Head Games

I have decided to bring a sport psychologist to my Tucson camp this year. We were introduced through a participant of the camp and when she asked me if I thought it would be a good idea for her to come, I wasn’t too sure. I explained to her that my past experiences with this type of thing did not always have the impact that I had hoped for and I really had no reason to believe otherwise.

I also told her that a lot of my pressures and anxieties were very real things that I was very aware of and I felt there was no great mystery to the “whys” behind my stress. Even some of the “visualization” and “relaxation” techniques I have been taught before were very ineffective. I felt that on a conscious level I knew what I was trying to do to myself while doing these things and therefore they became very hard for me to buy into or do them with any real sincerity. I threw out a challenge to her. I said if you promise to not make the first things you say to me be relaxation or visualization, I would be willing to give it a try.

I explained to her that I would be willing to work with her for the months leading up to the camp. I felt a strong need to have experienced a product or service before I recommend them to an athlete I work with.

Cheryl Hart has blown me away. Her ability to make me feel comfortable to talk with her over the phone, relate to me as an athlete and person has been nothing short of amazing. In the past couple of months we have worked together she has been able to quickly and effectively get to the root of some of my issues, all without using the buzz words above.

In a nutshell, her belief is you have to start at the core and work your way out. For us to chase the peripherals around are going to make us very crazy. How I act or react in my events has as much to do with how I deal with several other things in my life. Decisions I make, thought process I have, things I value and items I want to achieve are all related. It is impossible for me to only be good at mental execution in one aspect of my life. By working with me on several components in less then 6 sessions we are making significant progress and she is starting to re spark my love for this sport.

In my blog I try to recognize the greatness of the people around me that I run into. If I did not take a min to tell you about Cheryl, I would be falling short of my goal.

If you have any interest in Cheryl or the programs she offers you can contact her: http://www.2ndwindmotivation.com/