I have just completed Coaching the Mental Game, the final course in the series led by Paddy Upton, from Deakin University via FutureLearn.
As with the previous courses, I have spent much longer than the suggested 6 hours, working through the course materials, then reading and contributing to the “below the line” conversations.
Big thanks to Paddy and Deakin University; big thanks to the other participants who joined the online discussions.
I have been left with so many things to think about, so much I can add to the coaching toolkit.
Top of the list, for me, was the discussion around self esteem – why it matters, how it differs from self confidence, how to help athletes to develop it.
As another contributor also commented, I am of a generation that was brought up to view overt self confidence as not necessarily a positive attribute. And not being aware of the very real difference between self confidence and self esteem, I have fought shy of encouraging the latter in players I coach.
So – not quite “yes, we can!” (too ‘preachy’ for me, perhaps straying into the “positive affirmation” realm), but if I can help the players to develop “…a consistent mental position [that] helps [them] to consistently access ideal mental states for performance”, then that will be a huge step forward for my coaching.
The Teesra 