Journal of Psychology and Sport
It’s Memorial Day. Coaches everywhere will hang a flag, spend time with family, and raise a glass to remember those who have paid the ultimate price to defend our country. On a day like today, it is easy to be grateful. It is safe to assume that coaches and mentors everywhere would agree that those…
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by Eric Torres There was a time, not that long ago, when skateboarding was reported to have been more popular than baseball among kids in the US. While those of us watching action sports industries know that the fervor of the early to mid 2000s (call it the Tony Hawk era) has passed, action sports…
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John Ratey changed public understanding of sports and movement. In his bestselling book SPARK: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain, he identifies that exercise is not only a tool for fitness, but a primary lever in our cognitive capacities. Exercise can spark creativity and increase mood, focus, and wakefulness. Movement matters. In…
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By Jodi Marver Since being named the head varsity girls basketball coach at Willows Academy, I have been able to witness a lot from the bench. What I have been able to see is a very successful group of ladies both on and off the court. Even though it was my second season as a…
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With the 116th pick of the 2020 NFL draft, St. John’s tackle Ben Bartch became the first Division III player taken in five years. Statistically, it was one of the day’s most unlikely moments. More than one million high school football players put on the pads each fall. In a given year, approximately 7.3% of…
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When Melissa Brody took over as freshman field hockey coach at New Trier High School, her boss, Randy Oberembt, gave her a clear outcome to strive for: make sure they love what they do. Brody coached Field Hockey for eight years. During that time, she showed hundreds of young athletes how fun it could be…
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By Jim Davis and Mac Guy (this article was originally published in the NISCA Journal, 2019) The Obvious Truth How many pizzas did Michael Phelps eat during heavy training days? What starting stance does Caleb Dressel use? What sort of music does Katie Ledecky listen to in the locker room? We are all looking for…
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East of Humboldt County, in the Trinity Wilderness of the Pacific Northwest, Chris Duffin heated river water in a jug to bathe. He was a child then and, in his own words, “a different level of poor.” His story goes beyond poverty. During Chris’ developmental years he was exposed to crime, drug abuse, and murder.…
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“Be the energy catalyst in the room.” This is something that Jim Davis used to say to us all the time when I worked for him. It was some of the best advice I have received as a coach and something that I try and pass along to other coaches as well.You bring the energy,…
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CAHPERD (the California Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance) put on a fantastic conference this weekend just outside of Anaheim, CA. The theme of the week – “In Focus” – was everywhere. Conversations on attention networks in the brain, social emotional learning, and mindfulness were occurring not only in the lecture halls but…
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