This document provides an overview of chapters from a book on closing the performance gap. It discusses commitment to excellence, confidence, focus, controlling distractions, routines, and getting in the "zone." Key points include the importance of commitment, ways to build confidence like past success and positive self-talk, maintaining focus in the present moment, and controlling internal and external distractions. Exercises are presented to practice and improve focus, such as focusing on specific objects or numbers.

1. Closing the GapSection 2: Confidence & Focus Factors Chapter 6: Commitment to Excellence Chapter 7: Confidence Chapter 8: Focus Chapter 9: Controlling Distractions Chapter 10: The Power of Routines Chapter 11: Get into the “Zone”

4. Commitment to team.

5. Commitment to teammates (relationships )

6. Commitment to your sport.There are NEVER any guarantees (remember uncontrollables?), but, commitment gives you the best chance to be successful.

7. Closing the gapChapter 6: Commitment to Excellence How can you tell if someone is committed? Are they invested in the preparation? Watch them train/prepare. Is the intensity/effort there? Is it consistent?

8. Closing the gapChapter 6: Commitment to Excellence The Big 8 of Commitment 1. Accept Criticism. No need to be defensive or be apologetic. Learn from the “critique”. Stay positive. 2. Don’t be afraid to fail. Let it fly! Do something…don’t let perfection hold you back. “ A good plan, violently excecuted today, is better than a perfect plan executed next week.” General George S. Patton 3. Maintain Composure Be the master of your feelings…the major controllable. 4. Set Specific Daily Goals. Have a plan and look to accomplish something. Be better today than yesterday!

9. Closing the gapChapter 6: Commitment to Excellence The Big 8 of Commitment 5. Mentally Prepare before practice. Take some time to focus and be thoughtful. A mental warm up. 6. Commit to Rest Correctly. It’s not always about the hard work. You need both rest and work. 7. Learn Something from Everything. Even negative experiences can present teachable moments. It’s easy to be negative…can you get past the temper tantrum? 8. Stay Positive. Negative thoughts and emotions will hurt you more than help you. Being in a positive state gives you the best chance to perform well and find solutions when faced with obstacles. Believe it.

10. Closing the gapChapter 6: Commitment to Excellence Class & Journal Activity: Partner Up. Outline or make some “bullet points” & make a 30-60 second TV public service commercial for one of the Big 8 of Commitment. This can be for radio or television (audio or video). The Big 8 of Commitment 1. Mentally Prepare before practice. 2. Commit to Rest Correctly. 3. Learn Something from Everything. 4. Stay Positive. 5. Accept Criticism. 6. Don’t be afraid to fail. 7. Maintain Composure 8. Set Specific Daily Goals.

11. Closing the gapChapter 7: Confidence “It’s a lack of faith that makes people afraid of meeting challenges, and I believe in myself” - Muhammad Ali

12. Closing the gapChapter 7: Confidence If you don’t have confidence, you’ll always find a way not to win. ~ Carl Lewis Hyperlink to Video

14. Your ability to overcome obstacles. (Try to cut down on the worrying).

15. Your training/preparation.

16. Your focus/concentration.

17. Your teammates.

18. Your choices.You will do your best with what you have to work with.

19. Closing the gapChapter 7: Confidence How to Increase Confidence Level Tap into any past success. You’ve done it before…you can do it again. Act confidently on the outside. Body and Spoken language. (No bragging, please, a quiet confidence.) Improve your Physical fitness. We live in a physical world. Helps with stress from fatique. Positive Self Talk. We all have a little voice in our head. Let’s try to train it. Let’s control that voice.

20. Closing the gapChapter 7: Confidence How to Increase Confidence Level Simulation Training. Replicating your performance environment during training. * Areas to consider to simulate? Simulate distractions like: - Crowd noise. - Bad calls from officials. - Weather conditions: heat/cold/rain/etc. - Too little warm up time. - Playing when tired. (overtime) * Visualization & Mental Rehearsal - Also practice in your “mind” in addition to physical practice. - Practice your response to a potential distraction.

21. Closing the gapChapter 7: Confidence Journal/Class Activity: Fill out and score Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale. (Download from Forms & Docs) Assess how you felt your score reflects your view of your self confidence level in Journal #2

22. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus The Most Important Mental Skill? Focus. Paying attention to the task at hand while not being distracted from your plan. Concentration. Mastering focus will help you avoid: * Choking. * Performing below your ability level. * Experiencing fear, panic, or anxiety * Getting “psyched out” or something getting “inside your head.” What is FLOW? Satisfaction and enjoyment that allows you to be totally absorbed in what you are doing with no distractions.

25. Focus is a skill that needs to be practiced!

27. Hold your focus on something for short periods. Gradually increase.

28. Do a body scan: focus on sensations in a part of your body (feet meeting the floor)

29. Focus on a specific positive thought.

30. Look at something and fully focus on it.

31. Line up several objects and focus on all of them. Zero in one, then, the center piece; then the center on the center. Practice Narrowing your focus. From general focus to specific focus.

33. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus More tips to regain your focus: * Return to the basics of your game plan. * Focus on the target or the step right in front of you. * Positive Self Talk: reassure yourself. You are ready!

34. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus FOCUS TEST Close Eyes Focus on breathing. On start, Focus on the number 1. When distracted move to number 2. Continue until teacher says “stop” Write the number down you were focusing on TRIAL # 1 (Internal)

35. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus FOCUS TEST Close Eyes Focus on breathing. On start, Focus on the number 1. When distracted move to number 2. Continue until teacher says “stop” Write the number down you were focusing on TRIAL # 2 (Auditory)

36. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus FOCUS TEST Open Eyes Focus on breathing. On start, Focus on the number 1. When distracted move to number 2. Continue until teacher says “stop” Write the number down you were focusing on TRIAL # 3 (Visual)

37. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus

38. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus FOCUS TEST Open Eyes Focus on breathing. On start, Focus on the number 1. When distracted move to number 2. Continue until teacher says “stop” Write the number down you were focusing on TRIAL # 4

39. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus

40. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus FOCUS PRACTICE Scan this page and pick the last three words in this sentence and focus on them.

41. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus FOCUS PRACTICE

42. Closing the gapChapter 8: Focus Practice Focus outside of class and Log your practice. Log can be found at Docs & Forms

43. Closing the gapChapter 9: Controlling Distractions “Sometimes, you cannot control what happens around you, but, YOU can always control how you react to it.” Hyperlink to Video

44. Closing the gapChapter 9: Controlling Distractions “Sometimes, you cannot control what happens around you, but, YOU can always control how you react to it.” Distraction is the opposite of focus. If you become distracted and you don’t perform well, did you suddenly lose your ability? NO….you lost your focus. You allowed something to move you off your plan.

45. Closing the gapChapter 9: Controlling Distractions Two kinds of Distractions: Internal & External Distractions. Internal Distractions are caused by internal thoughts. A Wandering mind. Thinking about winning. Thinking about losing. Thinking about what others expect of you Thinking about the score Thinking about a mistake Worrying about a future event (mistake)

46. Closing the gapChapter 9: Controlling Distractions Two kinds of Distractions: Internal & External Distractions. External Distractions are caused by outside influences. Bad officials call Behavior of teammates or coach Opponents Getting tired Crowd noise Special person as a spectator (parent, friend, scout) Media Someone getting injured

47. Closing the gapChapter 9: Controlling Distractions How to Control Distractions? Recognize that they WILL happen, but, resolve to not allow them affect your performance. * Make a commitment to stay positive Write it down Say it often (Performance statements) “I work best when the crowd is loud” * Make a conscious effort to look for advantages in everything * Remind yourself YOU are in control of your mind, thoughts, and reactions * Do mental rehearsals before hand * Expect conditions to be different: big game, weather, and get your mindset ready: “I will not make weather an issue because the weather is the same for everyone” * Use a simple word or focal point or image to shift attention and regain focus * Prepare a re-focus plan and stick to it. Write down your biggest distractions (“demon stressor”) and what you will do to refocus.

48. Closing the gapChapter 10: The Power of Routines What is a routine? A procedure (or ritual) you perform to get you ready for your performance. Having routines will help with focus and help with anxiety since you will feel familiar. We are treating our performance opportunity consistently the same way. A routine will serve as a “trigger” to get you to a proper mindset to be ready for competition. The key is CONSISTENCY. Find a routine that works and then use it.

49. Closing the gapChapter 10: The Power of Routines Why Do Routines Make You Play Better? Classical Conditioning (Behavioral) Cause/Effect…Pavlov’s bell was the “trigger” Senses are powerful triggers to produce mental states…

50. Closing the gapChapter 10: The Power of Routines Attributes of a Good Routine? * Starts early…a day or more before performance. * Continues up to performance. * Moves from general to specific. * Same routine whether the event is “big” or “small” * Elements can be used during performance.

51. Closing the gapChapter 10: The Power of Routines Why Do Routines Make You Play Better? Increases Focus Routine should be general to specific Gives you a sense of the here and now due to narrowing of focus Alleviates Anxiety Sense of doing something familiar and consistent is comforting. Positive mental states moves you away from anxiety

52. Closing the gapChapter 10: The Power of Routines What to Include in Your Routine * Routines are personal in nature and may be different for people Quiet? Loud? Music? Visual? Sensory? Pertain to both mind & body. Physical Elements of a Routine When and what to eat Watch and Listen Go to bed, wake up Rest (naps?) Warm up routine ?? pertaining to your sport Mental Elements of a Routine Visualization Pre-image success Mental Rehearsal of game plan A focal point or cue

53. Closing the gapChapter 11: Get Into the “Zone” Being “in the Zone” is the Holy Grail of sport competition. Everyone seeks “it” “Ideal Performance State” “Peak Performance State” “Flow” “Zen Zone” The Zone is when EVERYTHING seems to be working together and performance flows freely without any effort.

54. Closing the gapChapter 11: Get Into the “Zone” According to researchers, the common features of being in the Zone include: Body feels free and unhampered Speed, strength, and agility are at a higher level Feeling of no fear Body is on autopilot and performance is automatic without thought Attention is focused on the here and now Movement is unforced, effortless Time may seem to slow down or speed up A feeling of connection Everything just feels right More than anything else…the Zone is a feeling…a mental state….

55. Closing the gapChapter 11: Get Into the “Zone” How Can I Enter the Zone? It is difficult to attain because you cannot force it “To analyze is to paralyze” “Let it happen” To point you toward being in an Ideal Performance State: * Try to create a positive, calm state * Trust your skills are good enough * Stay in here and now * Think positively * Not focused on winning or losing * Focused on the experience; don’t let obstacles deter your experience

56. Closing the gapChapter 11: Get Into the “Zone” Things to avoid to point you toward the “zone”: * Focusing on winning & losing * Being a hot dog (“show off”) * Trying to scare or intimidate * Being reactive only…play the game with joy * Forcing yourself into the zone In a nutshell: Be Calm, Focused, & Relaxed Stay away from distractions