WYC 117 – Sport Psychology – Meighan Julbert talks The Mindside

Meighan Julbert is a Mental Skills Consultant who has a passion for working with coaches and athletes on gaining a competitive advantage through mental skills training. Meighan is passionate about coaching development and implementing programs to help competitors and coaches expand their potential. From her own experiences in softball and competitive cheer to serving as a coach, Meighan can help athletes who are looking to gain a mental edge. Website/Books: themindside.com Twitter: @MeighanJulbert; @TheMindSide Facebook: /TheMindSide/ - Listen Now: Listen on iTunes: iTunes link Listen on Stitcher: Stitcher link Listen on Google Play Music: Google Play link - Quote 'Don't overwhelm your athletes with info, keep it simple, less is more' Coaching your own kids Have an intentional moment where you take off the coaching hat and return to just being their parent Remember - the kids often aren't near as into the outcome of the game as the coaches and parents are Take risks & embrace failure Teach kids how to take risks and not be afraid of failure Parents Communicate with the parents and let them know you want the kids to be a little uncomfortable and struggle a little bit, that is part of the process and how they will learn Role-play situations - have a scrimmage with your own team and invite parents - make a few horrible calls, then afterwards discuss with the team and the parents that there will be bad calls in games, and that we are not a team whose coaches, players, or parents yell at the referees Relationships The first step is for the coaches to have great relationships with the parents, and to get to know them and understand where they are You have to pick up on subtle nuances to see where different players are at. Eye contact, leadership, excitement, hustle. Look for changes in behavior. Noticing behavior differences and asking questions let's the players know you care Slump-busting Riptide concept - When caught in a riptide, initial reaction is to panic and try to swim against it. The panic is normal - so first step is to calm down. Take a few breaths. Then instead of trying harder and fighting the current - have a recovery ritual (flick your wrist, wipe your shoe,etc.) - that reminds you to get back into the present moment and re-focus Championship Culture  Starts with respect. Relationships and respect are the cornerstones. Connecting with and impacting kids Every kid is different - it's important to individualize how you are connecting with  each kid and to ask questions and listen to their needs The one that got away Meighan worked with one athlete who afterwards told her that it was too much info and too much to think about. Less is better - don't overwhelm your athletes and keep it simple. Best borrowed/stolen idea A coach brought in Meighan to help the communication on his team. The activity went horrible. Meighan called to apologize the next day and the coach told her 'we are terrible at communicating - your activity made that clear to our team. Sometimes exercises we do don't work - but they still serve a purpose.' Meighan took that advise to realize that not everything will go as we plan, but that's ok, keep trying and keep learning and keep tweaking. Favorite coaching book/quote Book: Creative Coaching by Dr. Jerry Lynch The Mindside Team workshops Individual athletes one-on-one sessions Coaching development Videos, podcasts Website/Books: themindside.com Parting Advice Be patient, with your players - let them think and struggle and learn, and with expectations of yourself -- Reviews are the lifeblood of the podcast!- If you like the podcast- please take 2 minutes to write a review! Click here -  Ready to be an Awesome Youth Coach? Sign up for our free weekly newsletter: