Work Around Mistakes and Belief in Yourself: Observing Mirai Nagasu

As far as careers go, Mirai Nagasu has reasons to give up, just quit. She was the US National champion in 2008 at the age of 16, 4th place at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic games, then was dramatically left off of the next US Olympic team in 2014 despite a third place finish at the US National Championships.

Many athletes would have quit at that point. She could have taken it as a vote of no confidence when Ashley Wagner, 4th place at US Nationals that year was named to the Olympic team. Continue reading “Work Around Mistakes and Belief in Yourself: Observing Mirai Nagasu”

Adversity, Preparation and Planning Make a Champion

US Nationals is done and the US Olympic team chosen. One thing that Figure Skating is famous or infamous for is drama. Like it or not it is what brings viewers to the sport. Whatever your opinion on the decisions surrounding the Olympic Team selection, the bottom line is that each of these athletes has a story. Continue reading “Adversity, Preparation and Planning Make a Champion”

The Secret to a Great Performance in Competition

Are you in your happy place?

Listen to the Audio version here.

Not the first question you’d expect if you are a high level competitive skater. Especially not before you start your off ice warm up on competition day.

I have worked with countless athletes, researched excellence, and am a student of life. It is true, being happy allows you to do your best work. Every day I teach athletes strategies that help them to get to their “happy place”.

That is why I was so blown away when a coach told me that he asked this of his skater.

Continue reading “The Secret to a Great Performance in Competition”

Mental Game Training Doesn’t Work for Me (Mental Game Training is for Life #3)

Most of us want to grow, but few want to do the hard work to change Athletes contact us all the time with problems. We work to give the best response possible with an exercise or tip to get started. After a few weeks pass, once in awhile an athlete will say, “I tried it and it doesn’t work.”

Why is mindset change not instantaneous?

Did you land your double axel when you first started skating? No, it took years of development. Maybe you still haven’t landed it yet. There is a great amount of physical and mental development and practice that goes into a double axel. You know that, you live it every day.

Continue reading “Mental Game Training Doesn’t Work for Me (Mental Game Training is for Life #3)”

How to Be More Consistent in Figure Skating

Are You Consistent?

*Audio version

A top complaint I hear from skaters is that they lack consistency during competition, in practice, or when they jump or do other difficult skills. When a skater lacks consistency, it is almost impossible to build confidence in their skills. Without confidence, a skater isn’t able to trust in their abilities.

Continue reading “How to Be More Consistent in Figure Skating”

How to Deal With “Unfair” Judging in Figure Skating

More ICETough Tips

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We are judged not by what we start, but by what we finish. For figure skaters, dealing with the disappointment of poor results in a competition event can cause a lot of stress.

This stress can be managed, even eliminated if a parent or a coach is present to gently point out the opportunities for learning and improving instead of compounding the disappointment by adding their own negative opinions about the outcome.

Continue reading “How to Deal With “Unfair” Judging in Figure Skating”