Pre-Season Mental Preparation: How to Mentally Prepare for the Season as an Athlete
The summer is ending and the school and sport seasons are upon us. My kids are entering into hockey camps to prepare for their season. I reminisce (as a former athlete and professional coach) about my training camps in August to prepare for the season both mentally and physically. I am going in to speak to many teams and working with athletes to help them mentally prepare for pre-season and the season. This is a fun startup stage of the sports seasons, but it can also bring up a lot of nerves! I know I used to really get nervously excited before training camps, pre season, and tryouts. So, I wanted to unpack this relevant topic of how athletes can mentally prepare for the pre-season, training camps, tryouts and the season ahead– and how parents of athletes can help support them.
Pre Season Mental Preparation for Athletes
Athletes Benefit from Mental Coaching When They:
- Can’t take practice skills to competition consistently.
- Have lost confidence and don’t know how to get it back.
- Are in a slump and don’t know how to improve.
- Want to just get the mental edge.
- Want to perform more consistently.
- Want to have more fun and feel less pressure!
How to Mentally Prepare for the Pre-Season as an Athlete:
Mentally preparing for preseason sports involves several key strategies that can help you enter the season focused, motivated, and ready to perform. Here are some steps you can take:
- Set Clear Goals: Define what you want to achieve during the preseason and the upcoming season. These could be performance goals, skill improvements, or personal milestones. Having clear, specific objectives helps you stay focused and motivated.
- Visualize Success: Spend time visualizing your performance in games and practices. Imagine yourself executing skills successfully, making good decisions, and overcoming challenges. This mental rehearsal can boost your confidence and prepare you for real-life scenarios.
- Develop a Routine: Establish a pre-season routine that includes physical training, skill development, and mental conditioning. Consistency helps build habits and prepares you mentally for the demands of the season.
- Manage Stress: Learn and practice stress management techniques such as deep breathing, mindfulness, or progressive muscle relaxation. Managing stress effectively will help you stay calm and focused during games and practices.
- Embrace the Process: Understand that preseason is a time for building up to peak performance. Focus on the process and improvements rather than just the outcomes. Celebrate small victories and progress along the way.
- Stay Positive: Cultivate a positive mindset by focusing on what you can control and maintaining a can-do attitude. Surround yourself with supportive teammates, coaches, and friends who uplift and encourage you.
- Build Resilience: Prepare yourself to handle setbacks and challenges. Develop a growth mindset where you view obstacles as opportunities to learn and grow rather than as failures.
- Seek Feedback: Regularly seek feedback from coaches and peers. Use this feedback to make adjustments and improvements, and view it as a tool for growth rather than criticism.
- Maintain Balance: Ensure that you balance your sports commitments with other aspects of your life. Good mental preparation also involves maintaining healthy relationships, managing academic or work responsibilities, and ensuring adequate rest and recovery.
- Stay Engaged: Keep yourself engaged and enthusiastic about the sport. Find ways to stay motivated, whether through setting new challenges, exploring different aspects of the sport, or staying connected with the sport’s community.
By integrating these strategies into your preparation routine, you’ll be better equipped to handle the mental demands of preseason and set yourself up for a successful season.
What I like to do is help athletes with a personalized mental preparation plan they can use for pre-season, tryouts, training camp, and the season: