Sport Psychology Tips for Peak
Performance and Sailing Retention
Richard D. Ginsburg, Ph.D.
Co-author, Whose Game Is It, Anyway?
Mass General Hospital/Harvard Medical School
Performance and Character Excellence in Sport
(PACES) Institute
Newton Wellesley Hospital
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Key Ingredients to Great Leadership
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Show love for sailing & kids
Be guided by your values and ethics
Coach to the age of your sailor
Be transparent
Be flexible
Create partnerships with your sailors
Stay within yourself
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Peak Performance
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Relaxed
Effortless
Focused in the moment
Positive
Confident
Fearless
In the Zone
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Sport Psychology Skills
• Goal Setting
• Arousal Control
• Concentration
• Visualization
• Self-Talk
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Fear of Failure
• Elite athlete dilemma
• Pete Rose’s advice
• Longest NCAA championship winning streak
• High school athletics
• Higher goals
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Building Resilience
Youth
Fun
Safety
Friendship
Elementary
SHARPP-
Spirit
Hustle
Attention
Respect
Positive
Practice
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Resilience in High School & Beyond
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Integrity
Effort
Dedication
Compassion
Selflessness
Drive
Patience
Self-Discovery
Fun
- Loyalty
- Perseverance
- Teamwork
- Resilience
- Discipline
- Commitment
- Respect
- Collaboration
- Creativity
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Who are we coaching/mentoring?
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What does an emotionally healthy
12-year-old look like? (Ages 6-12)
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Established Friendships
Has Multiple Interests
Avoids Specialization
Increases Frustration Tolerance
Experiences Huge Variation in Skills
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Elementary School Tips
• Competition is second place
• Instruction is brief
• Instruction is positively framed
• Roles are varied
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
What does an emotionally healthy
18-year-old look like? (Ages 13-18)
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Growing Sense of Identity
Awareness of Strengths and Limitations
Move Away from Parents toward Peers
Integrating Sexuality
Can Think about Thinking!
Increased Sense of the Needs of Others
Increased Capacity to Manage Emotions
Humility
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Adolescent and Young Adult Tips
• Solidify roles
• Simplify
• Utilize and normalize failure
• Celebrate growth
• Remember development
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Differences Between Coaching Boys and Girls
• Boys are more competitive, aggressive and confident
• Girls are more team-oriented, collaborative & coachable
• Girls may care more about relationships than outcomes
– Social cohesion vs. task cohesion
• Girls internalize mistakes; boys externalize them, which
greatly influences how they respond to criticism
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Take Home Tips
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Use 5:1 ratio at least
Incorporate accurate praise
Pose criticisms as positive suggestions
Follow up
Be sensitive to sailor differences
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
Take Home Tips
• Show your passion
• Assign valued roles
• Remember your values
• Attend to age differences
• Stay within yourself
www.whosegameisitanyway.com
www.whosegameisitanyway.com