It’s the second set of the Djokovic / Ferrer slug-fest at the Australian Open. Djokovic looks out on his feet as he tries to match the doggedness and tenacity of the Spaniard. Holding his injured leg. Breathing heavily. Surely Ferrer is going to level at one-set all and kick on. But no. Djokovic finds another gear and simply brushes his opponent aside. It’s the mentality of a champion. The ability to dig deep in game changing moments, to find something extra. Being a major champion like Djokovic, gives you the inner belief that you will somehow find a way to […]
Read More...Sports Psychology Blog
Welcome to the Sports Psychology blog. Here you will find insights on current sporting events, from the perspective of a sports psychologist.
The purpose of this blog, is to get inside the sporting drama…why the player or team do what they they do…their thinking…mindsets…attitudes…their fluctuating state of confidence…and all the other mental and emotional pieces that create the psychology of sports.
The most recent articles are at the top of the List Of Sports Psychology Blogs Index.
Sports Psychology: Andy Murray – The Ivan Lendl Effect!
It’s the week before the Australian Open. And Andy Murray is happy. As well as securing the Brisbane Invitational title, he has a new coach. Eight times Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendl is now in Murray’s corner. Murray has brought Lendl in for one thing. To help him win match-defining points in Grand Slam semis and finals. And thus major titles. Lendl is an interesting choice. He runs a junior tennis academy. Yet no portfolio of successful stars to show his coaching credentials to Murray. But he has know-how. Insight. And most importantly, very cool ‘robotic’ emotions. Andy Murray has […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Adrian Lewis – Champion!
So Adrian Lewis has successfully defended his darts World Title. Winning the title once is an outstanding achievement. To repeat the win, shows that it wasn’t a fluke, or ‘lucky week’. The further Lewis advanced in the 2011-12 competition, the more he spoke of himself as being ‘World Champion’. He was tapping into the powerful mindset of being champion. It’s the trait that helps champions to win repeatedly. They know they are the best in the world at that time. That no one else can beat them. They may not be playing the best, but their mindset is tuned to […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Paul Nicholson – Dana!
It’s the third round of the World Darts Championships at Alexandra Palace. And Paul Nicholson is simmering. He has just come off stage, having lost 4-1 to Kim Huybrecht’s. And he’s blaming Huybrecht’s girl-friend Dana Verhaegen for his unexpected loss. Regular big-screen close ups of the pretty Verhaegen, proved a lure for the women-hungry beer swilling crowd. Leading to boisterous wolf-whistles and other shows of approval. This, plus an instinctive dislike of Nicholson’s so called ‘bad-boy’ image, gave the man from Chorley nothing to feed off emotionally. Of course he’s wrong to pin the blame on the North London crowd. […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Sachin Tendulkar – Ninety-Nine
Since March 2011 Sachin Tendulkar has been stuck on ninety-nine test hundreds. Every time he walks to the wicket, the eyes of the cricketing world are on him. He’s probably being adviced to bat normally. Which is what he has done to secure ninety-nine centuries. But it’s very hard to bat normally when cricketing history awaits you. Tendulkar could easily become trapped in his own psychology. ‘I dont want to let people down’. ‘What if I dont get the next hundred?’. ‘Why is it proving so elusive?’. All these psychologies can attract doubts. But why start doubting yourself now? Sachin […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Simon Whitlock – Expectations!
It’s the first round of the World Darts Championships at Alexandra Palace. Former world finalist Simon Whitlock is playing Dennis Smith. And Sky are hyping the game up! Whitlock has recently broken his ankle. How will he stand the test of a long drawn out game, against the slow-throwing Smith? This is a potential upset in the making. But Whitlock, instead of being hampered by his injury, is set free. He throws the highest average of the tournament to date, to put Smith to the sword. Sky’s Rod Stubbs, is gurgling with incredulity. What Stubbs has failed to recognise, is […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Wes Newton – The Justin Pipe Effect!
It’s the second round of the World Darts Championships at Alexandra Palace. And the match between Fleetwood’s Wes Newton and Taunton’s Justin Pipe, is hotting up. At two sets all, Newton is allowing his irritation at Pipe’s slow and deliberate style of play to show. Behind Pipe’s back, Newton is tapping his watch, Alex Ferguson style, to let us know that he is unhappy with the West Countryman’s speed of play. Then Newton feigns falling asleep, as his simmering frustration gets the better of him. Of course, with these distractions, the world number five’s game suffers, and he crashes out […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Raymond Van Barneveld – The Will To Win!
It’s the first round of the World Darts Championships at Alexandra Palace. Five-times champion Raymond Van Barneveld is a hot favourite to beat James Richardson. Richardson is competing in the Worlds for the first time. He is given no chance. But those discounting the brick-layer, have overlooked his form and emergence in the PDC. The professionals recognise his ability and threat. Barney on the other hand, is a star on the wane. He’s been there and done it. And doesn’t seem to have the desire to get himself up to do it again. His meek surrender to Wes Newton in […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Leeds United – The Power Of A Cause
In a fitting tribute to the memory of Gary Speed, Leeds United put Nottingham Forest to the sword in a compelling away display at the City Ground. If they can maintain this level of form, then Simon Grayson’s team have every chance of finally returning to the Premiership. For what Leeds United have to fuel their promotion push is a cause. A cause is a powerful force that unites a team or group. It binds them together. The glue that creates unity. In this case the cause is Gary Speed. The former Leeds United’s player’s death can be a unifying […]
Read More...Sports Psychology: Martin Johnson – The Best Ex-Player!
So Martin Johnson quits as England rugby coach. With a full review of England’s World Cup under-performance due, Johnson walked before he was inevitably pushed. But how did it come to this? How is it, that the only Englishman to lift the World Cup, should leave the international scene with his head bowed? It’s likely that his players will come out with the usual platitudes. That they let him down and how bad they feel. But it should never have come to this. Johnson gave his squad licence to act like men. He trusted them to behave, presuming that they […]
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