Nannette Hill - LPGA Player attends training!

"Coming off of two elbow surgeries and two seasons on the LPGA and LPGA Futures tour, I realized something was missing. I would have weeks of playing great and other weeks were I couldn’t make a cut. Each week was an emotional roller coaster and I felt as though I had no control. I realized I needed more mental consistency and a plan on how to do this. Lanny has provided me with the structure and tools I needed to have a more consistent mental approach to the game. Thanks Lanny!"

Nannette Hill LPGA Tour Pro

Nannette attended a 2 day Mental Management course with Lanny Bassham in Flower Mound, Texas. Call 972-899-9640 for more information or check out http://www.mentalmanagement.com

Email from Michelle Merrill, Mrs. Louisiana 2012

"I want to say thank you to Heather Sumlin for her help with my interview training for the Mrs. Louisiana America pageant.

My husband introduced me to the Mental Management System in May and I read the book "Freedom Flight". This book opened my eyes to how really small we are as humans. I began to let go of the things in life that don't matter and this helped me to focus on ME and how to be a better version of ME. I went on to read the book, "With Winning in Mind", and was able to relate the book to my competition in pageants. Then, I met Heather. I trained with Heather for my interview and she was able to teach me how to explore the questions being asked in a different way. She taught me how to sell myself as the right person for the job. She also introduced me to her audio, "What Every Pageant Contestant Should Know" and "Mental Toughness for Pageantry", which also has many insightful hints on how to stay in control of yourself throughout the whole competition.

I was always first or second runner up, but with the Mental Management System and Heather's help, I finally walked away with the title. I was crowned Mrs. Louisiana America on Friday November 11, 2011. Not only did I capture the title, I won in interview....by 12.5 points! I kept calm throughout the entire competition and focused on what was important and even won the Mrs. Congeniality award.

Heather's help didn't only help me in the pageant, but in life as well. I am a much happier and outgoing person now and I know any goal is capable of achieving. She helped me to look at life in a different way that has made me a winner every day of my life.

Thank you again Heather."

Michelle D. Merrill
Mrs. Louisiana America 2012

POP singer uses Mental Management

Jessica Ferguson - Singer and Dancer

"I am overwhelmingly grateful for the opportunity that I have had to work with Heather Sumlin and The Mental Management System. The amount of knowledge and information I have gained has moved mountains for me in numerous ways. Through working with Heather I have been inspired beyond to continue in the journey, to advance to the next level; it's not about the accomplishment but the attainment a long the way that measures success. As an artist and throughout my work I strive to be of the type of motivation and encouragement that is exuded from the Basshams' and through the training of Mental Management. I am thankful and humbled by their passion and desire to challenge and help those striving to win in this game of life! "

Jessica has been a client of Mental Management for the past several months using our techniques to help her with her stressful yet rewarding and amazing career in the entertainment industry. We wish her much success! It has been a blessing to work with her. She is driven, talented and motivated to succeed in this competitive industry! Please check out her video for her single "GO" on YouTube HERE

More about Jessica:

For singer and dancer, Jessica Ferguson, her love for music is only matched by her talent. This 21 year old, Texas native knew from a young age that she was destined to be pop star. Not only was Jessica’s hit single “Go” featuring Kevin McCall premiered exclusively to Yahoo! in March 2011, but she is one of the recommended artists on 76 iHeart Radio music stations.

Jessica released her debut LP “Rockstar” with High School Musical producer Andrew Lane in 2009. This opportunity opened many doors for her as her next track, “Entertainment” was included on the soundtrack to the 2009 hit Paul Blart: Mall Cop. In April 2011, Jessica released her hit single “Go” featuring Kevin McCall. “Go,” which Jessica co-wrote with Lauren Seymour and multi-platinum producer Cameron Wallace (Beyonce “Upgrade You”), who also produced the track, sends a message of unapologetic self-empowerment. Jessica recently released “Go (Remix)” featuring DJ Babey Drew. “Little Girl Big City”, Jessica’s second single, will be released at the end of the year.

