The Inner Game

How to maximize individual development and team performance

Hi there,

You don’t have to choose between development and winning - you can have both.

Roll up your sleeves and help them solve their problems.

-Cody Royle

The Inner Game

An important truth is that building skills inside the mental game is key piece of coaching performance.

The Inner Game of Tennis, The Mental Guide to Peak Performance, by W. Timothy Galloway is an interesting look at the the mental game applied to playing tennis. It is a worthy read for coaches of any sport.

Galloway’s advice for tennis players is to see their performance non-judgementally. See what is happening rather than noticing how well or poorly it is happening. Letting go of judgements allows an athlete to see more clearly and make necessary adjustments.

You can take this concept and apply it to coaching; especially live in competition. When the game is on and emotions are high it is easy to diagnose performance as good or bad. Coaches can be susceptible to talking at their players rather than working with them. The challenge is to practice paying attention to what is happening rather than assigning a value to the performance.

When I’m mindful of this approach I can see more broadly what is happening and sharpen my focus on the most relevant cues. It creates a sense of freedom that makes coaching more enjoyable, especially under stressful conditions.

Roll Up Your Sleeves

When the game isn’t going well and players are struggling it is easy to slip into a mode of negative coaching. Judgements of performance are communicated to the team and there is a feeling of coaches on one side and players on the other. In these moments a coach and the players can become disconnected.

Being mindful to let go of judgement will free up mental space to see clearly what is happening and how you can help your team. As Cody Royle said to me, “roll up your sleeves and help them solve their problems,”. The result is a connected team from coaches to players.

Be Opposite the Moment

When you are in tune with what is happening you are more likely to identify what your team needs and how you can help them.

Cody Royle wrote about how Mike Elko, Head Coach for Texas A&M football manages high big situations.

“My job is to be calm and collected when they’re frantic, my job is to create intensity when they’re not intense, my job is to be always opposite the moment. It’s not to let the moment take me away. I’m the 48-year-old guy who is supposed to see this thing with clear eyes. They’re the 18 to 21-year-old kids who get emotional.”

Brock Badgers High Performance Hockey Seminar

Purchase the video of all presentations from the 2023, 2024, and/or 2025 seminar for just $74 (CDN). Email me directly at tmanastersky@brocku.ca for details.

Click here for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 agenda including speakers and topics.

About the seminar…

Learn, share, and connect with coaches, scouts, managers and industry professionals from all ages, genders, and levels on the campus of Brock University in the beautiful Niagara region.  

Click here for the 2023, 2024, and 2025 agenda including speakers and topics.

Purchase the video of all presentations from the 2023, 2024, and/or 2025 seminar for just $74 (CDN). Email me directly at tmanastersky@brocku.ca for details.

Cheers,

TJ Manastersky
Coaching Project
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