inclined to develop one. Our genetic predisposition may not make us an optimist, but the development of skill sets and consistent practices will engender in us a positive attitude and the ability to make conscious choices.

Dr. Karen Mathews was recently honored with the American Psychological Association’s award for distinguished scientific applications in the literature on this topic and offers us substantive data to suggest that “optimists are less likely than are pessimists to exhibit the common progression of this disease over time.”4 Other research linking patience, discipline, and close friendships…in addition to…emotional competence (the ability to regulate emotions across a range of situations) have been encouraging to say the least. Studies of professional, marital, interpersonal, and life enrichment activities that require effort but that also promote joy, engage people’s curiosity and provide meaning in life serve to enhance vitality and flexibility.5 The protective effects of these positive coping skills, impulse control, and strong social support are beginning to emerge in the literature of psychosomatic medicine, positive psychology and the writings of mainstream health advocates.6 Harvard psychologist, Daniel Gilbert, who is a leader in this field responds to those who question this kind of research with, “Why on earth would one want to study anything else?”7

Want to give it a try? Take an inventory of who you currently spend the most time with. Think about the nature of your exchanges and the degree to which you are able to think positively after each conversation. If they are important to you, share this article with them and see if they might be willing to “experiment” along with you. Put a chart together of those you consider the most positive and encouraging influences in your world and make it a point to get together more often. Notice people who are kind, loving, competent leaders, avid students of something, those who show persistence, creativity, are fair-minded, or likely to savor a beautiful scene or have a blessing to share. They are in your world for a reason so take the time to discover what good can come from their contribution to your life…and remember to practice, practice, practice.

The top 10 list of things you can do right now, to begin shifting the “emotional” momentum in your life:
1. Take the time to meditate for 20 minutes everyday on your life’s blessings and those things for which you are thankful.
2. Monitor carefully what you watch on TV and notice how you feel afterward.
3. Go to a comedy club, or a funny movie and laugh out loud.
4. Find a comic strip that you like to read, and follow it everyday.
5. Listen to music that is relaxing and yet inspiring (Chopin, Schubert, Springsteen)
6. Make a list of the most “important” things in your life.
7. Make a list of the most “important” people in your life…..tell them so.
8. Think about the last time you were so captivated while doing something, you lost your sense of time completely. Do it again.
9. Intentionally gravitate toward folks who are curious, have a zest for life, are thankful, hopeful, optimistic, & loving.
10. Practice modeling these same virtues for yourself, your coworkers, and your children.
Special bonus suggestion: Log on to Dr. Martin Seligman’s Positive Psychology website: www.authentichappiness.org and take 2-3 inventories that measure your signature strengths & current level of happiness.

References:

1) Rozanski, A, Blumenthal, J, Davidson, K, Saab P, Kubzansky L, “The Epidemiology, Pathophysiology, and Management of Psychosocial Risk Factors in Cardiac Practice”, J Am Coll Cardiol 2005;45:5:637-651.
2) Roberts, W, “Aggressive Testing for and Treatment of Heart Disease and Stroke”, Seminar Proceedings, Denver, Colorado, Nov.19, 2005.
3) Denollet, J, DS14: “Standard Assessment of Negative Affectivity, Social Inhibition, and Type D Personality”, Psychosom Med 2005; 67:89-97.
4) Mathews, K, “Psychological Perspectives on the Development of Coronary Heart Disease”, Am Psycholgst 2005; 60:8:783-796.
5) Bonanno, GA, Papa, A, O’Neil, K, Westphal, M, Coifman, K, “The Importance of Being Flexible; The Ability to Enhance and Suppress Emotional Expression Predicts Long-term Adjustment.” Psychol Sci 2004;15:482-7.
6) Gross JJ, “Antecedent and Response-focused Emotion Regulation: Divergent Consequences for Experience, Expression, and Physiology.” J Pers Social Psychol 1998; 74;224-3
7) Gilbert, D, Stumbling on Happiness, Knopf A, NY, 2005

by Noah Gentner, PhD, CC-AASP, USOC Registry

Stop Lying to Yourself: All Games are NOT Created Equal

The coach said, “We’re just going to treat this like any other game.”  It’s a refrain we hear over and over again from athletes and coaches before big competitions.  In the days leading up to the Super Bowl, NBA Finals, World Series, World Cup, Master’s, or Wimbledon we are inundated with athletes claiming that “it’s just another game.”  There’s one big problem with that:  Coaches need to clarify for their athletes that NOT all games are created equal.

