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You may have heard your coach say, ?Keep your head in the game and don?t daydream.? Well, thinking about success can be the first step toward being successful. Sports psychologists call it positive visualization. That?s a fancy way of saying that you can picture in your head what you?re going to do before you do it. Whether you?re getting ready for tryouts, the season, your next game or your next shift, using positive visualization techniques will help turn your dreams into goals.

TIP #1: Whether it?s before a tryout or a game, try to visualize yourself out there playing and playing well at both ends of the rink. Remember all the little things your coach taught you. Coaches aren?t just looking for the huge play, the amazing shot. Go back to the basics and don?t forget what you do well.

TIP #2: Whether it?s in a game or a tryout, don?t grade yourself on every pass or every play. I remember when I was trying out the ?98 Olympic Team, I?d grade myself after every shift I took. As I got older I?ve realized that?s just negative. Obviously you can pat yourself on the back if you?ve done something great, but if you feel like you?ve made a mistake don?t dwell on it.

TIP #3: If we?re in a close game, I try to visualize myself scoring the big goal. I think about what?s happened on the ice up to that point, how I?ve played and how the other team has played against me. I think about the goalie and her tendencies. Is she a butterfly style goalie? If so, maybe I picture myself going high if I get the puck in close.

TIP #4: By visualizing myself have success, I think it helps my confidence. If I think about myself coming through in the clutch, it?s almost like I?ve been there before so I?m not as nervous. How many times have you had the puck on your stick in front of a wide-open net and missed? Then you get back to the bench and think about what you should?ve done. Why not turn it around and think first, and then go out there and do it.

REMEMBER THIS? Mental preparation is just as important as the physical part when it comes to being ready to play. It?s great to give it everything you have when you hit the playing service, but it?s important to remember that it?s still a game. Losing a game or getting cut from a team is not the end of the world. You other things in your life. A hockey game is two hours out of your day. There?s a whole other world out there. I?m 29 and I?ve finally realized this. Hockey doesn?t make me, but it?s a part of me. If hockey?s not going well, you still have a life to live.



Dr. Clint Steele is the founder & president of Better Hockey (betterhockey.com) and has trained hundreds of athletes from all over the world from youth players to NHL and other pro level players. In addition Dr. Steele has either consulted or been the strength and conditioning coach for multiple teams throughout his career. His website, www.betterhockey.com, contains hundreds and pages of articles, video clips, audio interviews with experts, drills, pictures, training programs and more for on ice and off ice development.