1. INTRODUCTION TO MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING
Damon Burton & Bernie Holliday
University of Idaho

2. DISCUSSION QUESTIONS What is Mental Skills Training (MST)?
How important is the mental side of competition?
What factors would increase or decrease your motivation to actually use mental training?

3. WHAT IS MENTAL SKILLS TRAINING?
Often termed Psychological Skills Training (PST)
Most athletes develop mental training tools and skills to some degree through trial and error.
MST’s goal is to enhance the development and automation of mental training tools and skills through a comprehensive and systematic program.
Good MST programs not only speed up and enhance the development process, but they also ensure that performers develop more fully, perform at a higher level, enjoy sport more and transfer these skills to all other areas of their lives.

4. WHY MST IS IMPORTANT
Have you ever “played down” to a lesser-skilled opponent’s ability level?
Have you ever choked at a critical point in a game or match?
Have you ever thought about non-sport-related activities during practice or competition?
Have you ever skipped a workout because you didn’t feel motivated, energized, or focused?

5. WHY MST IS IMPORTANT
Preseason Sesason Postseason

6. WHY MST IS IMPORTANT
Preseason Sesason Postseason

7. WHY ATHLETES AND COACHES DON’T USE MST
Lack of knowledge about MST and sport psychology
“You have to be confident!” “Concentrate!” and “Relax out there!”
Belief that mental skills are innate and unchangeable
“That Bernie’s just a head case under pressure”
The “person-in-the-box” phenomenon
Lack of time
Buying into all of the MST myths…

8. MST MYTHS MST is for problem athletes only
Only 10% of athletes require the services of a clinical sport psychologist (Weinberg & Gould, 1999)
MST is for elite athletes only
Youth athletes to professionals
Athletes, business folk, actors, performers, musicians, and surgeons are just a few of the occupations benefiting from MST
The “magic wand” myth
MST doesn’t work and isn’t useful

9. DOES MST WORK? Elite-level performer research
Anecdotal reports from athletes and coaches
Athletes’ and coaches’ subjective experiences
Intervention studies
Greenspan & Feltz (1989)
Weinberg & Comar (1994)

10. 3+ PHASES OF MST New School… Education Old School… Acquisition
Practice
Implementation
Skill-transfer strategies
Performance
Less-learned skills break down under pressure and old habits resurface
Old School…
Education
Concentration lecture…
Acquisition
Concentration activities…
Practice
Automate concentration by performing activities daily
Problem: Athletes had trouble integrating MST into competition

11. WHO SHOULD PERFORM MST? Sport psychologist Coach/Exercise leader
Problem(s):
Coach/Exercise leader
Athlete
Problems(s):

12. WALKING THE WALK: IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM
When to begin…
Ideally, off-season or preseason
More time to learn and automate new skills
Less pressure to win
How long…
First exposure is 3 to 6 months
Then, lifetime commitment
Needs assessment
Oral interviews
Written psychological inventories (e.g., tests)
Performance profiling (see additional handouts)

13. WALKING THE WALK: IMPLEMENTING THE PROGRAM
Needs assessment (continued)
Beware the “canned” MST program!
Identify critical mental skills and mental training tools for each individual athlete
Provide vision and long-term goal setting
Develop systematic practice routine and schedule
Develop and implement the MST program based on 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 above
Systematically evaluate and revise MST program
Develop a strategy to monitor progress (e.g., logs, etc.)
Reward goal achievement regularly

14. SOME COMMON PROBLEMS WITH IMPLEMENTING MST
Lack of conviction
Sell, sell, sell!
Lack of time
Coaches should commit to a time
Lack of consultant’s sport knowledge
Learn, learn, learn!
Lack of follow-up
Plan for and schedule two or three follow-up meetings prior to implementing MST programs