Several years ago I was speaking with a college lacrosse coach who was remembering his team’s first trip to the NCAA Final Four.  The Final Four was being played in Baltimore’s M&T Bank Stadium (the Baltimore Raven’s stadium) in front of a crowd of thousands.  He remembered seeing his players, who were accustomed to playing in small venues with minimal crowds, in awe of the enormous stadium and crowd.  He felt that his team was unprepared to deal with all of the emotions involved with playing in the Final Four and in such a big stadium.  Ultimately, they succumbed to the moment and ended up losing their game.

What I found most interesting was that the coach said that in the week leading up to the game they kept repeating the mantra “It’s just like any other game.”  They felt like that was the best way to prepare.  You can’t really blame them considering it’s what we regularly see and hear from collegiate and professional athletes.  Unfortunately, what this coach came to realize was that it wasn’t just like any other game.  It was the Final Four and it was being played in an NFL stadium.  As much as they tried to convince themselves otherwise it wasn’t just another game.

So why do athletes and coaches continue to lie to themselves?  Some of it is out of habit and modeling what they see on TV.  However, much of it comes from the belief that the best way to control their emotions before a big game is to pretend that all games are the same.  If they imagine that the championship game is no different than a regular season game then, in their minds, they are less likely to get nervous.  The problem is not all games are created equal and we know it.  There’s an old saying that you can lie to other people but you can’t lie to yourself.  When we truly believe something it can be very difficult to change our minds.  No matter how many times we try to convince ourselves otherwise, deep down we know the truth.  With very few exceptions, athletes know that certain games are more important than others.  Deep down inside they know that not all opponents or games are created equal.  So, no matter how much coaches ask them to say, “It’s just another game,” their minds (and in turn their bodies) know better.

What is the end result of all this lying?  Most team’s experiences are similar to those of the lacrosse team mentioned above.  While players spend weeks trying to convince themselves that it’s just another game, deep down inside they know it’s much more important than that.  Therefore, they experience all the anxiety and emotions one would expect before a big game.  Unfortunately, they are often unable to regulate those emotions because they didn’t prepare for them.  On the contrary they tried to prepare as if they wouldn’t have those emotions.  Ultimately, coaches are left with players who are not only anxious but also do not have the ability to control that anxiety.

I think we should stop the lying.  What’s wrong with being honest?  We all know that championship games, rivalry games, and big tournaments are more important than other games.  Why do we keep trying to convince ourselves otherwise?  Let’s start being honest with ourselves and our players.  Once we accept that different games will bring out different emotions then we can prepare for those feelings and how to deal with them.  Big games often bring about greater anxiety.  Why not prepare yourself and your team for that?  Coaches spend hours preparing for the challenges that different teams present.  They wouldn’t dare enter a game without first scouting their opponent and assessing their strengths and weaknesses.  Why can’t they prepare their team equally as well for the challenges that different games and venues present?

The fact is that not all games are created equal.  You can’t prepare exactly the same for each game.  Each game presents unique challenges.  In order to conquer those challenges we need to be prepared for them and have strategies for overcoming them.  The best way we can do that is to be honest with ourselves, understand and accept the challenges ahead of us, and do everything we can to defeat them.  So, stop lying because we all know it’s NOT just another game.

Ultimately the question is:  As a coach what can I do to best prepare my team for a big game?  Here are four tips for coaching teams that are vying for Championships:

