Why Hockey Players Worry
Fear of being benched or losing playing time is a common worry for many hockey players. It is nerve-wracking to keep looking over your shoulder worrying about the next player in line to take over your role on the team.
You become so fearful of making a mistake that your head is filled with a whole bunch of “don’t” thoughts… “Don’t let in an easy goal,” “Don’t give up the puck on our end of the ice,” “Don’t get called for any stupid penalties,” “Don’t fan on the shot, “Don’t mess up, “Don’t, don’t, don’t…!”
It is impossible to play confident hockey when your head is full of “don’ts” and you fear being replaced in the lineup if you mess up.
What’s the Solution to this “Looking Over your Shoulder” Issue?
The answer is easy… Focus on your game!
Focusing on your abilities, strengths and playing your game all contribute to your performance on the ice.
Focusing on your game allows you to play aggressively on the ice rather than re-actively, fearful of the potential consequences of making a mistake.
You may already know the importance of focusing on your game but do not know how to implement this notion.
This is why mental training is so important. Mental training not only teaches you effective mental strategies to play your best but it also teaches you how to implement these strategies in game situations.
For example, the Philadelphia Flyers set an NHL record when the team played their eighth different goaltender this season.
Cam Talbot, the eighth goaltender for the Flyers had 30 saves in his first start to help Philadelphia beat the New Jersey Devils, 6-3.
Instead of looking over his shoulder, Talbot looked to settle into the game by focusing on playing to his strengths.
TALBOT: “The first five minutes I had to get my legs under me but after that I just kind of settled in and made some big saves and that settled me in. Then you just kind of try to control my game from there.”
You cannot control how your coach perceives your performance nor can you control how they react to your play on the ice.
In order to play your best hockey, you need to eliminate or, at the very least, minimize worry.
So instead of worrying about being pulled from a game, being benched or losing playing time, you should focus on playing to your strengths.
You can control how you practice and train. You can control how you prepare for a game. You can control your approach to the game. You can control your focus during a game.
By controlling the things that are controllable, you will be able to play worry-free and grow your game.
How to Play Worry-Free Hockey:
Instead of worrying about what could go wrong, define what you really need to think about during each shift.
If you were in the zone, what would you be thinking about? The answer to this question might surprise you–Very little! Over thinking is the internal opponent for many players.
Think about how you will create scoring opportunities on offense and how you will help make a stop or turnover on defense…
Learn more about how to focus your best on the ice with The Focused Athlete audio and workbook program:
Related Articles on Hockey Mental Game:
- Hockey Players That Worry Too Much
- Your Mindset and Finishing Hockey Games
- Tips for Positive Practice Habits in Hockey
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Mental Coaching Programs for Hockey
Our mental game coaching programs for hockey players helps athletes improve confidence, concentration, let go of errors quickly, and stay composed during crunch-time. Read more about sports psychology for hockey players at Peaksports.com
Please contact me by phone at 888-742-7225 or by filling out the webform below to learn more about our personal mental training programs for hockey players or teams:
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