There are many different techniques and strategies you can implement to enhance your mental skills, but one technique that works for all sports is using a sport journal to monitor and reflect on your performances. Dr. Ken Ravizza, professor of sport psychology at California State University at Fullerton, had this to say in the book Applied Sport Psychology, Personal Growth to Peak Performance (2^nd ed):

“The sport journal is a tool to help you further develop your mental skills in sport performance. The first step in gaining self-control is to develop an awareness of your sport performance so that you can recognize when you are pulled out of the most appropriate mental state for you.”

By using a sport journal you can also write down your feelings and reflect on what you are learning about yourself while you participate in sports. Dr. Ravizza also explains that there is a lot to be learned when you strive for excellence in sports. By keeping a sport journal you can document and create memories that are great to re-read when your sport career is over. In addition, a sport journal can be helpful when you face difficult obstacles in your training and season. By writing down your feelings it can help you get out your emotions so they don’t stay pent up and possibly interfere with future performances.

So what goes into a sport journal? There is no one specific way to write a sport journal. You can and should make it fit your needs and personality. Some athletes may benefit from using drawings or colored makers or pencils if that fits for them. Others may want to use a notebook and pen. You can start by writing about how it feels or looks when you are playing your best. Then identify any stressors outside of your sport. This may include family, friends, school, job, or community stresses.

Also include in your journal your interaction and relationships with your coach and teammates. This is helpful because often times, there are challenges or strained relationships that can interfere with performance. Relationships should be a two way street so brainstorm or recognize
ways you can interact with your coach and teammates better.

Next, assess your performance by reflecting on your awareness and concentration. Were you able to pinpoint times in your performance where you got distracted or lost focus? If you can identify potential distractions you can use mental imagery or focus techniques to overcome those distractions. Along with identifying distraction, you should include a reflection on the quality of your practice time and your preparation. Many performance barriers can be minimized by paying more attention to efficacy at practice and your pre-performance routine.

If you have not utilized the idea of creating a sport performance journal, maybe it would be a useful tool for you to start and see if it can help you on your quest to going to the next level in your sport.

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