• Be honest about the upcoming game and the emotions your players are likely to feel.  Before big games they are more likely to be anxious and over-aroused whereas “less important” games might bring about boredom, lack of focus, or a business-as-usual attitude.
• Help your players develop strategies to deal with those emotions.  Before a big game you might use one of Coach John Gagliardi’s methods of having players practice relaxation techniques such as breathing and imagery during practice.  (He must be doing something right as he has more wins than any coach in college football history.)  Usually coaches work to keep players energized and focused by reminding them to concentrate on the process (i.e., playing the “right” way or playing a “perfect” game) and presenting them with small goals or challenges (e.g., limit turnovers, increase time of possession, shoot above 50%, etc.).  These are not neglected in Championship preparation – but the stress factors can limit a player’s ability to remember the things that got them there.  So remind them of those challenges and keeping their focus sharp while practicing the methods to keep their arousal manageable.
• Assess your players’ emotional state in the days leading up to the game.  As you prepare for the game it is important to identify what your players need from you.  As Ben Freakley, Assistant Men’s Soccer Coach at Georgia Southern University, once told me sometimes they need you to yell and scream to get them excited and other times they need you to be a calming influence.
• Practice what you’ve preached.  You have now spent the days leading up to the game reminding your players to use their relaxation techniques or focus on the process and the small challenges you have given them.  Now, as the game is about to begin, you should remind them to utilize those techniques during the game.  This should be part of your “game plan” and that additional preparation will enable your team to brings its best in an especially challenging arena.

Noah Gentner, Ph.D., CC-AASP is a Professor in the Fitness and Health Promotion, Exercise Science and Lifestyle Management program at Humber College in Toronto, Canada.  He received his Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from the University of Tennessee in 2004 and has served as a Department Chair/Assistant Professor at Tennessee Wesleyan College and later  he accepted a position as an Assistant Professor of Exercise and Sport Sciences at Ithaca College.  During his four years at IC he helped coordinate the undergraduate and graduate programs in Sport Psychology.  In 2009 he took a position at Georgia Southern University where he coordinated the Master’s program in Sport Psychology and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in Sport Psychology and Coaching Education.  Dr. Gentner has published research in several journals and has given presentations on Sport Psychology at worldwide and regional Sport Psychology, Coaching, and Athletic Training Conferences.  Currently he is completing a book on Sport Psychology Consulting techniques.  He is an Association for Applied Sport Psychology Certified Consultant and since 2000 he has worked with individual athletes, teams, and coaches ranging from youth sport to professional levels.  For further inquiries or information about Dr. Gentner’s services or the programs at Humber College he can be reached at noah.gentner@humber.ca or 416-675-6622 ext. 4406.

There are all kinds of coaches.  Some are CEO’s, some are Presidents of the United States, some are coaching the U12 soccer team down the road.  Some are good, some aren’t so hot, and a few are great.  Simon Hartley spoke of the “reasons” an athlete is training in the pool at 5am each morning in his recent piece in Podium on Motivation. This piece led to a comment from a reader, Rob Griffiths, associated with Joe Friel’s Training Bible organization. Rob recommended we check out Simon Sinek’s talk on TED TV, because Sinek had uncovered a key to greatness, a key that ties together the likes of Apple Computers, the Wright Brothers invention of manned flight, and Martin Luther King.  Sinek calls this observation in the way these people and organizations think, act and communicate – the Golden Circle.  Thank Rob for this recommendation.  Once you see this, you will understand too.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As a coach, you are a communicator – and – you set the agenda, the focus, the training regimen, and the spirit within which every aspect of your team is structured around.  Your assistant coaches are your most important collaborators – are they in step with you?  Your team captains set the example for every team member – do they believe in the mission?  Are these intentions – are the “whys” in place – so that everyone operates in synch to develop the best product you can collectively create?  The beauty of sports is that the performance is more than the sum of all the talent – and when the entire team is in synch – magic happens.  An example of just one tactic you can use as a coach is through clarifying your sense of  purpose for every drill, every practice session, every communication with your team.  “P3 Thinking” is contagious and it helps build the alignment amongst every player and coach every time it is used.

Simon Sinek’s synopsis on why some are okay, some are good, and some are life altering in the most positive way imaginable is clearly illuminating.  It’s the “Why” that counts…and Sinek’s analysis is brilliant.  I, for one, will no longer be content with the “how” and the “what” – because in reality – its the “why” that builds followership and encourages others to align with the purpose and cause.

Its never good news to learn of a friend’s passing, but in this case, those of us at Podium Sports Journal who knew him are particularly saddened.  On Friday May 27th Dr. Julian Morrow, “J” to his friends, succumbed to the second of two heart attacks.