Jessica recently embarked on a high school tour, during which she performed and spoke to students about achieving their dreams and staying active. Being a professional dancer, Jessica understands the importance of staying physically and mentally healthy. Jessica has joined Dr. OZ and HealthCorps in its effort to combat childhood obesity and to encourage American youth to get active and take charge of their health.

Look out for Jessica Ferguson’s Debut album March 2012! Check out her website

3 Hour Group Classes with Lanny Bassham!

3 Hour Group Classes are BACK! October 20 & 21 Flower Mound, Texas October 20 & 21 in Flower Mound, Texas we have 4 group classes available. Check out the links below for date, time and details for each class. Attend all 4 classes for the price of 3! Performance Under Pressure - you will Learn: The foundation of Mental Management How to use pressure to your advantage The truth about pressure Not only What to do but Why and How to manage pressure Training to Win - You will Learn: How to maximize your time in preparation How to use proven training techniques used by Champions How to evaluate and tweak your mental system How to avoid burn out by following training guidelines and planning your year Mastering Self-Image Change - You Will Learn: How to protect your Self-Image How to eliminate doubt, fear and over-trying How to build Self-Image (understanding Self-Image growth is the number 1 reason elite performers are elite) Goal Getting - You Will Learn: The Goal Setting System used by Champions How to set the right goal How to improve the probability you will reach the goals you set How to overcome obstacles that arise as you head to your goal Register for all 4 classes HERE Register online through the links above or call 972-899-9640 for more details. These classes are perfect for any athlete, business professional, stage performer or parents of competitors.

Brady Ellison at the top of his GAME!

Hi Guys,

We are on our final leg of the 2011 season. Brady is having a great year. He started off winning the individual gold in Porec Croatia, he also lead the mens team to a gold medal. In the mixed team event they won silver. The next stop was Antalya Turkey. Brady won another individual gold and a bronze in the team event. The World Championship were next in Torino Italy. After the ranking round Brady was tied for first with a Korean archer. Brady shot well through out his elimination matches all the way to the semi finals. In the semi finals Brady ended up tied with a Korean shooter and they went into a shootoff. Both archers shot 10 but the Korean archers arrow was 2mm closer to the center giving him the win. Brady went into the Bronze medal match against the number one ranked archer in the world. He made a statement from the first arrow and won the Bronze. World Cup 3 was on US soil in Ogden Utah. Brady was on a mission to perform well. He fed off the home crowd and won 3 gold medals. We just returned from Shanghai China the fourth stop on the World Cup Series. Brady shot well but was nocked out in the 1/16th round. He went on to win a gold in the mixed team and team event. Next week we leave for the World Cup final in Istanbul Turkey then we go straight to US Olympic trials then to the Olympic Test event and the Pan Am games. Brady also won all the USA Archery National titles this year, Indoor Fields and Outdoor. He won all USAT events except for one, which he finished second in. He is ranked number 1 in the World and should hold that ranking thru the beginning of 2012. He is also the USA's number 1 ranked archer. We have a very busy 6 weeks of travel ahead but I know Brady's strong mental game will help him finish the year strong. Please tell Lanny and Troy we will see them at trials.

Thank You,

Mel Nichols

Brady has been a student of Mental Management for several years. To learn more about how you can apply Mental Management to your sport, business or performance call 972-899-9640.

Congrats to Ellie!

