Discussing a Parent’s Role in their Athlete’s Mental Skills Journey
By: Dylan Tehada
Basketball is as much of a mental game as it is a physical one. Whether it be embodying Kobe’s Mamba Mentality or practicing living in the present by “being a goldfish,” honing mental skills has become an integral part in every athlete's development. A strong, positive mindset not only leads to an athlete’s growth, but more importantly allows them to play the game freely with joy. Access to training mental skills especially amongst young athletes is becoming more accessible than ever, and here at Unlimited Potential Basketball, there are plenty of ways to develop these skills and establish good mental habits.
As a young athlete grows with the game, parents have an important influence on their development on and off the court. Especially at a young age, an athlete emulates the habits and behaviors of their parents and often seek them for guidance. In the sports world, parents play an important role in being a strong support system throughout a season and setting a good example of how to establish strong mental habits. According to Player Development Coach, Joey Hewitt, the most important way for parents to get involved in their athlete’s mental skills journey and be a strong support system is using the right language.
“Everything in regards to our focus stems from the things we hear or the things that we see… The parent is a very influential person in an athlete's life in the sense that what they say, the children take in and what they do, the children mirror naturally,” Coach Joey said. “Being able to use a language that is focused on the right things, focused on the process, focused on the things that are in the athletes control, I think is very important.”
Conversing with a young athlete after a game is a prime opportunity for parents to establish the right language that is focused on process rather than results. According to Coach Joey, fixating on results creates pressure and stress for an athlete during a game. Rather than focusing solely on results like how many points they scored or how many minutes they played, parents can redirect the conversation after a game by asking more open ended questions that allow athletes to reflect on what it is they could control in a game. Questions like “how was your attitude today?” or “how was your body language today?” not only allows an athlete to hone their mental skills, but also reinforces the idea of staying within the realm of what is in their control.
“[By asking these questions focused on the process] all of a sudden, a parent’s athlete is going to think and focus more on the mental side of the game and on the controllable aspects of the game,” Coach Joey said.
In addition to honing mental skills on a game to game basis, it is also integral for parents to establish this language during other big moments throughout the season, such as tryouts. Tryouts often elicit pressure to make a team or being a starter or just making a good impression. The common thread that binds all these pressures are that they cannot be controlled by the athlete themself. By using language that fixates on process over results, parents can support athletes during tryouts by reminding them that their number one focus should be on their effort and attitude.
“The number one thing an athlete has to do is focus on their effort and focus on their attitude and just being in the moment. Don't get too caught up in the actual idea of making the team. just go out there, have fun and play your heart out, the rest will take care of itself,” Coach Joey said.
Coach Joey is one of the leading voices in the gym that helps athletes hone these mental skills. He leads mental skills training sessions with young athletes and even incorporates mental skills practices within his privates. If you and your athlete are interested in practicing these skills together and elevating the mental side of the game, sign up here!
