Effects of Sport Psychology Training

 
Before sport psychology training:
"Before your sessions I use to be very aggressive and could only bat 35 overs… In the past I have scored 99 and 49.”
 
After sport psychology training:

"Last week I scored 143. Now, on two occasions, I've batted all 50 overs in one day matches. I now know how to manage problems,
better... My concentration is now better… I also have more patience now. I have more confidence now due to you.”

 
Chamari Athapaththu
Vice-Captain, Sri Lanka womens’ national cricket team, Colombo, Sri Lanka

 

 

 
Before sport psychology training:
"We had a series against Pakistan and for the last seven matches I was only scoring 0, 1, 2, 6, 15, 0, and 20 runs."
 
After sport psychology training:

"Then I saw you and scored 91 runs in my next match. I'm more patient now I usually get seven hours sleep, but the night before
that match I got nine hours sleep due to what we were talking about. It was amazing. I could handle the pressure situations and
with more patience. I had a lot of concentration and so was able to stay longer at the crease.
I faced 142 balls to get these runs."

 
Salinda Ushah
Sri Lanka Under 19 National Cricketer, Colombo, Sri Lanka

 

 

 
After sport psychology training:

"The boys are doing well and we can see a huge impact after your training programme. We thrashed Singapore 3 - 0 in an annual
series and also won 5 - 0 against the Combined District Team, Sri Lanka…. I can see the changes. After doing many individual
sessions with you I feel much better. It made a big impact on me. I work with colleagues better now."

 

Dinesh Muthuraman
Development Manager, Malaysia Cricket Association, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

 

 

 

 

Sport Psychology Training Topics

(Each Training Session = 1 hour)

 

CHANGE:  
Session 1 Improving performance by increasing mental toughness and happiness (and Paperclip 1)
Session 2 Why you resist change
Session 3 How people change
Session 4 First technique to overcome resistance to change
Session 5 Next 5 techniques to overcome resistance to change
Session 6 Last 3 techniques to overcome resistance to change
Session 7 How to increase happiness

 

NESTS:  
Session 8 Health and NESTS
Session 9 Sleep
Session 10 How to improve sleep
Session 11 Social support
Session 12 How to improve social support
Session 13 Nutrition
Session 14 Exercise

 

MENTAL STRENGTH:
Session 15 There is no such thing as stress
Session 16 The fear response
Session 17 The long-term impact of cortisol
Session 18 Hardiness
Session 19 The importance of confidence
Session 20 How to increase confidence
Session 21 Mental toughness

 

TEAM LEGACY:
Session 22 Think big
Session 23 Principles of goal-setting, vision statements, and mission statements
Session 24 Athletes form small groups and brainstorm vision statement, mission statement, and values
Session 25 Athletes write and practice 2-minute speeches
Session 26 Question your values (Responsible, passion, and tolerance)
Session 27 More questioning of your values (Beauty, decency, and support)
Session 28 Final questioning of your values (Respect, restraint, and humanity)
Session 29 Athletes present 2-minute speeches
Session 30 Management team construct draft vision statement, mission statement, and values
Session 31 Management team construct vision statement, mission statement, and values
Session 32 Squad discuss and revise vision statement, mission statement, and values
Session 33 Squad discuss, revise, and agree on vision statement, mission statement, and values

 

POSITIVE FOCUS:
Session 34 Conscientiousness (and Paperclip 2)
Session 35 How to be more proactive
Session 36 Psychological flow
Session 37 Diaphragmatic breathing
Session 38 Progressive muscular relaxation
Session 39 Meditation
Session 40 Concentration (and Paperclip 3)

 

NOISE:
Session 41 Neuroticism
Session 42 Optimism
Session 43 Internal locus of control
Session 44 Self-esteem
Session 45 Extroversion
Session 46 NOISE sentence
Session 47 NOISE affirmation

 

PERFECT TEAMMATE:
Session 48 Ideal teammate features at individual training sessions and group training sessions
Session 49 Ideal teammate features before matches, during matches, and after matches
Session 50 Ideal teammate features away from the squad and away from sport
Session 51 Draft Ideal Teammate Statement
Session 52 Ideal Teammate Statement

 

ROUTINES:
Session 53 Rumination
Session 54 Thought Stoppage
Session 55 Mental imagery
Session 56 Mental imagery and individualised goal-setting
Session 57 Combining mental imagery with individualised goal -setting
Session 58 Thriving Habit
Session 59 Routines (and Paperclip 4)

 

CHOICES:
Session 60 How external factors make bad choices likely
Session 61 How we create our own bad choices
Session 62 Techniques to help you make good choices
Session 63 More techniques to help you make good choices
Session 64 Final set of techniques to help you make good choices
Session 65 Core beliefs and automatic thoughts
Session 66 Automatic thoughts change record

 

 

 

 

IF THESE ATHLETES ARE CORRECT:

 

"So much of cricket is psychological."
(Malcolm Marshall, West Indies Cricketer)

 

"Cricket is a game that obviously requires talent, but... the formula for success comes from strength of mind."
(Steve Waugh, Captain, Australian Cricket Team)

 

"I think ability is a 10 to 20 per cent requirement, you need 80 to 90 per cent mental strength."
(Glenn McGrath, Australian Cricketer)

 

"The mental part is the hardest part, and I think that’s what separates the good players from the great players."
(Michael Jordan, Chicago Bulls Basketballer)

 

"If we all trained our minds as much as we are training our muscles and physical body, I think we would achieve and maximise our potential."
Novak Djokovic (Tennis player)

 

THEN IT MAKES SENSE TO TRAIN MENTALLY EVERY DAY!
AND TRAIN WITH THE VERY BEST SPORT PSYCHOLOGIST!

 

 

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Will you ask me about my childhood and my problems?

I use an educational approach. I teach you the best research findings and the most effective techniques. I don’t need to know about any of your problems and weaknesses. If you truly want to work on improving them and think I can help, then I am more than willing to help you, but if you are not ready to change, let alone admit your failings, then I don’t need to know anything about you. I will help you become a more successful athlete by helping you become mentally tougher and happier. To do that, I don’t need to know anything about you.

 

What are your sessions like?

Professional, with a serious intent, fun, and ideally one hour in length.

 

What is your best piece of advice?
Ask yourself three questions and then follow one suggestion:
Question 1: What percentage of success in your sport comes from psychological things (and what percentage comes from everything else)?
(Most athletes tell me the psychological things account for more than 50% of success)
Question 2: How many hours per day do you train?
Question 3: What percentage of your training is psychological training with a trained sport psychologist?
(Most athletes tell me their answer is “zero percent”)
Suggestion: Train psychologically with as much intensity as you train physically (on-time, alert, no cell-phones, focused)