"I've been training dogs for over 15 years with several dogs but have never reach the level of success I had hoped. This summer my friend which also trains dogs and I decided we were lacking something in our tool box to achieve our goals. We had an excellent training schedule, our dogs are great but we needed more. I had heard about Mental Management a while back and had purchased the book "With Winning in Mind" and one for my friend but it never went any further then that. For some unknown reason we both decided to read "With Winning in Mind" and set up a few phone consultations with Heather Sumlin at Mental Management and we began a whole new experience. It has changed me personally, I look at my training in a whole new way. I'm amazed that the simple act of keeping a journal can change the way you think; I am always positive. My self-image has grown by leap and bounds, I am looking forward to expanding my knowledge in The Mental Management program. At my last trial I was able to practice the Mental Management techniques and the experience was a true success. The trial was my dog's first and we finished first place. Our score was very acceptable!" Ellie Fish

This is an example of how Mental Management products and phone consultations are helping people reach their goals. For details on phone consultations email info@mentalmanagement.com or call 972-899-9640

The WINNING MINDSET Seminar

The WINNING MINDSET Seminar

With Olympic Gold Medalist Lanny Bassham

August 6 & 7

Hermitage, PA.

Lanny will be speaking in Hermitage, PA for the Winning Mindset Seminar on Aug. 6 & 7. This session is being sponsored by the United Way and the cost to attend is very affordable! It's only $75 to attend for both days and the proceeds go to the United Way. Check out the video above to get an idea of the life-changing experience you can have at this seminar.

To register or find more details go to the website: http://winningmindset.org/

There are still seats available! Please, feel free to spread the word to others who may be interested in attending.

If you register please let us know so we can make sure to meet you during the class. info@mentalmanagement.com.

Mental Management Clients WIN at Miss Texas!

At the Miss Texas and Miss Texas Outstanding Teen Pageants this past weekend, Mental Management clients took home over 27 awards all together! The following talented ladies trained individually with Mental Management instructor Heather Sumlin either this year or last year. Congrats to all of these ladies for their hard work and dedication. Each and every one of them is outstanding!

Teen Winners:

Teen Klein, Taylor Hudson - Non-finalist dancer award

11th Place, Overall Evening Wear, Alpha Evening Wear - Ashton Smalling, Miss Teen Arlington

9th Place, Overall Interview - Kaitlyn Wilson, Miss Teen Frisco

7th Place, Alpha Interview - Emily Falkenberg, Teen Hub City

3rd RU - 9 different awards for talent and fitness including Overall Talent, Overall Fitness - Teen Plano, Jessica Powell

2nd RU - Alpha Fitness, Preliminary Fitness, Teen Dallas, Christa Widjaja

1st RU - Teen Lake 'O the Pines - Laryssa Bonacquisti (trained last year)

Miss Texas Outstanding Teen - Reilly Johannsen, Teen Colleyville

Congrats to Reilly Johannsen, Miss Texas Outstanding Teen 2011!

Miss Winners:

Alpha Talent - Amanda Densmore, Miss Arlington

Nonfinalist Interview - Jessika Williams, Miss Lubbock County

15th Place - Miss Fort Worth, Meghan Miller

11th Place - Non-finalist Vocal - Selina Affram, Miss Collegiate San Antonio

7th Place - Preliminary Swimsuit - Miss Plano, Erin Hunt

6th Place - Miss White Settlement - Keene Nordin

4th RU - Preliminary Swimsuit - Miss Dallas, Candice Bennatt

3rd RU - Overall Evening Gown, Preliminary Swimsuit - Jordan Johannsen, Miss Colleyville

2nd RU - Miss Lake 'O the Pines, DaNae Couch (trained last year)

Miss Texas 2011 - Interview Winner - Miss Frisco, Kendall Morris

Congrats to Kendall Morris, Miss Texas 2011!

To find out more about the services Mental Management offers Pageant Competitors, please click here or call

our offices and ask for Heather Sumlin.

972.899.9640

heather@mentalmanagement.com

Jessica Boudria - Shares Her Experience Working with Mental Management

My name is Jessica Dawn Boudria, and I have been a contestant in the Today’s Girl Pageant since it began in 2006. Last year, at the national finals, I won Princess in my division (which is second place overall to the Queen title). This year, I wanted to be more successful at the state finals, which historically was a more difficult competition for me, partly because it falls at the very beginning of summer – always a busy time – and is usually the very next week after school is out. I just didn’t perform that well at the state pageant, and since I am a true Texas girl, the state title was a goal I wanted to achieve, but always seemed to peak at winning talent.

