Today in sports athletes endure many mental and physical obstacles from there competitive environment. Many of today's best athletes work with sports psychologists to help them handle the pressures found in this competitive atmosphere. One question that athletes ask is, why cant they play in big games as well as they anticipate themselves doing? Sports psychologists feel that spending all their time on body conditioning and athletic skills will not ensure that athletes reach their peak performance. Through various studies, psychologists conclude that the psyche aspect must also be in shape to maximize the performance potential in sports as well as education or running a business corporation. Psychologists conclude that by fine-tuning athletic skills, and making real-life movements more automatic, it will install a sense of calmness as athletes prepare for the pressure of competition. They call this technique guided imagery. They use this technique for the mental aspect of fundamental skills. Psychologists recommend that athletes mentally practice their events on the eve of competition. When it comes to sports, the winning edge throughout the world of sports may have less to do with strength and talent, and more to do with, what sports psychologists call it, mental toughness. Sports psychologists James Loehr, calls "mental toughness," the ability to handle and even enjoy the psychological pressure of a competitive situation. (Harry Hurt, 1996, p.12) Many of today's best athletes seek help from sports psychologists, in order to help...
