Mary Nhin’s son, Kobe, began competing in tennis a couple of years ago and was winning most of his games… until he hit a cold streak.
“He began going into super tiebreakers, a very short determining point system, and he would get very nervous, and he would end up losing,” says Nhin, the co-author, along with Kobe, of “How to Win the Wimbledon in Pajamas.”
He knew his mental skills needed work, so he started researching mental toughness and the mental game in general.
“Kobe figured out he would have this vicious cycle when the game was coming up, or the score was close. He would begin to have thoughts about what would happen in the future. Being aware of those thoughts or feelings was the first step for him to being able to stop that cycle.”
“If you are thinking with a growth mindset, every setback or loss is leading you one step closer to your outcome goal. If you look at it with a growth mindset, every failure teaches you something which means you’re one step closer to your goal.”
You can listen to the full interview with Mary Nhin below:
Related Sports Psychology Articles
- Fear of Failure in Youth Sports
- Helping Young Athletes Let Go of Mistakes
- Helping Young Athletes Overcome Pregame Anxiety
*Subscribe to The Ultimate Sports Parent Podcast
*Subscribe to Peak Performance Sports on Youtube
Download a free sports psychology report to improve your mental game!
Sports Psychology Coaching for Young Athletes
One-on-one mental performance coaching is the fastest and most effective method to improve your athletes’ mental game, boost their performance, and make lasting changes. And as a bonus, parents learn what to say to help young athletes f