My mom heard about Mental Management and wanted me to attend sessions in preparation for the state finals, because, as moms do, she had a lot of confidence in me and knew that I could win the competition. When I met Heather Sumlin, she had a smile on her face that said “Welcome!” without her saying a word. She was very sweet and helpful, never criticizing me when I wasn’t sure of how to answer an interview question. She gave her opinion in a kind way, without attempting to change my views, but to help me express them clearly. Heather taught me to make my answers interesting, fun, and to always paint a picture for the judges to visualize so that they would remember me. She was interested in me and my life outside of pageants, too, so I really enjoyed going to my appointments with her. My mom began to notice that she didn’t have to prompt me to practice my talent or work on my interview questions for the pageant. I had developed my own drive to succeed because Heather helped me to determine not only why I wanted to win the state title, but also why I should win the state title. So many teenage girls, like me, have issues with their self-image, and by working with Heather, I began to have one of what Oprah Winfrey calls an “Aha moment.” I know for sure that I am an outstanding, talented young lady with a giving heart and a fun personality! How could the judges not enjoy me?

At the state finals last week, I went into the interview competition confident that my answers would be fun to listen to and when I left the interview room, I was sure that the judges liked me! That just made all of the other competition easier, because mentally, I was in the right place and for the first time, I wasn’t stressed or nervous about the competitions. I was ready to take the
stage! On the final night, I was thrilled to be crowned as the 2011 Texas Today’s Teen Queen and I am so looking forward to reigning for the year and having the opportunity to realize one of my reasons for wanting to be the teen queen – so that I could be a role model to younger girls and a positive mentor to those who are my own age. Now that I have Heather as my “life coach,” my confidence level is way higher and I know that I can use the lessons she has taught me not just in pageants, but as I apply for college scholarships and eventually apply for jobs that I really want. I consider Mental Management as my “secret weapon,” and Heather as a mentor and friend. Thank you so much, Heather!

Young Skeet Shooter Gains Mental Edge

Check out this testimonial from Christian Elliott's father. Christian is a 13-year old skeet shooter. He's already making a great name for himself with implementation of Mental Management System techniques and products. See how he has sharpened his mental game and how his Dad gained a mental edge too with our Performance Coaching product.

Mr. Bassham,

Our advisor/coach Larry Easley told us that I should share this with you. I have attached an excerpt from the June Skeet Shooting Review, profiling the NSSA All-American Team. I thought that it might be of inertest to you because of the effect that your material has had on our son. He is 13 yrs old and this will be our third year shooting. We have worked significantly with Larry and he has done a magnificent job in teaching him the mechanics of skeet shooting. This year, as Christian progressed, Larry began sharing some of your teachings. We read Freedom Flight together to begin our understanding of the power of mental management. I then bought the performance coaching product and have implemented those teachings. Within the last couple months, we have focused hard on the self-image part of the triad and as you can see in the article, “That’s just like me to hit that target” has made a profound impact on him. Just last week, Christian ran his first 100 straight in 12 gauge. However, the real testament to mental focus was that just a couple hours later, he ran another 100 in the 20 gauge! I know that without implementing your techniques, he would not have put together a 200x200 so quickly, or even at all. I just wanted to say thank you for putting what you have learned out to the public!

Thank you,

Greg Elliott

SALE this month!

Mental Management Systems is having a great sale this month until June 22!

Get the With Winning in Mind and Freedom Flight BOOK COMBO for only $25! That's like buying Freedom Flight and getting With Winning in Mind for only $3!

Get the With Winning in Mind and Freedom Flight AUDIO CD COMBO for only $40! That's like buying With Winning in Mind Audio CD and getting Freedom Flight Audio CD for only $5!