I spoke with him a week ago.  He and his sweetie had recently been in Charleston for a graduation and they were taking the slow road back, meandering through West Virginia enroute to their home in Connecticut.  We had a relaxed and fun conversation about life, the beautiful scenery he was taking in, a few unique takes on what was happening in the sports scene – but largely J had some ideas to share about how Podium might develop more of a ‘community’ going forward as we grow and evolve.  It was not the first time he had offered assistance, yet his input this time was particularly insightful.

J has always been a prolific writer, and some of his best work graced our pages.  Most recently he penned a piece “Researched and Tested: Guidelines for Goal Setting” which is both comprehensive and a focused tutorial on how both recreational athletes and pros can be more attuned to the best practices in setting both process and outcome goals.  One of his earlier pieces proved to be both controversial and stimulating as he took on “Doping in Sports – What You Should Know”.  He could be a great educator while also possessing a clever wit which was sometimes cutting, sometimes philosophical, yet always intelligent and well thought out.  He had developed quite a following on Suite 101, Google’s baby, and recently had been selected as a staff contributor to the Livestrong Magazine web-site.

J’s athletic career included a noteworthy stint in Division I Athletics as he was a wrestler at the University of Wisconsin.  Academically, he pursued a program of studying the mental components in performance psychology when no such programs existed.  Crafting his own research with due diligence, he not only became a contributing writer in popular publications, his work was recognized in research he conducted on the incidence of exercise dependence in the DSM IV – Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (4th Edition).  In recent years his penchant for creative photography reached some degree of critical acclaim.

J Morrow Self-portrait

-When Gifted Athletes Fall from Grace-

“Most of the important things in the world have been accomplished by people who have kept on trying when there seemed to be no hope at all”

- Dale Carnegie

What happens when football players behave badly?  Our favorite American sport, football, is experiencing a crisis not limited to the NFL’s Lockout. The past several weeks have been riddled with a number of talented football players being suspended, dropped from rosters, and some even charged with violent crimes.

Bad behavior on the field results in heavy fines, while transgressions off the field might be even more costly.  In either case, behavior outside the lines is a gamble.  The tangible consequence equals millions of dollars when a player’s stock drops. Court appearances, jail time, probation, suspensions for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy all tarnish the image of the NFL  It is no wonder Commissioner Roger Goodell has taken a stronger stance on this issue than his predecessors, Paul Tagliabue and Pete Rozell.  Back then, the NFL hardly worried about the criminal element and it was rare when an athlete donned the “I don’t care about being a role-model” attitude.

Could it be that an extended NFL lockout, and the lack of strict pre-season training regimens could be the tipping point for less self-directed athletes?  As of this date at least ten players have been arrested since the announcement of the lockout, three times the number in a normal year.  John Mitchell’s piece “Is the lockout leading NFL players to a life of crime” paints a disconcerting picture of the situation.

One might say, good sportsmanship is never out-of-style.  Fans love a quality person and will cheer them, buy their jerseys and support their every venture (just ask Tim Tebow.) Although the purpose of this article doesn’t focus on it, there is no doubt that off field infractions affect the player’s performance too.  Podium Sports Journal has been concerned with this trend and recently featured an Open Letter to the NFL Draftee’s penned by Wesley Mallette. Of course an ounce of prevention and all that – But – what about those who DO fall from grace?  HOW can they redeem themselves?  CAN they redeem themselves?  Let’s take a look.

The Price is Steep

It should be noted that by the time an athlete’s problems get the attention of the press, the damage has already been done. The athlete, and their team, are required to take a defensive stance.  This is similar to looking at the tip of the iceberg. You are only seeing 10% of the problem not realizing the other 90% is under the surface.  Aside from the costs incurred by the athlete’s and their agents themselves (lawyers, PR specialists, publicists, time delays, lost training time, personal & family stress and anxiety) the teams and the league are forced to incur expenses as well.  Investigators, more attorneys, spin doctors, and record keeping specialists are just a few of those added costs when employees in this job get into trouble.

Nobody is likely to suffer more than the athlete themselves.  Consider the player’s perceived value upon entering the league.  Mike Florio of NBC Sports believes this year’s NFL draft is perhaps the most talented quarterback crop since 1983 when Dan Marino, John Elway, Jim Kelly, Tod Blackridge and Ken O’Brien were all taken in the 1st round.  Consider one such player amongst Florio’s chosen ones, Ryan Mallett.

