hat make all the difference. Self-talk isalso a time when an athlete may reflect on compliments he has received andsuccess up to this point. This technique is as important as any in the roadtoward peak performance.A third technique in gaining self-confidence is imagery. Imagery if doneproperly does build confidence. Imagery or mental rehearsal is the process ofcreating mental images of yourself performing at optimal levels. Confidenceincreases because you avoid dwelling on the past, where you could findexperiences of failure. Confidence is further enhanced when you maintain focusin(4) the present time rather than letting your imagination drift into the future,where the possibilities for failure or injury can exist. Simply, an athlete'sconfidence is enhanced because they see themselves achieving the goal the learnwhat it looks like, feels like, sounds like, or even smells like. Therefore, thesituation becomes familiar to them and they feel it belongs to them resulting ina feeling of success. An extra bit of confidence like that can carry an athletethrough almost anything, and they can feel as if they can do things that mayhave seemed impossible. This technique is considered by many sportspsychologists to be one of the greatest tools aiding athletes with self-confidence.The above techniques are basically internal and must be done on anindividual basis. There are however some external techniques that build self-confidence. Coaches can practice many self-confidence skills with their team.First, team cohesion sessions are a necessity. This is the time when the teamcan learn to act as one. Not only physically, but mentally as well. If they havefaith in one another it is inevitable that they will gain faith in themselves.Second, using constructive criticism can make the players feel much better aboutthemselves. Coaches should make suggestions like “Why don't you try this,”instead of yelling at the players and saying, “you a...