Don't miss out on this great chance to get BOTH of Lanny Bassham's books in hardcopy or on audio CD. These books are the most authoritative pieces of information out there for competitors of all types, all ages, and all applications. Great gifts for Dads and Grads!

Brad Dalke wins at 13!

Congrats to Mental Management client, Brad Dalke for being the youngest person to claim the AJGA Thunderbird title at just 13!!

Learn more: http://www.golfweek.com/news/2011/may/30/dalke-chung-claim-ajga-thunderbird-titles/

Brad works with Mental Management instructor, Troy Bassham at Jim McLean's Golf Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Troy is the Mental Coach for the Jim McLean Junior Academy and is excited by this accomplishment!

To learn more about Troy Bassham and Mental Management check out our website www.mentalmanagement.com or call 972-899-9640

Living Life Like a Champion by Heather Bassham Sumlin

I grew up with an Olympic Champion as a Father. As a kid I didn’t realize how rare Olympic Gold was and how few people actually achieve becoming the absolute best in their field. I know what winning looks like and I realize it takes hard work, dedication and motivation to achieve success. But until the last few years I never took the time to appreciate how important my Father’s lessons are to my life. Today, I realize that not only are the lessons relevant to my goals in life but my journey to personal success has been made easier by the teachings my Father raised me to believe.

His lessons are fairly simple and here are three you can implement today:

“Determine a Dream Worth Trading Your Life For” When my Father was in college his grandfather was dying and these are the last words he told my Dad before he passed. “I never did anything a typical man couldn’t have done. I never forced myself to step outside of my comfort zone and try something scary or unknown. I regret that. Determine a dream worth trading your life for, because you are!” Every day we are trading our lives for something. We are heading down a path toward something; make sure it’s something you really care about, something exciting, something worth trading your time and your life to achieve. Make your days on this earth count and matter by stepping outside your comfort zone, forcing yourself to get uncomfortable and daring to live your dreams.

“Giving it 110% is a sure way to lose!” WOW! Everyone I knew outside of my family believed you had to give it 110% to be successful but the Olympic Champion who raised me said otherwise. If you give it all you’ve got and focus on winning or on the outcome only, you are pulled to over-try. The number one reason good performers fail in competition is because they try too hard, it matters too much and they focus on the results not the journey. Try putting more than 100% of the water needed to fit in a glass, it will overflow and you have a mess. Same thing with effort, too much makes a mess!

“Discipline Yourself to Become a Solution-Based Thinker” Looking back on my childhood I realize that we didn’t dwell on problems in our family. My father forced us to focus on what we needed to do differently, not what we did wrong. This method of correction helped to shape my self-image as a young child and truly created a positive outlook on life. My daily goals became attainable because I was focusing on how to make things happen and not what went wrong. I never heard my parents argue about why things couldn’t happen or discuss their misfortune. I only heard talk about how they were going to make it possible. We were encouraged to dream, to find solutions to our problems and to think outside the typical box everyone else was dwelling in.

I live in the same world as everyone else. I know times are tough and people are struggling. I realize that life is not all roses and rainbows but growing up I was told that there is nothing realistic about winning an Olympic Gold Medal. Life is not about being realistic or ordinary. Life is about taking the time to step outside of the ordinary and striving each day to do something new, become a better you and live your passion. So determine your dream, give it just enough effort to make it possible and focus on solutions when the problems head your way. Live the life of a Champion because although your dreams may not be Gold, they are worth striving to achieve.

Heather Sumlin is a Mental Coach and Director of Performance Programs for Mental Management Systems. Mental Management was founded in 1977 by Olympic Champion, Lanny Bassham. We teach athletes, business professionals and stage performers how to gain a mental edge in competition. www.mentalmanagement.com

Twitter @HeatherSumlin

Join our Free MENTALCOACH email newsletter here.