Ryan Mallett, was touted as perhaps the best of the group yet his stock plummeted in the draft and he ended up being taken in the 3^rd round by the Patriots.  Even this move is believed by many to be a huge gamble for the Pats. Why? While a junior quarterback with Arkansas, Mallett was arrested for public intoxication and use of marijuana. Whether his past behavior is a forecast for future transgressions or not remains to be seen.  But many believed Mallett was the best prototypical NFL QB in the draft – with a rifle arm, quick release, and at 6 ft. 7 inches tall, has the ability to see the entire field.  Mallett’s bad behavior is likely the cause of his drop in the draft to the third round, and it will likely have cost him well over a million dollars once contracts are in place.

High-roller-for-now, Albert Haynesworth, defensive tackle for the Washington Redskins, is once again in the court system most recently for a charge of sexual abuse.  This accusation comes on the heels of a prior court appearance just a few months ago for assaulting a motorist. If the judge is not a Redskins fan and wants to make an example of him, Haynesworth could face a stiff sentence.  Denver Bronco cornerback Perrish Cox has pleaded not guilty, but he could face a life sentence if convicted of sexual assault.  Buccaneer’s cornerback Aqib Talib was recently arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and in a recent article in Sporting News, is reported to be all-but-gone from Tampa.  What the team or the league will do going remains to be seen.  At this point, no action can be taken until the lockout is resolved.

The majority of NFL arrests revolve around weapons and drug charges. Although the NFL has a Personal Conduct Policy which governs each player, each team has the ability to decide whether or not to address the charges on their own. The line is blurred as to whether behavior off the field is likely to be addressed by the team.  Each of these athletes has put his sports career at risk in an act of Self-Sabotage. These men still have a chance to turn things around. Their raw athletic talent is a gift. Success, however, is not that simple. Staying the course becomes treacherous when full commitment to the vision is lacking.  It is also true that many of these individual’s have social influences that are likely to contribute to their problems…aka their posse.  Sometimes old friends, sometimes new acquaintances who represent “cool” may be inclined to influence poorly.

Righting the Ship

The discrepancy surfaces when the demands of professional sports clash with the athlete’s perceived reality. Each of these men, as well as many athletes in similar situations before them, had a missing link.  They were able to grab the brass ring, but not able to hold onto it. The opportunity slipped through their fingers. With the correct fortitude, however, they may be able to move forward, learn from the past and turn things around.  Although the ring slipped through their fingers once, it does not mean all is lost.

Whether Talib, Haynesworth, Cox and Mallett fall short of their dreams, following the path of former NFL players who were unable to change, is unknown. Cognitive dissonance contributes to each of these athletes’ challenges. Their reality has clashed with their team’s expectations, their league’s conduct policy, and the sentiments of many of the games fans, even the laws of their current residence.  There is no doubt their life has tension.  The disparity of their backgrounds, being forced to move at a young age, making a home in unfamiliar environment is bound to cause a huge amount of tension. Eventually their tension must be relieved, somehow some way.  Psych 101 will tell you when people are under a lot of pressure they revert back to old behaviors, both on and off the field.  The penalties when young are hardly what an adult knows to be true.  But many of these athletes are just kids…in really big bodies with loads of cash to spread around.  If self-discipline was not part of the regimen they grew up with – they may have but one chance to learn it NOW.  That familiar pattern of early morning partying to blow off steam has led to many a DUI or worse.

What must occur?

Why is righting the ship so difficult?  It is because many of these athletes have backgrounds, influences and history that work at cross purposes with the required changes they must make.  There are three key aspects to be concerned with.

1.  Personal Beliefs and Values Don’t Fit in their New World

Every one of these athletes has a conflict between playing goals and how they want to operate within their personal beliefs or values. When these beliefs or values contradict a goal it leads to sabotage. Sometimes those beliefs remain under the surface, hidden from the individual, leading to a vicious cycle of repeated problems. Albert Einstein once defined that as insanity…”Doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different outcome.”

