5 Ways I Enhance My Mental Game as a Student-Athlete

I have been playing basketball for 16 years and this will be my 5^th year of collegiate basketball. There is so much pressure, hardships, highs, and lows that go into being an athlete on any level. In counseling this past week, my counselor told me I have been able to manage stress at a very high level, but to just say “it’s fine, everything is fine,” is not really ever going to address my issues. My intent in this blog isn’t to downplay anyone’s stress, anxiety, depression, etc., nor is it to say that if you do these five things that you’ll be free from anxiety and stress. I want to be real and I want you as my reader to know that I come from a place of vulnerability and compassion within this topic. 

I think for some of us as athletes, we don’t want to be viewed as weak, so we pretend everything is fine until it’s not. I hope these steps from my experiences encourages you and I also hope it encourages you to know that you are not alone, I have been there, I struggle with it daily, and I have chosen to be active in getting care and help to strengthen my mental health, and it is ok to do that.

1)   Goal-setting

This is something I have always done since I was younger, but it became more direct in terms of what I wanted to do in the classroom, in basketball, and in my walk with Christ. My freshman year of college I was really struggling with time management and making time to study. My counselor told me I work best with schedules and goals. If there is an appointment scheduled, I won’t miss it, even if I don’t necessarily “need” to go. So, I started making appointments to do my homework. I would plan a time to go to a Starbucks or quiet place I could work, and I would stay for a couple of hours before I took a break and did something else. Before every season, I sit down and think of my role for the upcoming year within my team. I write down goals I want to attain academically and on the basketball court. During the year I pull out the goals I want to achieve and how I can get there. I celebrate little things every day. Sometimes it’s ok if the goal is just to get out of bed that morning. Tell a few people closest to you about your goals, who can remind you of them, hold you accountable to them, and encourage you in them every day. You can't do this alone!

2)   Self-talk

Self-talk is something that has been very hard for me. I think it can depend on your personality type, but I believe all athletes can relate that in some way, we want to please and perform for others. If there were no reward, no praise, or no affirmation, a lot of us may not endure all of the adversities that our passion endures. Self-talk is more than just telling yourself “it’s ok” when something goes wrong. I have gotten better at this the older I have gotten, but it can be so hard sometimes to continue believing in yourself when you feel as if the people around you have given up on you. I want to encourage you to speak truth to yourself every day. I started doing small things like writing Scripture and prayers out on sticky notes and putting them on my mirror. Every morning before workouts I would see these and read them even if I didn’t believe them to be true of myself. When you tell yourself something for so long, you will eventually believe it to be true. This is also true of how we listen to others. If someone is telling you lies about who you are as a person or player, you start to believe you really aren’t good enough. You HAVE to battle these with truth! You would not be where you are if you did not have the skill and ability. I promise, you are enough. I don’t even have to know you to know that you were created with purpose and value. If someone tells you anything otherwise, you have to hear it through one ear and out the other. I used to literally tell myself, “that’s not true, keep doing what you’re doing,” after hearing something really detrimental to my confidence. 

3)   Breathing

This is something I am honestly still working on. My counselor at Liberty my freshman year gave me some breathing exercises and techniques. The only problem is, I didn’t make it a habit and would only practice them when I was in the middle of panic attacks. Breathing is actually a relaxation mechanism. It signals to your brain to calm. I work on this after running, before free throws, before tests, before I sleep, or really any time I start to feel anxious. Some great advice I received from my counselor this summer was to focus on the task at hand. So many times, I get distracted by anxious thoughts which hinders me from focusing on school or keeps me up at night when I need to sleep. When you lay your head to rest, focus on the feel of your sheets, how your pillow feels, and breathing in deep and exhaling a few times. Being mindful of what is most important in the moment will help combat anxious thoughts. There is nothing you can do about what has been done or what is coming tomorrow. All you can do in that moment is close your eyes and rest. 

4)   Imagery

This may be one of the most critical techniques that has worked for me in my life. Right before my state championship game my junior year I gathered my team up in a circle. I told them I wanted them to close their eyes and imagine them winning. I wanted them to imagine themselves scoring every basket, celebrating with each other, chest bumping, and holding up that trophy. In order to get somewhere and be successful, you truly have to see yourself being that and doing that. There is no way I could have ever done some of the things I have done without first believing I could do it. Regardless of what logic says, regardless of what others say, despite any circumstances, YOU have to believe that you can achieve your desires. Don’t ever let someone hold you back from living your dreams or being yourself. You have dreams of winning, you have dreams of playing for a big team, or winning a championship, so change your thoughts to be of you winning. Envision yourself being the best version of yourself and start showing up as her/him every day. Each day is an opportunity to be better than the day before, don’t let fear hinder you from accomplishing your dreams, take it on full-heartedly. Go for it. If you fail, get back up and try again. Be resilient. Have grit. Be determined. Never give up.

5)   Routines

I sort of alluded to this before with goal-setting, but routines are especially important because as humans, we work in habits. One year at UTA for a couple of months, every day after practice I would take a couple teammates to sonic, so naturally every day after practice, my brain would be like “SONICCCCCCC!!!” You can really rewire your brain to do just about anything you want it to, as long as you’re consistent. Each person works differently, but you have to try new things to understand what helps you work best in school, for your sport, and in your daily life. I have come to realize that it’s extremely vital for me to carve out time for myself daily. I started setting up boundaries for others and my friends, not to be selfish, but to help me be more effective in everything I do. My routine is a little different every day, but some things that are consistent are, practices in the morning, shoot with my teammate after, treatment and rehab with my athletic trainer, breakfast afterwards, classes and connecting with my classmates, eating lunch, coming back to my apartment and spending some time for myself. My quiet time looks different depending on the day and mood, but for me it’s a time to debrief, talk things out with God, and relax my mind and body. Something that is also really important to me are my friends. I typically hang out with different friends every day at some point. I personally love being around people, connecting with friends, and making others laugh. This is a joy for me that I look forward to every day. Finding friends that are healthy for you, push you towards your goals, and encourage you in your walk of life is a major contribution to your success. If you’re hanging out with bad influences, people who cut you down, or don’t choose you back, it’s an unnecessary stressor and honestly not a friend. 

These are 5 small steps that have been helpful for me. Like I said before, everyone works differently, but it’s all about finding what is best for you to bring out the best of yourself so you can bring out the best in others. You cannot truly love others fully without first loving yourself, and understanding your struggles, your weaknesses, what you need to feel loved, and accomplished, is not something to beat yourself over. It is ok to stop and make time for yourself. It is ok to say no to people or things that hinder you from bringing the best out in you. You are strong for recognizing your needs and you are brave for stepping out into uncomfortable spaces to seek the help you need. Maybe it starts with a friend. A breath. A list of goals. A journal to write out your thoughts. A gratitude journal to remind yourself what is good in your life. Affirmations in your mirror. Envision yourself winning and not feeling embarrassed or bad for it. You can do this. You were meant for more than how you’ve been living. Start today, in this moment, make a change. Think of everything you want to do and be, write those things down, and take small steps to get there. If anyone can attest to that, it would definitely be me. 

I would have never of dreamed of being at Syracuse after everything I have been through and done. I made a decision to get the help I needed, to see myself doing big things despite my circumstances and doubt around me and in myself at times. I decided to hold onto the truth that God spoke over me and believe it, even if it seemed stupid or made no sense to. Sometimes it doesn’t make sense to other people, but it is completely what you need and makes sense for you. I hope this post encourages you in some way to take any of these steps and sparks a confidence in you that has maybe died a little. I am excited about continuing another post about this topic and am excited about the chance to connect with anyone that this resonates with.