Four New Seminars with Mental Management

Do you have trouble performing to your full potential under pressure? Do you know how to have the most effective training sessions for your body AND your mind? Are you holding yourself back from your full potential because your Self-Image is suffering? Do you need to know how to properly plan and set goals for your performance and in your life?

If you answered yes to ANY of these questions, attending one of our upcoming seminars will probably be very beneficial for you.

We have four new seminars coming up on July 14 and 15 in Flower Mound, TX.

July 14, 2011: Performance Under Pressure
 9 - Noon

Learn why our beliefs about pressure are myths and several strategies to control pressure. Pressure doesn't have to be a negative thing: learn to harness pressure and use it to your advantage in competition!

July 14, 2011: Training to Win
 1:30 - 4:30 pm

Learn to build subconscious skills while maximizing your preparation for competition. You will leave knowing the training principles you need in order to train mentally and physically simultaneously.

July 15, 2011: Self Image Change
 9 - Noon

If your Self-Image is low, then there is no way that you can perform to your full potential. The Self-Image is essential to positive performance in competition. You will learn the attitudes that keep great performers from winning and how to eliminate bad habits and attitudes that are keeping you from reaching your goals. You will leave knowing what tools to use to change your Self-Image.

July 15, 2011: Goal Getting 1:30 - 4:30 pm

If you have trouble setting goals or actually reaching your goals after they have been set, then this is the seminar for you. You will learn how to properly plan and evaluate your goals, plus much more.

Click on any of the Seminars to learn more.

Attend all four seminars for the price of THREE! Click HERE to learn more.

If you have questions, please give us a call at 972.899.9640 or email info@mentalmanagement.com.

Our goal is to teach you the Mental Management system that Lanny Bassham created and used to win his Gold Medal and World Championship titles. At Mental Management, we actually used our system in competition and took it to the victory stand. We KNOW it works. We understand how you feel when you are overcome with pressure, are frustrated with your training sessions, are struggling with your Self-Image, or are having trouble properly setting goals. We've BEEN there. We understand what you go through in competition better than anyone in the business today, and we want to help you succeed.

To learn more about Mental Management please visit our website www.mentalmanagement.com.

The VICTOR by C.W. Longenecker

THE VICTOR by C.W. Longenecker

If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don’t
If you like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.

If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will.
It’s all in the state of mind.

If you think you are outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win the prize.

Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.

Love this poem! It is a great representation of what we teach at Mental Management Systems every day! You have to THINK differently to win. To learn more about Mental Management go to www.mentalmanagement.com

Journey of a Dream

If you're in need of a little inspiration today, here is a poem written by Lanny that often gets over looked because it appears before the Table of Contents in With Winning in Mind. I hope you enjoy it and share it with friends and family.

Journey Of A Dream

A dream is born in the mind,
A picture of what might be
A vision of a new and better life.
But if it stays in the mind,
It becomes another wish unfulfilled.

It must move on

The dream moves to the heart,
Feelings surround it, giving it life.
But if it stays in the heart,
It becomes a “could have been,”
Dying in the fire of emotion.

It must move on.

The dream moves to the hands,
There to be put into action
Having been given life in the heart,
It comes to fruition through work.
But if the dream stays in your hands,
It becomes self-serving.

It must move on.

So place your hand in the hand of another,
And the dream moves on…forever.

-Lanny Bassham

Fort Worth Champions

The Fort Worth Museum of Science and History has a new exhibit called Fort Worth Champions that features stories of hometown athletes who have created a lasting sports legacy for themselves. And guess who is featured at the exhibit?

Mental Management’s Lanny Bassham is honored to be included in the Fort Worth Champions exhibit. Lanny is sharing the exhibit with legends like Davey O’ Brien, TCU and Eagles football player, and Dallas Cowboy Bob Lilly and his 1972 Super Bowl championship ring.

Come and view Lanny’s medals and Olympic rifle! They will be on display at the exhibit.