2. Athletes don’t like being in Situations they Do not Control.

Football is a contact sport.  It is mano-a-mano personal combat of sorts.  Athletes are used to being in Control.  Others shy away from them and will likely not press an issue should they feel intimidated (which is likely.)  Hence, control issues get in the way. Most likely they do not believe they need to change anything. Hence, they need a dose of Reality Testing.  The assistance and resources are available to them through the NFL’s and team’s resources – and -  rookie training program. Their ego, however, may prevent them from taking advantage of the support. Their posse might think it lame. For those who know better, they will gladly share how performance success and personal growth are intertwined. They go hand in hand.

3. Blaming Others is the “American” Way – Right?

When athletes are unwilling to take personal responsibility, they can and will find dozens of ways it was somebody else’s fault. The stance they adopted growing up did not apply to their current reality. At some point, it becomes necessary to stop pointing fingers and throwing blame around.  The lessons of being accountable for our own actions are rarely pretty.  Don’t forget we live in a litigious society (think of the woman who sued McDonald’s for a million dollars because their coffee was too hot).  Mentors who can help teach these lessons are critical and every team, should have several.  The man who fails to learn the lessons of personal responsibility will fail to become a man worth following, much less a father worth honoring.

4.  Image is Everything – Right?

It is impossible to be successful if you are unwilling to modify your self-image.  Eventually old beliefs need to be shed to avoid sabotage.  Football affords a nice lifestyle. Athletes displaying entitlement, taking their positions for granted, are likely to have short-lived careers because their self-image is unable to transcend the trappings. Players unwilling to adapt will hit a wall in their career. When an athlete’s beliefs and image affect their vision then something needs to change. There are basically two choices, rise up to the challenge and change your attitude or risk not having your contract renewed because you are seen as a risk and you’ve become a PR liability for your team.

Embracing Change – Easier Said than Done

Each of these gifted athletes knew where they were, and they possessed a vision of where they wanted to be in preparing for their NFL journey. They did what they needed to do to achieve their current level of success.  Will they continue to develop?  Will they reach their potential?  Some athletes in similar situations learned hard lessons, became receptive to shifting their focus and their behavior – they did whatever it took to bridge the gap between their past and their potential future.  They were committed.  Many of those players have been studied by Coach Chrissy Carew’s.  These role models she’s featured in Insightful Players.

As Jack Kerouac once said in On the Road (1957) “I was halfway across America, at the dividing line between the East of my youth and the West of my future.” Are Talib, Haynesworth, Cox and Mallett committed – or only interested?

Rising to professional status demands change. There is no room for drugs, anger issues or theft among elite athletes. These men, however, may be unable to adapt to changing demands as they climb up the ladder of success.  Playing as a professional without changing who you are for what you need to become is a dangerous combination. It is like a business growing too fast without the infrastructure in place, eventually it implodes and collapses. Change occurs when the pain of remaining the same becomes greater than the perceived pain of initiating changing.

You must learn to Stretch

Every athlete trains to enhance their physical capabilities.  They all want to improve their rankings amongst others at their position, for that is how they can earn the big bucks.  However, one’s sense of self must adjust as well…for professional growth and personal identity are intertwined.  Just as an athlete learns to adapt to different playing conditions, their self-identity must adapt as well.

What might this kind of adjustment look like…”I used to do things that put me at risk, but now I’m more mature and focused on my goals for the future.”  If one is committed, statements like these become part of their vocabulary – and they are speaking to themselves as well as the person(s) they converse with.

Change is necessary to sustain success. The process of being stretched beyond your comfort zone, and continuing to take steps toward your vision, are necessary components for success.  Resisting change is resisting success.

Success is multi-layered and people experience it by persisting through all kinds of trials and tribulations. For many people it requires a rude awakening.  They must lose something precious.  It is not easy to look in the mirror and see the truth…yet…a deep desire to never experience a similar situation again can be an ideal motivator for change.  If these athletes can reach that point, and many do not, Talib, Haynesworth, Cox and Mallett will commit to their vision and not only do what is convenient but what is necessary to succeed. They know how to do it on the field and that driving force is transferable.  It’s possible once they make the commitment.

There are great leaders in the NFL, fabulous personalities who are All-pro not just in their performances on the field – but in how they address the challenges in life.  Coach Chrissy Carew has put together a marvelous collection of athletes who demonstrated the necessary commitment – to be successful both on and off the field.  Check out the website and look forward to her soon-to-be-released book on these fabulous role models in Insightful Players.

