Write your search in the input below and press enter.
Esc to close.

The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich

Peak Performance:
Not Just for Sports, for Life

  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
    • Recent
    • Athletes
    • Coaching
    • Sports Parenting
    • Sports Administrators
    • Life
    • Administrators
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact
  • Products
    • Toolkits
    • Audio
    • Books
    • Videos
    • Apps
  • Services
  • Chalk Talk
  • About Dr. Stankovich
  • Testimonials
  • Contact

Hello. Sign In

My Account
  • Login
  • Register
0
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk
Subscribe
The Sports Doc Chalk Talk with Dr. Chris Stankovich
  • Recent
  • Athletes
  • Coaching
  • Sports Parenting
  • Life
  • Administrators
Home / Blog / Turn Inward for Sport Improvement: Sports Leadership for Success

Turn Inward for Sport Improvement: Sports Leadership for Success

By: Dr. Chris Stankovich | @DrStankovich | Jul 01, 2011

No Comments

There is a theory in psychology that can be directly applied to sports and really help athletes with their on-field success.  I am talking about Locus of Control, a theory developed by Julian Rotter , refers to the extent to which individuals believe that they can control events that affect them.  Generally speaking, some people believe their fate is more in the hands of others, while other people feel as though they are largely responsible for the things that happen to them – good or bad.  Locus of control has a dramatic impact on youth, interscholastic, college, and professional sports, and can be the difference between one athlete’s success and another athlete’s failure (Advanced Human Performance Systems).

In sports, it is very easy for athletes (and parents) to quickly point the finger and blame everyone (i.e. the coach) and everything (i.e. the “politics” of the selection process) when dealing with sport adversity. Of course, blaming others provides immediate comfort during stressful times, but in most cases it is not the fault of others when we fail.

Athletes who develop an external locus of control tend to immediately point the finger at all the reasons why they came up short in a game – the coach didn’t play me the right way, the officials were terrible, etc.  On the other hand, athletes with more of an internal locus of control first look inward when they face adversity, and begin by asking themselves what they could have done different or better so that they wouldn’t have failed.  Guess which athlete is more likely for future success?

Developing an internal locus of control can dramatically help with sport success, as resiliency and mental toughness are dramatically enhanced as a result of rational thinking.  When athletes (and parents) stop pointing the finger outward and begin to realize that sports aren’t “perfect,” nor are they always fair, only then can a healthier sport-training paradigm develop.  rather than blaming others or situations, athletes will benefit more by learning mental toughness skills, including skills around focus, concentration, and bouncing back from adversity.

It goes without saying that there are sometimes “politics” in sports, and that sometimes athletes get a raw deal while playing.  But in the big picture is it really worth it to dwell on those unfortunate experiences, or would it be more advantageous to simply move on and focus on the next play/game?  For young athletes, developing an internal locus of control can really help with on-field sport success, as well as life success.

Our growing line of iphone sport performance apps is growing – check them out here!

www.drstankovich.com

 

 

locus of control, mental toughenss, sport responsibility, sport success

  • Author
  • Comments
  • Details
Get to Know the Author

Dr. Chris Stankovich

Dr. Stankovich has written/co-written five books, including Positive Transitions for Student Athletes, The ParentsPlaybook, Mind of Steel.

Latest Blog Posts

  • May 23, 2023 Breaking Down the Stages of Youth Sports
  • May 16, 2023 Mental Health Tips to Help Kids Avoid Sport Burnout
  • May 10, 2023 Watch for these Issues with Kids Playing Multiple Sports During Same Season
  • May 4, 2023 Understanding the Importance of a Balanced Athletic Identity for Kids
  • April 27, 2023 Turning Hope into Belief: The Psychology of Success

Comments are closed.

PREVIOUS POST

Sport Statistics Can Sometimes be Misleading When it Comes to Sport Success

NEXT POST

Should You Play Your Child “Up” in Sports?

Category

Athletic Counseling , Boys Sports , Coaching , Communicating with Coach , Parent Training , Performance Enhancement , Playing Time , Pro and College Sports , Psychology of Injury , Quitting , Social Responsibility , Sport Philosophy , Sport Psychology , Sport Transitions , Sports Leadership , Sports Parenting , Sports Performance Science , Training and Development , Youth and Interscholastic Sports , Youth Sports

Tags

locus of control, mental toughenss, sport responsibility, sport success

  • Recent Posts
  • Most Read
  • Breaking Down the Stages of Youth Sports
  • Mental Health Tips to Help Kids Avoid Sport Burnout
  • Watch for these Issues with Kids Playing Multiple Sports During Same Season
  • Understanding the Importance of a Balanced Athletic Identity for Kids
  • Turning Hope into Belief: The Psychology of Success
  • Morning Sports Practice Before School is Becoming the Norm, but is this Healthy for Kids?
  • Nature or Nurture? Exploring the Psychology of Sport Success
  • 3 Important Tips for Today's Multi-Sport, Youth Sport Athlete
  • Understanding Intelligence: Putting Knowledge into ACTION!
  • Breaking Down the Stages of Youth Sports
  • The Sports Doc on TV

    Catch Dr. Stankovich’s tv, radio, and print interviews and columns here!

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Watch Videos
  • Sport Performance Assessment

    Dr. Chris Stankovich Quickly and accurately test your level of mental toughness in just a few minutes using the Sport Performance Assessment.

    (SPA), an easy-to-use sport psychology system specially designed to help you REACH YOUR FULL ATHLETIC POTENTIAL.

    learn more
  • SportsSuccess360

    Life strategies for performance and character development for coaches, parents, and student athletes competing in youth and interscholastic sports.

    Life Strategies learn more
  • Contact Dr. Stankovich

    1395 Grandview Avenue Suite 6, Columbus OH 43212

    (614) 561-4482
    Media & General Inquiries
    information@drstankovich.com
    Sales & Product Support
    sales@drstankovich.com
  • About Dr. Stankovich

    • Media
    • Blog
    • Testimonials
  • Products

    • Toolkits
    • Videos
    • Books
    • Audio
    • iPhone Apps
  • Services

    • Athlete Performance Training
    • Parent Community Forum
    • Coach Education & Development
    • Athletic Crisis Response and Intervention
    • Drug & Alcohol Assessment
    • Life Success Programs
    • Counseling & Consulting Services
  • Blog
  • YouTube
  • twitter
  • facebook

All rights reserved © 2023 Advanced Human Performance Systems™

↓ ↓