This week I received a dozen phone calls from parents of highly competitive teenage tennis players. Virtually all of the parents who called had the same kinds of concerns. “My kid can beat anybody in practice, but chokes in tournaments.” “My child is constantly losing to players he should beat.” “My daughter is in […]
Academia and sports are becoming increasingly more competitive in today’s world. I recently read that some of the Ivy League schools are now rejecting seventy percent of the valedictorians who apply for admission. Obviously, these elite schools are swamped with applicants. In addition, the admissions people are now considering other factors like SAT scores, […]
Some years ago, I counseled a man who was one of the best amateur golfers in his state. He had finished in second place and third place in his state’s annual amateur tournaments in previous years. This fellow loved golf. He enjoyed practicing, playing and competing. He had played golf around the world with a […]
One of my patients is a young golfer who is hoping to get an athletic scholarship to a prestigious university. Like Tiger Woods and his dad, this young man is very close with his father. His father taught him golf and they play a golf together almost every weekend. They both feel they are […]
There are many books which address the mechanics of effective hitting and pitching. There is relatively little written about the mental aspects of America’s favorite past time. Every hitter and pitcher who I have coached wants to perform better and there are several mental tools and techniques which, if mastered, will improve their performance. […]
Hitting a moving round object with a cylinder is one of the most difficult tasks in all of sports. There are a lot of theories and strategies on how to best teach a young child the fundamental skills which are required to master this particular athletic challenge. Here are a few simple tips and a […]
The baseball season for children in towns throughout Bergen County is starting to get into full swing now that April has arrived. It can be a wonderful time of the year for the kids and for the parents. However, many kids struggle at baseball because they are terrified of being hit by the ball when […]
Student-athletes experience a substantial amount of stress because of the intense pressure, scrutiny and wide range of constant challenges which they are required to deal with in an effective manner. Besides having to compete, student athletes need to deal with coaches, the media, friends, academics, teammates and, in some instances, a difficult parent. These […]
A big serve is a huge weapon in tennis. In order to serve well, you need to have reliable mechanics, an effective pre-serve routine and a range of different serves. In addition, top servers know how to disguise their serve, so their opponent can not determine what kind of serve is coming their way. Furthermore, […]
Some years ago, a man came to talk to me about his trials and tribulations on the golf course. He desperately wanted to play better and was convinced that he was struggling with the mental aspects of the game. This fellow was the epitome of a tough guy. He was just under six feet tall […]
Violence in many sports has had a strong presence in the media for quite some time. Brawls in baseball games and players and fans acting in disorderly manners in sporting arenas are quite commonplace today. Because I am a psychotherapist who has worked with many athletes and parents of athletes with anger management issues, […]
Jim was a thirty two, year old investment banker. Some would describe him as a bit of a “Type A” personality. He had been playing golf for fifteen years and had a fourteen handicap when he game to see me. His goal was to get down to a single digit handicap and win more of […]
Anyone who has been to a sporting event involving children knows that parents can get out of control. We are living in a highly competitive world and a “win at any cost” attitude is visible when our kids participate in school sports and town sports. It is also clear that many parents are living […]
Last summer, my nine year old’s baseball team was really struggling. The kids were hitting very poorly. Some were quite scared of being hit by the ball when they were at the plate. The kids were losing their confidence and getting down on themselves. The parents were grimacing and feeling much frustration and disappointment at […]
