In order to achieve optimal athletic performance, athletes prioritize physical components: lifts in the gym, reps at the basket, shots on the goal. Alternatively, some sports fixate on the psychological aspects of their game.

Visualization is one the most popular methods to mental success. Athletes take time before and during games to picture themselves performing perfectly. 

Envisioning having the perfect swing, race, or shot builds inner confidence and benefits real time athletic performance. 

“Visualizing putts is beneficial since putting is so mental,” senior golfer Julia Karmazin said. “If I can see the ball going in the hole before taking my stroke I have a good confident putt.”

Commonly, athletes will breath before a serve in volleyball, a free throw in basketball, and before a race. 

The performance of athletes is affected by their breath. Players take deep breaths in order to lower their heart rate and decrease stress levels. 

“In close games or when I am not playing my best I resort back to focusing more on my breath to keep me engaged,” senior setter Reese Booth said.

Mind training is a new practice that is slowly being drizzled into different athletic programs in the building. 

In the fall, cross country and volleyball are the primary sports that set time aside to focus on the mental aspect of their season. 

Cross country meets after their practice the day before a race, they lay down in silence while assistant coach Bart Wilkens talks them through the difficult parts of the race. 

If the course is unfamiliar to the runners, Wilkens will run it and mark key points in the race. The next day runners meet, huddle and talk through the most challenging parts, prior to their run. 

“Visualizing before a race allows me to plan out how I want the race to go so I can be mentally ready for anything that happens,” junior cross country runner Ella Ford said. “Knowing the step by step plan before I race is important since it takes stress out of my mind in order to have a good race.”

In the gym, the volleyball program sets aside one or two nights per week after practice to meet with mental trainers Angie Hauptman and Dr. Larry Widman.

Hauptman talks about positive self-talk and teaches the athletes how to maintain their mindsets. The girls write in their journals about gratitude, work on different breathing techniques and team building exercises. 

“Meeting with Angie affected my performance as a freshman,” freshman middle hitter Reagan Wallraff said. “Her visualization scenarios made me feel more confident and fired up to play as a team.”

Before games the athletes meet in the locker room as coach Jenny Gragert reads a scripted positional visualization sheet. Throughout this time, the girls take time to focus on their breaths and envision their future success.

“Setting aside pregame time to visualize helps with mental focus and preparation,” head volleyball coach Jenny Gragert said. “It gives players a chance to calm their bodies, focus on breathing and provides a voice to walk through and break down successful performances.”

Before serving, players are taught to close their eyes and take deep breaths before they lock in on their zones. 

“Taking a deep breath helps to calm me down during high pressure situations and focus on what I can control,” senior serving specialist Courtney Christo said. 

Along with in-school resources, some athletes find other outlets. Beginning freshman year, senior Sydney Stodden started to meet with a sports psychologist to help peak her athletic confidence. 

“[The nerves] got so bad that I would be sick before races because I was so nervous to compete,” Stodden said.

During sessions, they would visualize: envision the race the night before, so it was not so scary the next day.

“Visualization made a huge impact on my performances because I would get there [the track meets] feeling confident and excited to compete,” Stodden said. 

Athletes that have factored psychology into their practices have seen tremendous success. 

In the last three years of the cross country and volleyball programs, the teams have earned a state runner-up trophy and in the other years, placed in the top four. 

Since freshman year, Stodden has individually been one of the states top runners in the 400 meter dash and the 800 meter run; she has accumulated fourteen state medals up to her junior season. 

“Not only has it bettered me, anyone could benefit from seeing a sports psychologist because with any sport the mental aspect is as important as the physical aspect,” Stodden said.