:: A SUCCESSFUL OFF-SEASON IS ON YOU ::

Not too long ago, Patrick Kane ended the 2009-2010 NHL season with a goal on Michael Leighton that I am sure Leighton wants back. For many, the Blackhawks victory signaled the end of another hockey season and a wait for the next season to begin. Waiting though for the next season is what often gets goaltenders of all ages and levels in trouble.

The end of the National Hockey League season often coincides with the end of the school year. For many goaltenders this is the start of summer holidays. Hockey is often put on the backburner as the weather is warm, holidays with families and friends are booked and the motivation to work on becoming a better goaltender is hard to be found externally. Hey who wants to work on improving their game now when hockey is still months away?

The fact is every goaltender should want to work on improving their game at this time of year yet it is often a very select few that complete physical, on-ice and mental training in June and July. A goaltender who is not working on improving their game is falling behind the competition in my mind. I see it every year, mid to late August goaltenders hit the panic button and begin to attempt to fix their game in a short period of time. Some are successful yet for the most part the athletes who leave their training to the last minute are overcome by “the other guy.”

“The other guy” is often the goaltender who has committed to making himself a better goaltender throughout the summer and has put the repeated time and effort into both their on and off ice training that ensures that when tryouts start back up they are comfortable with the physical, technical and mental skills that they have been taught. Ask any goaltender and they will agree that when learning a new skill of any sorts it takes completing the skill multiple times before it becomes habit. Many goaltenders who enter into tryouts with little training fail to perform at their best because they have not created the muscle or mental memory to complete a newly learned skill quickly and decisively.

So why is it that most athletes leave their training to the last minute if success is found by creating that muscle and mental memory though training throughout the summer? The answer is motivation. The external motivation of upcoming tryouts or making the highest team possible is not as readily available in the middle of summer.

Without the external motivation that is missing in action during the earlier portion of the summer the responsibility for creating that motivation must come from within the athlete.

Motivation is one of the strongest factors in successful athletes. Motivation is that internal force that determines all aspects of our behavior from how we think to how we feel. In sport, being highly motivated is widely believed to be a prerequisite for ensuring that athletes reach their full potential. Elite athletes have been found to have a large amount of intrinsic motivation and you too can increase your intrinsic motivation.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within where extrinsic motivation comes from outside, examples of this include such factors as money, winning a trophy or avoiding punishment. Intrinsic motivation is considered to be the healthiest form of motivation and often the amount of intrinsic motivation often relates to the amount of success an athlete experiences.

One way to increase your amount of intrinsic motivation is through goal setting. Goals set by yourself to become a better athlete will help to give you that energy and desire in the middle of the summer when taking a break is the easier option. The problem is that goal setting has been given a bad name by athletes and coaches who fail to understand goal setting in full. When goals are set properly and for the athlete they can be found to be highly effective in providing that extra motivation throughout the summer.

Another technique for increasing intrinsic motivation is through positive self-talk. Throughout the summer your negative or unconstructive self-talk will attempt to take over. Thoughts like “it’s too hot outside,” “I’m on vacation” or “I’m too tired or soar today” are often used by athletes to take the day off which can lead to weeks of inactivity. Surround yourself with positive self-talk that gets you excited to work hard and improve your game and you will find that you can tap into a supply of motivation that you may have never experienced before.

A third technique for increasing motivation is through creating movies in your mind. Imagery of what you will become if you work hard throughout the summer and experiencing success in the fall during tryouts will help you to stay in control of your improving game. Running images in your mind will allow you to see what you are working towards and why you should work hard through vivid and realistic images.

Good goalies seldom ever become great goaltenders during the hockey season. This may be when the goaltender gets the acknowledgement for all of their hard work but the work was often completed well in advance to the start of the season. Physical, technical and mental skills will improve greatly if the athlete is given the opportunity to work on the aspects when the pressure is not as present and the athlete does not feel rushed to improve quickly. Looking for ways to increase your motivation now? The Athletes Well is filled with 54 ways to increase your motivation and ensure that come tryout time you will be performing at your best. If you have any questions, comments or concerns please feel free to email me atssmith@absolutementaltraining.com!