Whenever young athletes encounter performance issues, like a hitting slump, they immediately assume it's a physical issue. Their solution is to have more time in the batting cage, more swing drills, and more lessons from the local instructors. While understandable, a physical issue should not always be an automatic assumption.
It takes more than talent to reach full potential. Young athletes also need to be mindful of their mental state. Their mindset--how they respond to the inevitable pressure, recover from setbacks, manage emotions, and maintain confidence--directly affects performance. Outside pressures can influence both performance and enjoyment. Expectations to win, comparisons with peers, demands from coaches or family, and perceived consequences of failure all play a part in performance. Mental training and mindfulness should be essential parts of every athlete's development, not treated as afterthoughts.
This book encourages readers to become aware of and recognize psychological factors such as negative bias, thought chatter, mental static' and the nocebo effect in order to understand how such factors can interfere with an athlete's performance to undermine their success.
Coach Hobby's writing comes from real sports moments, notable athletes, and memorable events and shows how attitude, emotional control, confidence, and discipline shape both performance and character. Using an evidence-based approach that draws on insights from sports psychologists and published research in addition to his own experiences, Coach Hobby breaks down complex sports psychology concepts into clear and easy to understand ways.
Written to be read at the reader's own pace, chapters can be read individually in any order according to what resonates with the reader. While several articles focus on softball and baseball, the guidance and resources contained within are valuable to all team sports. More than a set of reflections and observations, "Your Mindset + Skills = Performance" is a practical, credible guide for athletes, coaches, and parents.