The exhibit will feature not only the symbols of these athletes’ accomplishments, but video, photographs, interviews, statistics, historical mementos, and reasons for why they became so successful in their sport. The exhibit will also have a future champions section which showcases promising young local athletes who may be on their way to becoming legends themselves.

To find out more about the exhibit, click here.

If you visit or already visited the exhibit, write a comment to tell us about your experience!

Honda Classic - Congrats to Rory Sabbatini and Jerry Kelly

Congrats to Mental Management students Rory Sabbatini and Jerry Kelly for their success today at the Honda Classic.

Rory won and Jerry placed 3rd!

Rory attended Mental Management training in 2008.

World Archery Festival - Freestyle Bowhunter Champion, Chris Berry

Congrats to Mental Management client, Chris Berry for his recent archery WINS! Way to go Chris!! He sent us this email recently with some pictures for our blog.

The last 3 weeks on the Hunt for a Vegas Win:

First I got to go to Lancaster Archery Classic in Lancaster PA and shoot that shoot (My first time) I was able to win and set a new record for score.

Than off to Vegas for the World Archery Festival Vegas Shoot after setting up our Alpine Archery booth helping other sponsors with there set up.(Please notice the targets from out great shooters, we hung everyone’s targets and by the end of Sunday we had the whole booth covered.)

I was able to put up 3 solid scores for my first Vegas Championship on Sunday afternoon.

Helping the Frustrated Athlete

This article, written by Troy Bassham, appeared in the June 2009 Newsletter. It's a great article for parents and coaches who want to do more than simply coach their young athletes, but inspire and motivate them.

If this article interests you, you may be interested in attending our upcoming Coaches Training Seminar this summer. The seminar will cover concepts discussed in this article and much much more. For more information on the Coaches Training Seminar, call 972-899-9640.

HELPING THE FRUSTRATED ATHLETE

Sometimes we don't get the results we want in life. It could be a bad grade on a report card, or a loss in a competition, or not performing up to standard. There are going to be many situations that will occur when a parent and or coach will have to deal with the frustrated player. So how do you handle someone who is upset and frustrated over their performance?

Anytime I am dealing with a young athlete, whether they are 10 or 19, I always remember the "Principle of the Picture"! This principle states, "It's not important what you say, it's critical what you cause the other person to picture." I handle their situation like I handle most of them, I follow three steps and make sure I remember the most important opportunity that I have at that moment (we'll get to that at the end).

Step 1: You must recognize the accomplishment
It doesn't matter how the performance went or what happened, we must look at the good that can come from it. I remember working with a young golfer, he was 17, and he was very upset with his score. He shot a 78 on a course that he knows very well. "I should have had par or better, but I messed up! I hate this feeling", he said in a frustrated tone. I asked him, "What went well today?" He replied, "I had a birdie on the first hole, but it was the only one I had all day." I said, "Great! What an accomplishment. Imagine if you birdied every first hole of every tournament you entered. How would that make you feel? It's like you to start the tournament well. You have had several tournaments where you started off with a birdie, that's great."

Step 2: Get the athlete involved with the solution
Once I praised him for his accomplishment I needed to address the issue at hand with caution. I want the individual to come up with some ways to help improve his game and the best way to do this is to ask them a question. "If you had a chance to prepare for this event all over, what are some of the things you would do differently to help insure that your good play would last the whole day?" This forces the individual to look at solutions and not focus on the problem or his bad performance. Kids are ten times more motivated to do something if the idea comes from them, rather than from an outside source. So by asking this question they create a possible solution to do better next time.

