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In this conversation, Kate McCauley discusses the mental performance challenges athletes face before competitions, emphasizing the importance of regulating nervous energy and creating a calm environment. She provides practical techniques for coaches to help their teams manage anxiety and perform at their best, including guided visualization and breathing exercises. The conversation highlights the significance of mental preparation in sports and the role of coaches in modeling calmness for their athletes.

Takeaways:

The moments before competition are filled with chaos and nervous energy.
Athletes often doubt themselves and feel overwhelmed before performances.
Coaches need to regulate the environment to help athletes focus.
Mental performance techniques should be practiced well before competition day.
Calmness in coaches can influence the team's performance positively.
Guided visualization can help athletes prepare mentally for competition.
Breathing exercises are essential for calming nerves before performances.
Trusting one's training is crucial for athletes during competitions.
Practicing mental techniques regularly can improve performance outcomes.
Coaches should model calmness and provide a supportive environment for their teams.

Chapters

00:00 Preparing for Cheer Nationals and overcoming Negative talk
04:16 Mental Performance: The Key to Success for cheerleaders
07:56 Calming Techniques: Regulating Nerves Before Cheer Performance
10:21 Guided Visualization for Cheer Coaches and athletes: Preparing the Mind for Competition
12:52 Champion Within Outro .mp3

COACHES COPY AND PASTE BELOW: I want you to look at this as an experiment. You don't have to be perfect. We're going to breathe and calm down our body. We're going to inhale through our nose and exhale out through our mouth. Let's start breathing. Big inhale in through our nose and blow all of the air exhaling out through your mouth. Keep doing that inhaling and exhaling as you listen to my voice in through your nose and out through your mouth. If you feel comfortable, you can close your eyes, continuing to breathe. Now I want you to just focus on your feet in your shoes. Your feet on the floor. Keep breathing deep in and breathe it out. Feel that floor beneath you. You are here… right now. The noise around you doesn't matter. Breathe in and out. Nobody gets to decide how you perform…. Not the noise…. Just picture the first count. The noise around you doesn't matter…. Focus on your breath in and out. You get to decide how you perform. You are in control of your body and your mind. I want you to picture the first count sharp and intentional. Picture moving together, not rushed, not hesitant. If something isn't perfect, see the reset immediately and confidently. No panic, no pause, just see it. See the ending. See yourself finishing strong, connected as a team. Say to yourself in your mind: “I am ready. I trust my training. I trust my team.” Breathe that in and out. “I am ready. I trust my training. I trust my team.” …………. “I am ready. I trust my training. I trust my team.” Focus on your breath one more time with a big inhale and exhale. Now open your eyes and LET’S GO!!!!!! Coaches, want you to put this into practice with your team. Let them practice this like a science experiment. Do this at practice. Do this when you're at the hotel. Do this the night before, the morning of. It doesn't take long. Do it on the warm-up mat. Do it when you notice some panic. It is going to make a big difference in the way you show up.