Mental Skills for Young Athletes
FOREWORD by Wayne Gretzky
There is a lot more to becoming a great athlete than just the obvious. Naturally, you must spend a lot of hours working on your skills. One must be obviously technically sound, always in the best shape possible, and mentally prepared to perform at your best. For some athletes the mental side of sports comes very naturally. For others, countless hours of hard work go into mentally preparing for their sport. Especially at world class level, all athletes are on a pretty even playing field. I believe, the athletes that excel are a little bit stronger mentally.
In John Hogg's book, he will guide you through the best possible ways to strengthen your mental toughness. You will discover something new to work on each time you read the book. So take the time to read this great book of information and each time you play or practice your sport, try and put these skills into place.
This is a start for you to be a better and complete athlete.
Enjoy the journey to success, but most of all work hard and have a lot of fun.
Good Luck.
Your Friend.
Wayne Gretzky 99
Wayne Gretzky - superstar among athletes.
The winner of 4 Stanley Cups and 61 National Hockey League records including:
- Hart Memorial Trophy (Regular Season Most Valuable Player): 1980-1987; 1989.
- Art Ross Trophy (Regular Season Scoring Champion): 1980-1987; 1990-91; 1994.
- Conn Smythe Trophy (Stanley Cup Playoffs MVP): 1985, 1988.
- Lester B. Pearson Award (NHL's Outstanding Player as selected by the Players): 1982-85 , 1987.
- Lady Byng Memorial Trophy (Most Gentlemanly Player): 1980:91:92:94.
- Emery Edge Award (Best Plus-Minus Rating): 1984-85; 1987.
- Chrysler-Dodge/NHL Performer of the Year: 1985-1987.
- Lester Patrick Trophy: 1994.
- All time leading goal scorer.
- Helped Canada to 3 Canada Cup Championships in 1984, 1987 and 1991.
- Husband to Janet and father to Paulina, Ty and Trevor.
AUTHOR'S PREFACE
For some time now I have been trying to find time to write this book for you. I really believe that the earlier you learn to improve the mental aspects of your performance the more likely you will be to reach your potential as a successful athlete, and the more satisfied you will be with your performance efforts.
There is a tendency to separate the mind and the body. But the physical and the mental are interconnected. For a balanced performance you must try to develop the technical, physical, tactical and mental components together. However, I invite you to examine and reflect on the powers of your own mind and what great strengths you have hidden there. Remember to get to the next level of performance, it may be necessary to make some changes. Train your mind to be tougher, stronger, and more flexible. Set about making these changes right now.
Hopefully the content of this book will help you get to the next level. Read and reread its pages carefully, and perform the exercises diligently and patiently. This will help you sow the seeds in order for you to reap the obvious rewards later and especially when you are ready. Although the skills are presented in sequence you don't necessarily have to follow the suggested order. Rather work at what you feel you need now. Take charge and direct yourself. Discuss important points with your coach or parents and search the meaning of things for yourself. Persist with the tasks, use the lessons learned and include them into your daily training sessions.
Start the journey with our animal friends. Feel free to write or Email me to let me know how things are going. I know you can do a good job. I hope I have provided you with the opportunity to make a start on your mental skills training.
You can consider yourself successful if, after working at this program, you are more aware of the mental skills, know when and how to use them, and are actually using them both in sport and in life. This investment in time will provide you with greater performance satisfaction. Finally, here is a challenge for you. Write a story about a mental skill you feel is important using our animal friends by way of illustration. Then be sure to send it to me. Good luck in your future performances.
Sincerely in sport,
John M. Hogg
Dedication:
This book is dedicated to my wife Sally, and our children, Duncan, Sarah and Lucy.
January 1997
position of Head Swim Coach at the University of Alberta and was privileged to work with many successful teams from 1975 to 1988. In 1990, John was appointed a full Professor at the University of Alberta, teaching sport psychology and performance enhancement both at the undergraduate and graduate levels.
"I am both delighted and honored to receive the 2015 Geoff Gowan Award. Geoff was instrumental in persuading me as a young national swim coach in Great Britain to come to Canada in 1974 as part of the '76 Olympic Games preparations. He pointed out the many benefits of making huge leap to new challenges in a new country and made me promise to make a serious contribution to the education of swim coaches, something I tried to do with his continued encouragement and support along the way," commented Dr. Hogg. His expertise, particularly in the area of mental preparation and performance psychology, led to many invitations, both as a clinician and as a motivational speaker, all over the world at major conferences, seminars, and congresses. He has also published extensively both in research and popular journals and served as mentor to many young, aspiring coaches.
Since retiring from the University of Alberta in 2003 and relocating to British Columbia, he continues to offer his expertise to performers, individual athletes, teams, coaches, parents, and officials in a variety of sports at the developmental and elite levels throughout the province. He presents regularly at coaches conferences both in Alberta and British Columbia.
Previous winners of the Geoff Gowan Award:
- 2014: Robert Kierstead, Shooting
- 2013: Dennis Marineau, Bobsleigh & Hiroshi Nakamura, Judo
- 2012: Victor Zilberman, Wrestling & David Hart, Water Polo.
- 2011: Allison McNeill, Basketball & Dr. Eric Broom, Field Hockey
- 2010: Dr. Dru Marshall, Field Hockey & Lyle Sanderson, Athletics
- 2009: Tim Frick, Wheelchair Basketball & Keith Russell, Gymnastics
- 2008: Douglas Leigh, Figure Skating
- 2007: Andy Higgins, Athletics
- 2006: Clare Drake, Ice Hockey
- 2005: Charles Cardinal, Volleyball
- 2004: Donald Dion, Diving
- 2003: Marilyn Savage, Artistic Gymnastics
- 2002: Al Morrow, Rowing
- 2000: Doug Clement, Athletics
- 1999: Jack Donohue, Basketball