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| NFL coach Pete Carroll employs visualization to help his players succeed. (Photo: BleacherReport.net) |
My 9-year-old son is a heck of a basketball player. One of the best in his house league, he was selected to play on an all-star team that competed in a youth tournament hosted at the Comcast Center at the University of Maryland.
In their first game they faced off against one of
the top U9 teams from the state of West Virginia. The opponents were just as tall, just as
athletic and more skilled. It took my son
an entire half to get over the shock of this level of competition and actually
get comfortable on the court.
Each rung of the competitive ladder requires an athlete
to adjust in order to achieve success.
Plus, once a player reaches a high level of competition (i.e. travel teams,
high school ball, college and (even) professional) the difference between
win/loss becomes increasingly influenced by mental toughness.
That’s where positive visualization and hypnosis can
help. In an environment comprised of
physically gifted and skilled equals, a mental edge is absolutely critical.
The NFL’s Seattle Seahawks subscribe to this. Take a moment to read this article
published by ESPN.com entitled Lotus Pose on Two. It describes how coach Pete Carroll has
integrated meditation, visualization and yoga into the team’s practice and
preparation regimen to promote well-being and enhance performance.
NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson is also a
believer. In his book Eleven
Rings: the Soul of Success, he outlines
the use of self-hypnosis by the Chicago Bulls to facilitate performance on the
court and foster team cohesion.
During the past few years, I have shared
self-hypnosis and visualization with a number
of athletes as they have transitioned to higher levels of competition. Additionally, I have taught hypnosis as a
tool to manage
injury recovery.
I encourage you to keep an open mind when it comes to
alternative approaches to athletic performance and success.
