 Negative self-talk log (Due by 2/26 for A Day; 2/27 B Day).  Centered Breathing/Progressive Relaxation Log (Due by March 10 th for A day, 11 th for B day)

On a piece of paper write down detailed directions on how to get to FHS from your house.

 Students share.  Did you draw your directions from pictures in your head?  We use imagery every day. What we want to do is learn to get better at it and to do it with more purpose.  “I just visualize who’s on the mound and more or less have at-bats over and over and over in my head and just sort of make it happen before it happens.” Wade Boggs, New York Yankees (18 years professional baseball player w/ career batting average of.328

Page 77

Using as much detail as possible, write about a time when you lost control during a performance.

Confidence is the goal of the mental game. If you’re not in control of yourself, you aren’t playing with confidence. 1) You can’t control what happens around you, but you can control how you choose to respond. 2) You must be in control of yourself before you can control your performance.

An umpire’s callField conditions Your attitudeThe crowd Your effortYour teammates’ performance Your coachLuck The weatherYour opponent’s ability You getting a hit or scoring a goal, basket, TD, etc. Getting a batter outYour skill execution

 You can do everything right and still fail. Example: You can smash a line drive, but it’s hit right at a fielder. Or throw a great pitch that goes for a base hit. Or have a TD pass intercepted. Like the t-shirt says, “Shit Happens!” *Don’t focus on the outcome. Instead, focus on the process.

 YOU CAN CHOOSE HOW YOU RESPOND TO ANY SITUATION ON OR OFF THE FIELD!  Situation: Imagine you’ve been playing poorly. Example: You’ve had 3 straight bad outings on the mound, you’re 0-for-your-last- 10 at bats or you just made an error that cost your team 2 runs. How do you feel? What are your thoughts about yourself? How do you carry yourself physically?

 Most people would walk around the field with their heads down, thinking bad thoughts about themselves and wondering what will go wrong next.  One of the great things about being a human is the ability to think independently of our surroundings.  Visualization (Imagery): Choosing to think about playing well. Using your senses to create or recreate experiences in your mind.

 The Imagination Principle: The mind does not know the difference between what is real and what is imagined.  Powerful method for creating skill execution.  The more you image a correct performance the more likely you will be to carry out and successfully complete the performance.  WARNING: If you practice incorrect images such as negative experiences or incorrect skill execution then you will have a poor performance.

 Go back to a memory of one of your greatest performance. Do you see yourself performing like you were watching yourself on TV OR do you see what you actually saw while you were performing?  External: Watching a movie about yourself.  Internal: Visualizing what you will see when you’re performing.

 Both views are helpful, but external imagery (watching a movie about yourself) is more helpful when focusing on mechanics.  Internal Imagery is best because you want to simulate what you will actually experience in a game.  Visualization from both perspectives is most beneficial.

 Before, during, and after performances. Any time, any place, any where!  The greatest benefits come when you combine relaxation and imagery. However, you can’t usually stop in the middle of a performance to do minute relaxation exercise.  Triggers.  Focus Externally on a neutral object (Evan Longoria=foul pole).

 Work in as many senses as you can: see the action, feel yourself moving, hear the sounds, smell the smells.  Make your images as vivid and clear as you can.  Use internal imagery more than external imagery.  See yourself doing things well.  See yourself successfully overcoming mistakes, bad calls by the umpire or other forms of “bad luck”.

1. Read “Visualization” article by Coach Dennis Best. 2. Summarize his 8 guidelines onto a 3x5 index card.

1. Must believe it works. 2. Can be used for practice and games. Practice it daily. 3. Practice visualization immediately after using relaxation method. 4. Use both internal and external imagery. External: Mechanics. Internal: Simulating game experience (situations). 5. Visualize realistic expectations. 6. Practice visualization in a quite and comfortable setting. 7. Use all the senses (5): sight, smell, taste, touch, and feel. 8. Visualize your performance and a positive outcome.

 Devote minutes a day to imagery training. Start with skills you already do well, then increase vividness and complexity of your imaging (game situations and strategy). Strive to imagine positive outcomes.  Think about the mindset you want to carry with you into competition, what you need from yourself in order to play great (confident, focused, energized, positive emotional intensity, one play at a time mentality, etc.)  Use both internal and external imagery.  External imagery is more helpful when focusing on mechanics.  Internal Imagery is best because you want to simulate what you will actually experience in a game.  Be vivid and detailed. If possible use all 5 senses: sight, taste, sound, smell, and feeling.

 Choose 1 of the items below to complete daily for 1 week. Keep a log/journal detailing what your experience and your findings. 1. See and feel yourself playing great, executing your skills confidently and effectively (visualize various scenarios such as passing, serving, blocking, digging, spiking – taking big swings at the ball) 2. See/feel yourself reacting to various keys: blocking (“ball setter, ball hitter”), defense (“attitude and footwork”), passing (“anticipate, good platform, make good contact”), hitting (“fly to the ball, hit high, hit hard, hit smart”, serving (“relax, see and feel self making good contact”) 3. See and feel yourself in different situations (ahead in the match, behind in match, playing with great rhythm, timing, aggressiveness, confidence). 4. See and feel yourself in command, in control, playing with great enthusiasm, intensity, passion, and focus. 5. Also, see yourself reacting to mistakes in an emotionally constructive manner (being mentally tough in key situations, withstanding shifts in momentum, dealing with mistakes, etc.).

 In performance: Breathe deep in through the nose. Exhale out your mouth.  Benefits (7): 1) Puts your focus on the present. 2) Enables you to “check in” with yourself to see if you are in control. 3) Helps you get control. 4) Helps release negatives.

5) Energizes you when you are feeling sluggish. 6) Helps you shift from conscious thinking to “unconscious” trusting. 7) Helps establish a sense of rhythm in your performance.

 The term “Choke” is derived from the fact that nervousness often makes the muscles in our shoulders, neck and chest tighten, resulting in short, shallow and rapid breathing. This leads to our muscles tightening up.  Making a conscious effort to breathe deeply and fully helps you relax and directly counters the conditions that lead to “choking” on the field.

 RELEASE YOURSELF  Flushing the Toilet  Examples:  Deep Breath  Cleaning the dirt/rubber  Wiping away the past  Pinching the grass  Focus on an object  Throwing the cup away

 The “Heads-up” player CHOOSES what to think about instead of leaving his thoughts- which largely determines how he/she plays-to CHANCE.  Self-Control will allow you to play one pitch, snap, possession, etc at a time. (Playing in the moment)