Head Games and Youth Running: What Coaches, Parents and Runners Need to Know

By Dean Hebert

This white paper is based on more than 3 years of data collection, interviews, and assessments of youth runners (mostly high school aged 13-18 years old). It details the overlooked issues related to mental game training aka mental toughness in youth runners. It highlights the need for mental game assessment and coaching/training that integrates both physical and mental aspects of running and competing. Assessment data is provided in support of all content. Recommendations and some solutions are provided.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Sep 20, 2016
• ISBN: 9781365397530

Book preview

Head Games and Youth Running: What Coaches, Parents and Runners Need to Know

Head Games and Youth Running: What Coaches, Parents and Runners Need to Know

Dean Hebert

ISBN #: 978-1-365-39753-0

Head Games and Youth Running: What Coaches, Parents and Runners Need to Know

Introduction

It’s All in Your Head

Problem: Youth Runners Need Help

Problem: Knowledge and Credibility Gap

Problem: Unaffordable & Inaccessible

Solving The Mental Game Training Puzzle

Assessments: You can’t help what you don’t identify.

Unused resources no better than no resources at all

Affordable & Accessible Mental Game Coaching

Mental game system to Individualize & Integrate

Future Direction

Conclusion

Some solutions are clear:

About Mindset for Performance LLC

Addendum I: M4PAASS Overview

General Information on M4PAASS Assessment

M4PAASS Assessment Instructions

M4PAASS Assessment Scoring

Addendum II: M4PAASS Dimensions

Runner Confidence Score

Runner Composure Score

Runner Focus Score

Runner Commitment Score

Introduction

Mental game training is also known as mental toughness training or applied sports psychology and more recently as applied sport and exercise psychology. Sports psychology is the study of how psychology influences sports, athletic performance, exercise, and physical activity. In contrast to clinical psychology and counseling, sports psychology is focused on aspects of thought and behavior that optimize peak performances not behavioral pathology (i.e. depression, bipolar disorder, etc.).

It is important to note the relationship between performance and strength of mental game.

Though some athletes can be successful without a comprehensively strong mental game. However,