[The best players] are getting it done with what they got [on any given day] and they know how to do that.
Ken Ravizza
Ken Ravizza is touted as the pioneer of modern sports psychology. His book, Heads Up Baseball, is the gospel when it comes to mental toughness. If you haven’t heard of him, you should take a break NOW and go watch some videos. When he talks about getting players to perform, he does not mean when the team is up five. He means he wants the athlete to perform in the bottom of the 9th inning as well as they do in practice or training.
3 Steps to Peak Performance
How do we find ways to alleviate the pressure? How can I make the game feel like batting practice? Ravizza says Step 1 is to Know Why You Play The Game. If you are just playing because it is something to do, your motivation will diminish over time. You must have a clear vision of where you want to be tomorrow, in order to work as hard as you can today. Over time, the vision can change. The most important thing is that the player knows.
Step 2 is to Learn How to Regulate Yourself. When something goes wrong, you need to know how to respond. When you are feeling your heart beating too fast, you have to know how to slow it down. Ravizza states, “You must be in control of yourself before you try controlling your performance.” I about went out and got that tattooed on my forearm the first time I heard it.
Step 3 is Use Your Routines. Ravizza says, “you may not have consistency in results, but you can have consistency in your routines.” Sure, the cliché of “controlling the controllable” may be played out, but it’s real! If I am going to strike out three times in a day, I am going to do it with the same clear mind, the same batting gloves, and the same banger of a walk-up song that I use when I am 4-4.
The pressure is always going to be there in the big moments. We all play because that pressure can turn the ordinary man into a hero. So the next time you get that little twinge of panic, just remember the three steps Ravizza taught you.
In loving memory of Ken Ravizza (1948-2018)
Share Below!
