Hockey psychology articles and sport psychology tips for hockey players, coaches, and sport parents to improve mental performance and consistency in hockey.
Remain Confident Under Pressure Would you consider your team highly confident? What contributes to team confidence? Athletic confidence runs the gamut from low to high. At the far left is a lack of confidence. When you have low confidence, you will have low expectations of success and high doubts about your abilities. For example,
Play Hard, Not Safe When Leading Do you or your team have difficulty closing out games when you have a lead? There are two reasons hockey teams fail to close out games: a lapse of focus/ effort or the fear of losing. 1. Lapse of Focus – Hockey is a fast-paced game, and it
How to Be Ready When Hockey Season Returns Do you get excited for the end of a hockey season? You may welcome a break from playing. Practicing early in the morning because ice time is limited can be tiring, especially if the rest of your daily schedule is booked. Tournaments and tough competition can
Developing a Stable Level of Confidence Confidence is a tricky thing for most athletes. It can come and go… Many athletes ride a roller coaster with their confidence, rising and falling with each play, shift, or period. If you have fragile confidence, you can easily ride the mental roller coaster. High expectations, perfectionism, doubt,
Confidence and Your Mental Game Would you characterize yourself as a confident hockey player? Are you able to execute players well even when playing in big games? Can your teammates rely on your play when the game is on the line? “Playing your game” requires that you believe in your abilities and have the
What Makes Up a Strong Mental Game? Would you rather be a favorite to win or be the underdog–heading into a championship game? Being favored implies you have more ability than your opponent and, let’s be honest… Who wouldn’t want to have more natural talent? Unfortunately, more ability doesn’t guarantee victory. Winning is a