Step 3: Replace But with What
This is a carry over from step two, but it's important. I can't tell you how many times I have overheard a parent tell their kid what they did well, only to follow it up with BUT... The conversation after the word but is not a positive one. Both my girls play soccer and after a game you will usually hear parents express their praise or disbelief to their players. One time a coach made this comment to his daughter, "You played so well the first half, but what happened in the second half? You played horrible; it was like you didn't want to be there. You couldn't pass the ball; you weren't getting open for a pass, what gives?" Now ask yourself, "What do you think his daughter was picturing in her mind. I'm sure this father is only trying to help, but what the kid is picturing is it doesn't matter how good I do, you only focus on the bad. This will tear up the self image of the player and in some cases, it makes them leave the sport.

Instead of pointing out the good and following it up with but, follow it up with what. Let your child know what you're proud of and give them the due props for their accomplishments and then address the issue with what can we do to improve type of question. This will get them involved in the solution and make them feel like they are on the right path to success.

When this situation happens we have an opportunity to help build the player, this is an important thing to do as coaches and parents. Becoming is just as important, if not more important, as accomplishing. This situation allows us to help them become the athlete, student, or worker they want to become. The reason for short falls in performance often lie in the individual not having the proper habits and attitudes of the person they want to become. It's our job to help guide them toward obtaining habits and attitudes of champions so they can reach their goals.

Written by: Troy Bassham, Master Level Mental Management Instructor and Director of Junior Development for Mental Management Systems - to reach Troy send an email to info@mentalmanagement.com

Coaches Training Program - April 15 & 16, 2011

Coaches Training Seminar

Who will benefit from this seminar:

Coaches

Instructors

Managers

Parents

Any coach who wants training on how to build the client or student at the same time as they teach technique.

Our Goal is to help to make your job easier and help to make you a better coach or instructor

What will you learn:

How to structure training to help build self image in your students.

How to get more done in less time, advance students faster, prepare them better.

How to help students understand how to set goals and change habits.

How to develop leverage to make students do what they don’t like to do in order to reach their potential.

How to determine readiness factors in order to know what coaching style to use.

How to be a more effective coach by adapting to different coaching styles.

How to maximize the effectiveness of the coach and minimize the pitfalls that can cause your team trouble

Learn the secret to building a program people can’t wait to join.

Learn the benefits of learning from mistakes.

Determine ways to diagnose if a student is having is a Focus Issue, Self-Image Issue or a Technical Issue.

Learn why some players who are playing well have a down turn.

Learn what to do when a players performance drops.

How to change your coaching according to the learning styles of the students to increase retention and understanding.

Learn how to seek out opportunities to inspire and motivate not simply instruct.

How to conduct Performance Coaching Session.

How to make your counseling with your students powerful, memorable and effective.

Develop an understanding of how the mental game syncs with technique and form

Develop an understanding of Mental Management as it pertains to instruction.

Very little training is available for coaches and we are excited to offer this session!

When & Where:

April 15 & 16, 2011 – Homewood Suites, Lewisville, TX

Cost - $695 per person limited to 25 coaches

Early Registration is $550 per person for those who register by March, 25th!

Go HERE to Register or call 972-899-9640

The Instructor for this session is Lanny Bassham who will be assisted by Troy Bassham.

Lanny is a Silver and Gold Medalist in the Olympics, Two-Time World Champion, Official Olympic Coach for 2 Olympic Games, owner of the International Shooting School where he coached for 11 years and Mental Management Founder, Business Owner and Mental Coach for the last 31 years. Lanny also owned and operated a Multi-Million Dollar Networking Business for 20 years with extensive training in sales & leadership. Lanny has created this New Coaches Program based on what he has learned through his experiences as a coach and business owner. You won't want to miss it!

This type of training is applicable to any coach or anyone who works with people. Coaches who have attended or are signed up to attend this training course include coaches in the following sports:

Archery
Baseball
Bowling
Dog Sports
Golf
Pistol/Rifle
Shotgun Sports
Swimming
Tennis

And Non-sports related coaches or managers in the following areas also attended or are planning to attend this training:

Dance
Vocal Performance
Business/Sales
Pageant Director/Coach
Law Enforcement
Parents of competitive youth