Why Do We Need Mental Skills Training?
by
Chris Michaels, Ph.D. & Nick Molinaro, Ed.D.
Licensed and Sport Psychologists
Calls come out from the crowd and the dugout, “C’mon Bill focus out there”! “Phillip,
shake it off and bear down”! “Remember where you go with the ball Sarah”! These
chants, and more, can be heard in every game and at every level. They all involve
implementing skill sets of the mind that will translate to the execution of skill sets of the
body. But have these skills of the mind been trained? In the field of sport psychology,
there is no topic discussed more than the mind-body connection; how training the mind
enhances performance of the body.
Many people are familiar with the drills associated with developing the physical skills
and mechanics of a baseball or softball player. And many are even familiar with why
those drills are important and what game situation they simulate. But how many are
familiar with mental skills training associated with improving focus, re-centering after an
error, attention training, or implementing a mental pre-pitch routine?
In order to clearly demonstrate why it is important to train in mental skills you must
allow us to delve for just a moment into neurobiology – please don’t leave – this will be
interesting. The human brain is made up of an estimated 100 billion neurons. From the
day we are born these neurons make connections with one another as we experience
learning and memory. The strength of those connections is based on the repetition of the
steps of learning, for example walking, reading, and driving. Each time we get into the
car to drive, we don’t think about how to do it. We may consider other factors such as
directions or road conditions, but basic driving is automatic.
The skill we see in the performance of professional and collegiate baseball and softball
players often appears natural, almost effortless. Let’s think about how a player’s physical
skills come about. Yes, practice. And with each practice of that particular skill there are
new and stronger neural connections made. So when a hitter takes a pitch to the opposite
field, it is the result of continued practice which results in the neural route for that skill
being well paved. It is automatic. What is mistakenly referred to as muscle memory, is
actually neural memory. The shortstop’s ability to get the ball out of his or her glove and
make a quick release to first is a function of a strong neural connection executed by the
body.
Mental skills serve the same function. Mental skills training is not only a psychological
process; it also creates a physical change in the brain. These physical changes in the brain
translate to changes in the player’s abilities to focus, to execute through visualization, to
eliminate distractions, and exercise more control of thoughts. Similar to the player who is
able to skillfully hit behind the runner, we see the player who is able to execute under the
pressure of a two strike count or put aside the disappointment of a bad call. How does a
player make an error in the top of an inning and then lead off the bottom of the inning
with a hit? This involves a mental toughness to reset the mind to the competitive frame.
Mental skills, like physical skills, need to be learned and practiced in order for them to be
automatic and performed seamlessly. A skilled hitter does not think during the execution
of his or her swing because the act has been practiced over and over with situations in
mind. Mental skills become available to the player with the same practice. With practice
comes the paving of neural connections that make actions more easily accessed.
Some examples of mental skills include:
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Goal setting
Reduction of negative thoughts/ Self-Talk
Resetting after an error or disappointing performance
Emotional management
Achieving optimal arousal control
Pre-pitch routine
Situation play/Simulated Practice
Increasing Attention/Reducing distraction
Q:
I saw your brochures at Diamond Nation. I’ve heard of sport psychology and
was wondering if you only see players who have serious emotional problems that
affect their game. My daughter is a good softball player but recently has been
having confidence problems with her fielding.
- Jef
f
G.
A:
Thank you for writing Jeff. It’s a good question and probably one that others
have asked themselves. Sometimes people see that we are sport psychologists and
assume that we see only athletes who are “troubled” or who have major problems
affecting their game. Actually it’s the opposite. Most of the athletes we see fall into
two categories; one are those that are challenged by issues on the field related to
focus, performance anxiety, attention, motivation issues or those struggling with
confidence like you describe your daughter. The other category is made up of
athletes who just want to improve their skills - not so dissimilar from taking extra
batting or fielding practice, except it’s training the mind.
Typically, when a player experiences a drop in confidence it is because there has
been an experience of disappointment, perhaps a mental or physical error. Your
daughter’s confidence concerns with her fielding can be addressed in a variety of
ways; imagery, centering, and pre-pitch routine.
Imagery or visualization is universally viewed as an effective way to improve
athletic performance. Imagery implies experiencing in the mind the skill that you
would like to execute successfully, vividly with all five senses. The ability of the
athlete to control the image, that is to imagine it successfully, is very important. One
method using imagery is to recreate in the mind past fielding successes while
utilizing as many senses as possible.
Centering is a skill that involves both physical and cognitive control. It involves
taking one deep breath and instructing the mind with two or three words that put
you in the correct frame for your execution. Everyone’s words are personal to them
and their task. We have heard many, e.g. “my time”, “here and now”, “fleet feet”,
“I’ve done this”, “fast hands”. We advise practicing this using imagery for different
situations and find centering words. If the mind is relaxed and centered, the body
will follow.
The pre-pitch routine involves the physical and mental preparation that the fielder
employs before each pitch. Physical preparation involves ensuring that the body is
not tight, the knees are soft, and the player is centered. Mental preparation
encompasses awareness of relevant factors such as the game situation, pitcher and
hitter tendencies, knowledge of one’s range, field conditions, and the sense of
anticipation.
As noted in today’s column, all of these skills must be practiced to become
automatic. The athlete does not want to have to say to themselves in a game, “okay
it’s time to do my pre-pitch routine” or “now let me do the centering steps”. These
skills can be practiced off the field through imagery and on the field in practice and
drill situations. We hope that your daughter finds these ideas helpful.
If you’d like further information on applied sport psychology or if you have a question
you would like us to respond to in Diamond Nation Magazine, please feel free to
contact us at Vantage Sport Psychology Group.
Chris Michaels, Ph.D. (dr.chris@vantagesportspsychology.com
- 973-984-7510)
Nick Molinaro, Ed.D. (dr.nick@vantagesportspsychology.com
- 973-543-0808)