BRADENTON (WSNN) – Athletes face a lot of pressure during a game. So, during Mental Health Awareness Month, SNN explains how IMG Academy is helping its students deal with the pressures of their sport.
IMG Academy is a multi-sport training and educational institution that offers a unique mental conditioning program that helps its students during stressful times on the field and in school.
“We really believe that you can train the mind, just like you can train the body,” IMG Academy’s Athletic and Personal Development Vice President Taryn Morgan said.
Mental Conditioning is the process of training mental skills to perform at your best no matter the circumstances. And every single student is enrolled in an Athletic and Personal Development course.
“Every week, there is a session, where they’re learning a different skill, whether it’s focus, or confidence, or communication or different things like that,” Morgan said.
The school also has mental coaches at practices and games for all eight sports.
“She’s a huge help,” IMG Student Savannah Sabo said. “She’s making sure that we’re okay, and that we’re staying focused and being ready for the playoffs.”
17-year-old Savannah Sabo is a goalkeeper for soccer. And she especially feels the pressures of the game.
“You’re the last person back, so it’s a lot mentally, physically too,” Sabo said.
These students train every day on their craft. But when it comes down to a moment in the game when it all depends on them, it’s not necessarily about their skills, but about ….
“What’s my thought going to be at that moment,” Morgan said. “So if I’m thinking don’t miss, or if I’m thinking ‘Oh my gosh’ I’m going to let my team down, then that’s what we see what people tend to call choking.”
So, at IMG, it’s all about preparation.
“The mental training prepares them for the moments that are going to be challenging,” Morgan said. “We really want them to focus on the process because you can control the process, but you can’t really fully control the outcome.”
Even though it all comes down to Sabo during a game, she feels prepared.
“As a goalkeeper, we always say short-term memory,” Sabo said. “So just make sure that if you let a ball go by you, don’t think about it, get the next one.”
“You can really make a difference in someone’s life by teaching them mental skills,” Morgan said.
