Day X - Mental Training
Day X - Mental Training

Day X - Mental Training

This presentation, called A Journey to Mental Toughness, was given as part of Canada’s National Women’s Team Pond to Podium Development Series. It’s a bit long, but definitely worth watching.

Presenter: Paula McQuaid
  • Mental performance consultant with Canada’s National Women’s Program for six years, including with Canada’s National Women’s Under-18 Team from 2018-21.
  • Has earned a bachelor’s degrees from the University of P.E.I. (psychology) and St. Mary’s University (criminology) and a master’s degree from Gonzaga University (counselling).
  • Professional member of the Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association
  • Co-founder of Mindful Athletics and HONE, which was utilized by Canada’s National Junior Team for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championship.

The Journey to Mental Toughness

Confidence = Trust

Empower yourself! Developing confidence is a journey of empowering yourself. It is something we can build and grow.Whether you think you can, or think you can’t. YOU’RE RIGHT.

5 Steps to Self Belief

  1. Self belief is learned
  2. Deal wit the inner negative voice
  3. Flip weakness into strength
  4. Be your own motivational coach
  5. Do HERO training!

Don’t Ever Doubt Your Worth

  • Faith in yourself
  • Favourable opinion of self
  • Feel worthy of good things
  • Confidence in your ability

Be your own best coach. Stop comparing yourself to other athletes. Instead, compare yourself to your past performances.

Reframe Doubt

  • Recognize doubt
  • Silence your inner critic
  • Reframe negative self-doubt using positive affirmation.
Create your own Vision or Evidence Board
Create your own Vision or Evidence Board

Optimal Focus

Focus is the ability to attend to internal and external cues.

Internal Focus Style

  • Athletes who perform their best when they’re completely focused on their sport during practice or a game
  • They need to remain focused on the sport.

External Focus Style

  • Athletes who perform their best when they only focus on their sport when they’re about to begin a shift or drill
  • They perform their best when they are not thinking too much about their sport.
  • Allow their natural abilities and preparation to emerge

Distraction Control

  • Understand your style
  • Actively focus in a way that is consistent with your style.
  • This will allow you to remain focused.

Activate the Athlete

Stay in the Here and Now – What can you control?

Maintain Positivity – Recognize improvements.

Manage Emotions – Recognize how you handle successes and setbacks.

Positive Self-Talk – What are you telling yourself? Pay attention to your energy.

Remain Mindful – Pay attention. Reinforce your effort.

STAY TRUE TO YOU! Be willing to grow.

Attributes of Mental Toughness

Mental toughness is a collection of attributes that allow a person to persevere through difficult circumstances and emerge without losing confidence.

  1. Be AWARE of what you can control.
  2. Be PRESENT in the moment.
  3. Keep and OPEN MIND.
  4. CELEBRATE the successes of others.
  5. Recognize the POWER of your THOUGHTS.
  6. BE YOURSELF!

Today’s Assignment:

  1. Complete today’s workout on the TeamBuildr app. Be sure to mark each exercise complete as you finish it.

IMPORTANT: If you have other sports, camps or are doing a different workout that you’d like to substitute on any given day that is okay. Please make a quick note of what you did that day under the ALTERNATE Workout in TeamBuildr. It is still important to complete the stickhandling and shooting every day that it is scheduled. But it is okay to move it to another day of the week when you aren’t quite as busy. Even when you’re on vacation, you should still be trying to find time to get in your workout.

  1. After you watch the video, post something you enjoyed from the webinar to the team WhatsApp group.