• The mindful athlete: Can mindfulness really improve performance?

    You may or may not have come across the concept of Mindfulness before. You might have heard about sports coaches encouraging their athletes to adopt mindfulness practices, or maybe you’ve heard about athletes learning and practicing meditation as part of their training. But what exactly is this thing called Mindfulness, and can it really improve sporting performance?

  • The problem with Mental Toughness

    Everyone loves a bit of mental toughness. Coaches will often tell you they only want athletes who are mentally TOUGH. Athletes strive to develop their mental STRENGTH. Sports journalists write and debate about which athletes are mentally TOUGHER than others. In fact, mental toughness has become one of the most commonly used phrases in sports. I should point out here that I have no…

  • Intensity & effort: Psychology of the 2015 NBA playoffs – conference finals

    In the 2015 NBA Conference Finals, both the Cavaliers and the Warriors had commanding 3-0 leads over the Hawks and the Rockets. No team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a series, with only 3 teams managing to force a Game 7.

  • The Last Second Shot: Psychology of the 2015 NBA Playoffs – Round 2

    If the first round of the 2015 NBA PLayoffs was all about dealing with the weight of expectation, for me, the Conference Semi-Finals were about pressure moments. During this round we saw several examples of individual players stepping up to the mark and delivering in the face of extreme pressure.

  • Don’t Let Expectation Weigh You Down!

    I love the NBA and, for me, the first round of the playoffs is all about expectations. Some teams have high expectations for themselves, while other teams have expectations placed upon them. Either way, these expectations can weigh heavy upon teams, and sometimes, on individual players. Some were able to shed this weight of expectation…

  • Psychology of the NBA Playoffs: One Round at a Time!

    Rewind Last year, during the NBA Final Series between the San Antonio Spurs and the then LeBronified Miami Heat, I wanted to write about some of the more mental aspects of the game that came up. I tried to pick out an interesting story or highlight from each game, something that I thought related back to…

  • Decisions, Decisions! How the Seahawks Lost Superbowl XLIX.

    The Seattle Seahawks could have won their second straight Superbowl. They should have won their second straight. They should have beaten the New England Patriots in Feb, 2015, but instead they had to walk off the field, close, but cigar-less. They could have won, but for a decision that had pretty much everyone who was watching saying…

  • Psychology of the NBA Finals: Game 5

    Well that’s it! The 2014 NBA Finals are over and it was the San Antonio Spurs who put last year’s defeat emphatically behind them, and prevented the Miami Heat from winning their third straight Championship, or “threepeating” if you will. I don’t think anyone expected the Spurs to win in 5 Games and I certainly don’t…

  • Psychology of the NBA Finals: Game 4

    San Antonio took Game 3 in dramatic fashion to lead the series 2-1. They hit 19 of their first 21 shots, they scored 41 in the 1st quarter, and they had 71 by half-time! It was always an uphill struggle for the Heat, but the Spurs won by being aggressive and doing their thing, especially…

  • Psychology of the NBA Finals: Game 3

    The series was tied 1-1 going into Game 3 in Miami. The Spurs had managed to do a better job of not being distracted by the literally uncontrollable temperature in Game 1, and Danny Green came through with some Short Memory Shooting in the 4th quarter. In Game 2, another uncontrollable factor, the referees, left…