Maintaining worth within the NFL, displaying value to a team, is more than just assessing how the coaches graded your performance on Sunday.  Personal growth and maturity is necessary to sustain success as a professional player. At some point a team will cut it’s losses for self-preservation.  We will soon see how these four players mentioned above make their comeback – or not.  We will see how their teams and their fans favor their contributions going forward.  Stay tuned for the rest of the story.

About the Authors:

Dr. Stephen Walker is the Editor-in-Chief of Podium Sports Journal and is in private practice in Boulder, Colorado working with both professional and amateur athletes on the best practices in applied sport psychology and mental conditioning for peak performance.

Loren Fogelman, M.Ed, EFT-Adv
Creator of The Inner Game for Winning Athletes System™
Peak Performance Consultant, Speaker and Trainer
Transforming Acceptable Performance into Exceptional Results.

by Stephen Walker, PhD, CC-AASP, USOC Registry of Sport Psychologists

When Brian Boyle first became known to Podium Sports Journal, he had just earned the moniker of “Iron Heart”. Brian had demonstrated remarkable courage in recovery from a horrible car accident in 2004 (where he was pronounced clinically dead 8 times) proving his is far from finished.  His long and arduous journey back to health has been helped along by an incredible heart and gifted athleticism.  In 2007, just three years after his resurrection, Iron Heart competed in his first Half-ironman Triathlon.

As things often go, especially with Brian, he might tell you he’s just getting warmed up.  Six weeks later he successfully completed the World Championships Ironman in Hawaii on a sponsored exemption as a sentimental favorite in triathlon circles.  Check out this video which reviews both his remarkable recovery, but his undaunted quest enroute to Hawaii as second time.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Now, after successfully competing in three Inronman Triathlons he’s completed major stretches working while on particular aspects of his racing.  One might say he’s created a new form of periodization training.  In 2009, “Iron Heart” ran five marathons in 5 weeks.  This past year he took on an ultramarathon running the JFK 50 mile, a mere two weeks after finishing Ironman Florida.

The fact of the matter is, Boyle is taking his training to a whole other level, and he has continued to improve remarkably in every discipline.  His new goal? To actually qualify for the World Championships in Hawaii, legitimately.

“Iron Heart” Boyle is my pick for inspirational athletes in this past year.  He’s been featured as a major fundraiser for the Red Cross, and became the figurehead in Trailrunner Magazine’s issue on “motivation“.  “Inspiration” is defined as an inspiring or animating action or influence.  I’d say “Iron Heart” qualifies….What do you think?

Originally penned April 22nd, 2010

Gentlemen,

It’s almost here.  Big weekend. Life-changing weekend for you and your families.

You are going to hear a lot of things throughout the course of the next several days leading up to the draft, straight through the completion of your first season. Sometime between Thursday and Saturday you may hear your name called. You may not. You may go in the early rounds. You may not go at all.

You will hear a lot of things about yourself in the media, some positive, some less than favorable. Expectations. Hype. Where you’ll go in the draft. Why you’re falling to the later rounds and the reasons for it. Opinions. Criticisms.

Fans will cheer with your selection. Fans will boo with your selection. You will hear sports pundits across the nation declaring you are everything from the next greatest whatever to, “I cannot understand why they drafted an unproven commodity with that pick.” And best believe you’re going to hear Mel Kiper, Jr. and Todd McShay face off at length on ESPN arguing the finer points of when you should/if you should/and where you should go in the draft.

Media and front offices alike will talk about your personality, your skill set, your background, your life, your college career, your NFL expectations, and your character. That’s right. Your CHARACTER?!? Let’s stop here for a moment, because this is perhaps THE most important and defining aspect of what opportunities will await you both during and after your playing days.

Issues surrounding character and personal conduct have the potential to derail a promising career, and in Roger Goodell’s NFL, it is no secret what will happen to you if you violate the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. Across the sports world, we have all witnessed how the mighty have fallen due to poor decision making and bad crisis management. So please understand, your success is not entirely predicated on your ability to make plays. It ultimately comes down to what type of person you are both on and off the field and you need to understand what is expected of you.

Like it or not, agree with it or not, you are a role model to others. Your family, your friends, and children in this country and around the world look to elite athletes because of the special talent you have. So remember, to whom much is given, much is expected. That is reality and you have to accept it.

It’s fine to take care of your families and yourself, but be smart about it.

As you transition into your new life and lifestyle, keep the following in mind:

1. Your talent makes you special on the field but it does not make you better than other people. It will afford you many luxuries, but it is not a license to “wild out.” It does not put you above the law. Your life is officially under the microscope and the world is going to watch you grow up, wait for you to screw up, and see how you will react. Look, you’re going to make mistakes. The pressure is going to be tremendous. But if you limit your mistakes to what you do on the field, what you do off of it will enhance your ability to create a post-NFL career while you are in the league.

2. Kill the entourages and eliminate ALL distractions. Don’t assign titles and give jobs to people who have no experience in this arena. I’m not saying cut your crew or cut your boys loose, but make sure they add value to the equation – YOUR equation. You are the sum of the parts here. Build a strong, solid team around you — lawyer, agent, strategic PR/communications team, marketing, financial manager, etc. Trust me, the money you will pay to have solid people in your circle of trust protecting your name and brand, and working in lockstep as a unit, is nothing compared to the amount you will lose if you screw it up.

3. Think about the financial and social mistakes made by other athletes that cost them their fortune, fame and/or freedom. Millions in lost endorsements and salary, prison sentences, financial ruin, social embarrassment, and the untold and often permanent damage to their reputations and don’t be that guy.

4. Stop focusing on the bling, the cars, the homes, the toys, the women, the excess. It’s fine to have a few things, but be smart about it. You do not want to end up like so many others before you when your playing days are over. Enjoy the moment, but start focusing on the future.

5. Understand we see this every day in our line of work and no one is immune. You see, one of the most important aspects of what we do for a living is reputation management and crisis communication. Avoid the pitfalls by being prepared with a solid plan and team in place. And remember, one of the best ways to make sure you keep your reputation intact is simple — do the right thing – all the time.

This is your career gentlemen. This is your future so take the reputation management component as seriously as the on the field aspects of your game. Prepare, focus and eliminate the distractions. You don’t mess around making sure you are prepared to play the game on the field, so don’t play games with your reputation off of it. It’s not worth losing everything you’ve worked for your entire life because it can all come crashing down in a matter of minutes.

Good luck this weekend.

Wesley Mallette is Co-Founder and CEO of Comment Communications (formerly known as Elevation Sports & Entertainment) a strategic communications firm specializing in media training, crisis communications and broadcast training for athletes and sports executives.  A former Division I football player and decathlete, Mallette has led communications efforts for some of the world’s finest brands including MTV Networks, Black Entertainment Television, and Limited Brands, Inc. (Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works).   For more information about Mallette and Comment Communications, please visit here.

We’ve all been in the situation on the golf course where the errant swing takes us where we never wanted to go.  This set of videos by Will Robinson to promote his teaching method was found on YouTube and it is almost the funniest thing I’ve seen in golf – save the swing that put this ball where we found it.  Enjoy!

Check this out:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Will Robinson and his promotional videos on YouTube are hysterical.  The one my friend sent me the link to – involved “7 Ways to Quit the Game of Golf”.  Not only are they funny, they smack of the realism only golfers can appreciate.  He teaches more about how to play good golf by sharing with the audience “what not to do” than most quality instructional videos on the market.

However, we know in sport psychology that focusing on the “target zone” is more effective than riveting one’s attention on what you want to “avoid.”  Hence, Will Robinson is making a name for himself because he is funny, and oh so truthful about what goes on inside the golfer’s mind.  He is also accurate when he speaks to all the psychological precursors to cause one to quit the game completely.  What he doesn’t talk about, though, is the occasional “terrific shot” that keeps you coming back.

Want the Yips? – Check out this one too:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Of course, these comic videos introduce his company which issues the 90 day challenge – complete with the guarantee of improved play at the end.  I don’t know about you, but with such a clear understanding of the psychological precursors contributing to failure on the course – I bet he’s really quite good.  Makes me want to check it out for sure.

This is what he leads you to – and the 90 day challenge.  The most compelling golf promotions I’ve seen to date:

Click here to view the embedded video.

You can to at www.wrgolf.com.