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ATHLETES NEED TO KNOW WHEN TO DO THEIR BEST
The thrill of victory and the agony of
defeat; anyone who has participated in sports has experienced these
emotions. But in many cases we remember the hardships rather than the
successes.
The error heard around the world. . .Boston first-baseman Bill Buckner’s fielding miscue against the New York Mets is said to be the main reason why the Red Sox lost the World Series in 1986. “Not a day goes by that I don’t think about it,” said Buckner. “To be that close to the epitome of what you play the game for, and to see it slip away the way it did.” How about Jean Van de Velde blowing a three-shot lead entering the final hole at the 1999 British Open Golf Championship. The reason for his collapse is blamed on a combination of ill-advised shot selection and bad luck. Many athletes do their best during practice and find that they “choke” during competition. Choking is defined as a decrease in performance due to too much perceived stress. Remember, stress lives in your mind; it isn’t the external situation that causes stress, but the way we think about the situation that creates feelings of anxiety. |
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If it happens to you, take heart, health information writer and researcher Elizabeth Quinn outlines some simple steps you can take to overcome “choking.” BEFORE THE EVENT, understand that pre-race jitters are normal and accept them. Don’t fight the nervous energy you feel and don’t misinterpret it as fear. Prepare mentally and physically. Allow a few minutes to visualize yourself doing everything right. DURING THE EVENT, focus on the task at hand, rather than the outcome. Stay present in the moment; avoid thinking too far into the event. Focus on your breathing and the ultimate goal. Banish negative thoughts. AFTER THE EVENT, recall the things you did well. |
Focus on actions, thoughts and behaviors that helped you perform.
Acknowledge, but quickly dismiss, things that hindered your performance.
Remember that “choking” can be dealt with if you’re aware of the pattern of negative thoughts that snowball before and during competition. If you find yourself thinking negative thoughts, acknowledge them and let them go. Focus on your breathing and play as if you’re enjoying it.
There is hope; things can turn out the way you want them to. Speed skater Dan Jansen was the heavy favorite to take home the gold in both the 500- and 1,000- meter events in 1998. On the day he was to compete in the 500, his sister died from leukemia. Less than 10 seconds into the race, he fell, slid off the track and was eliminated. Three days later, at the 1,000-meter event, he fell again. Four years later, he tried again, but it was not meant to be. Jansen entered the 1994 Games in Norway, figuring it would be his last chance for Olympic gold. Three hundred meters into the 500-meter event, Jansen lost his balance coming around a turn and dragged his hand on the ice. . .and finished in eighth place. He would have just one more shot. The 1,000 meters was his final race; Jansen crossed the finish line in 1:12.43, good not only for his first gold medal, but also for a world record.
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Sports Scholarships A landmark academic reform package
has been put together by the NCAA that is expected to dramatically improve the
academic results of student-athletes and holds schools and sports teams accountable
for it's implementation.
The University Athletic Association (UAA)
is a member athletic conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Div. III. Member
colleges are situated in Georgia, Missouri, Illinois, Massachusetts,
Missouri, Pennsylvania Ohio and New York.
Leading research scientists are saying that the
detection of EPO and HGH abuse is quite difficult because they appear only in very
very small quantities in body fluids. EPO increases oxygen uptake to the working
muscles, and HGH improves muscle growth.
Despite some stories to the contrary, sport and
Physical Education in schools
remains popular with the majority of young people. Sport helps to motivate
many young people, and, for some, provides opportunities for success that
are not achievable in other aspects of their lives.
The results of the first survey of
young disabled people's
participation in, and attitudes towards, sport have just been
revealed in a report. Young people
with physical, learning, sensory, and/or multiple disabilities
between the ages of 6 - 16 were surveyed.
Americans who are wondering just how much physical activity is enough may
find an answer in the Physical Activity Pyramid. A simple guide to
prescription for physical activity, the program includes some information
that individuals may not be including in their exercise assessment.
The external nasal dilator works by increasing the area of the nasal
passages, therefore decreasing resistance to airflow during nasal breathing.
It does not alter the resistive components of the total work of breathing by
the respiratory muscles, so there is no mechanism to redirect energy to the locomotor
muscles and increase performance.
Head athletic trainer Thomas Probst and
assistant athletic trainer Keith Dugger of the Colorado Rockies have been
voted Major League Training
Staff of the Year by the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers
Society.
National YMCA experts recommend that
winter is the time to enroll in
strength training programs at your local YMCA.
Publishing
a website for your individual athletic and academic profile may sound
time consuming and difficult. It's not.
Many of the ISP's, ( Internet Service Providers ), such as AT&T
and AOL offer free web hosting for their users as well as easy to use
web site tools and templates.
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