Coach Joey Shares Insight on Parental Guidance while Honing Mental Skills

By: Dylan Tehada

Being the parent of an athlete is an ever changing and evolving role, but one that is integral to the mindset and joy an athlete has for the game of basketball. Mental skills are vital to an athlete’s development in basketball, and parents are a key piece in setting an example and being a constant source of support every step of the way throughout one’s career. Parents are more empowered than ever before to learn and teach mental skills as it has become a popular topic of discussion in player development and more access to resources and frameworks to coach mental skills have become more available.

Learning how to coach and teach mental skills involves knowing what methods and frameworks are available. One method parents can employ on their own and practice with their athlete is meditation. According to UPB Player Development Coach, Joey Hewitt, meditation and focusing on breath allows parents and athletes alike to center themselves and live in the present. One of the biggest roles parents have in their athlete’s mental journey is setting good examples, therefore integrating practices such as meditation to the daily routine can have a positive impact on how an athlete plays in and confronts high stress situations. 

“Athletes are going to see what their parents are doing, especially in those types of chaotic situations and subconsciously mirror it,” Coach Joey stated. “If you have mechanisms such as taking a deep breath when you get a stressful phone call, or when something out of the blue or unpredictable happens at work, and your kid sees you do that, they're more likely to probably take a breath when they feel stressed in a basketball game or when they feel nervous at school.”

In addition to practicing mental skills on their own, parents also play a key role in their athletes careers by simply being present throughout every step of their journey. Athletes lean on their parents for feedback and support more than anyone else in their lives and therefore being present and having dialogue with an athlete can go a long way in developing mental skills. 

Having dialogue with an athlete after a game or a training session can be categorized into three buckets according to Coach Joey: positives, areas of improvement, and lessons. By focusing on these three areas, an athlete is allowed to reflect on their performance instead of internalizing any emotions or feelings. Another great way to be present during an athlete’s journey is to simply attend training sessions and watch how an athlete reacts to certain drills or practices.

“I would say one [way to be present] is to go to a training and actually watch. Not just watch if your [athlete] is making or missing shots, but watch what they are doing when they miss shots or when they make mistakes. If you get to see that, you get to now create a lot of teaching, teaching moments and a lot of examples that you can now build off of,” Coach Joey said.

An athlete’s basketball journey is constantly evolving and changing as the nuances of playing higher levels are introduced. Despite all the change that goes on in the athlete’s career, the one constant they can lean on is a strong support system from their parents. Parents are the rock that athletes can lean on no matter the situation and simple acts of support can uplift an athlete in profound ways. As athletes progress to higher, more competitive levels of hoops, new situations are thrown at them and the stakes feel a lot higher. 

One of the main keys to a player's development is reminding themselves of the joy they have for the game, even in times of high stress and high stakes. According to Coach Joey, a parent's support can go a long way in sustaining this joy and instilling confidence in their athletes no matter what level of ball they are playing at.

“The higher level an athlete is at, the more pressure there is, and the more stakes there are, which makes it more important for the parent to kind of build the opposite direction in that and be a consistent rock, be a consistent supportive presence,” Coach Joey said. “That was something that really helped me, personally, when I played college basketball and things started to get more real.”

Honing mental skills is an integral way that an athlete can realize their potential is unlimited and parents play a key role in helping guide and teach these skills. Being a good example and being a rock for an athlete are two surefire ways to instill a strong love and passion for the game and persists throughout every step of an athlete's career!