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Bridging the Gap: Collegiate Mental Health Strategies for High School Athletics

Written by W. Logan Kreisl The Hidden Strain on Student-Athletes High school student-athletes face a perfect storm of pressure: academic expectations, competitive performance, and the pursuit of scholarships or professional dreams. In fact, 91% of student-athletes report feelings of stress related to their sport (Ward et al., 2023). While collegiate programs have integrated mental-health services and sport psychology into [...]

2025-11-04T19:24:38+00:00By |Life, Mental Health, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Teams|
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Why Focusing on the Process—Not Just Results—Improves Performance and Well-Being

Process Over Outcome: Focusing on Controllable Processes Builds Success and Fulfillment In performance settings—from athletics and academics to the workplace and everyday life—it's easy to become preoccupied with outcomes: results, grades, promotions, wins. But high-level performers across disciplines increasingly find that the path to excellence is not paved by obsessing over results. Instead, it’s built through consistent attention to [...]

2025-06-20T23:36:03+00:00By |Career, Lacrosse, Mental Skills, Other, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|
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Who am I outside of sports?

Adolescence into young adulthood is a period of questioning, including “who do I want to be?” and “who am I?” During this time, between pre-teen and young adulthood, life is riddled with decisions regarding paths and roles. Young people may find themselves identifying as a ”kid,” a “student,” and/or as a “friend” during this time. Some pursue sports, music, [...]

2021-09-08T00:47:43+00:00By |Career, Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|
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Being Benched can Help Me Play BETTER?!

You weren’t playing your finest (or maybe you were!), and now….you’ve been benched. Is it the end of the world?  It can sure feel like it (but it’s not). Is it permanent?  Nope, but again… it can sure feel that way. Consider some different perspectives and associated tips to turn bench time into your secret weapon on the court. [...]

2021-05-11T18:20:25+00:00By |Mental Skills, Performance, Teams|
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Are Sport Injuries Contagious?

How does one athlete’s injury and fear of re-injury affect teammates? In sports like acrobatic gymnastics, group members rely on each other to perform each skill in their routine, and to perform them safely. Season-ending and other traumatic injuries can potentially affect everyone, both psychologically and in terms of performance. Naturally, observing it can lead to unintentionally rehearsing (mentally) [...]

2021-04-27T18:54:27+00:00By |Mental Health, Performance, Sport Injury, Teams|
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Smoke and Mirrors: Tips for female athletes seeing body image more clearly

While the benefits of sport participation (academic success, physical fitness, learning critical life skills, etc.) often lend to overall mental and physical well-being, it’s important to recognize some of the struggles athletes experience when living, performing, and competing under heightened expectations from themselves or others. Body image is one concept that tends to have a more negative connotation in [...]

2021-03-09T20:34:39+00:00By |Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Other, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|
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Simple & Effective Practices for Performance Enhancement

Below are some of the mental skills practices that we regularly train for resilience and performance. They can be used in isolation or integrated as you hone the skills! Paced Breathing There is much research that supports the impact our breath has on our ability to perform. Practicing paced breathing regularly (per the guidance of a biofeedback expert such [...]

2020-12-22T18:56:50+00:00By |Career, Lacrosse, Mental Skills, Performance, Sailing, Sport Injury, Swimming, Teams|
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Coping High Achievers (CHA!) During COVID-19

Group Starts online on Tuesday/Wednesday (Dates TBD), 2020 @ 7pm (A virtual group for athletes and other peak performers, feeling the brunt of missed opportunities, milestones, or achievements)   For driven kids and young adults, the current COVID-19 crisis has been hard, between abrupt endings, uncertainty about the future, strained relationships, and more. It is important to give voice [...]

2020-11-09T15:17:58+00:00By |Lacrosse, Life, Mental Health, Other, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|
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Crossing the Sport Career Finish Line

Like it or not, all sport careers eventually end. Age, injury, family decisions, or other factors will determine how your competitive athletic career will end or be adapted. Like many athletes, especially elites, you may feel that the transition is abrupt. Your life and identity may revolve around sport. Your loss may cause emotional, financial, or personal challenges that [...]

2020-02-01T16:35:34+00:00By |Career, Lacrosse, Life, Sailing, Sport Injury, Swimming, Teams|
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Growing Up Well-Rounded: Developing a Multidimensional Identity

“Who am I?” “Who do I want to be?” These are questions commonly asked by adolescents as they work to form their self-identity. Between pre-teen and young adulthood, life is riddled with decisions regarding paths and roles. Young people may find themselves identifying as a “kid”, “a student”, and a “friend” during this time. Some pursue sports, music, or [...]

2020-02-01T16:06:50+00:00By |Career, Lacrosse, Life, Performance, Sailing, Sport Injury, Swimming, Teams|
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Letting Athletes Take Charge

Taking ownership over training, development, and performance can help athletes feel more in control, boosting their enjoyment and motivation. For athletes to feel more in control, it requires cooperation with parents, coaches, and trainers, sometimes sharing ideas (once) and sitting back while young athletes make what may feel like good or bad choices... resisting urges to intervene. Obstacles to [...]

2019-08-02T13:36:43+00:00By |Lacrosse, Performance, Sailing, Swimming, Teams|
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Physical Injury, Mental Pain

Emotional pain from your injury will typically heal once rehab is complete. When emotional changes trickle into life outside of sport, lasting beyond rehab, you may be showing signs of greater mental health concerns. If you’re struggling with mental health issues post-injury, you are not alone. Frances Altick, a professional and NCAA tennis champion struggled with intense depression, anxiety, [...]

2019-07-19T20:58:19+00:00By |Lacrosse, Mental Skills, Performance, Sailing, Sport Injury, Swimming, Teams|
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Mental Imagery and Injury: Using your mind to heal your body

You’ve probably heard of mental imagery for performance training. This well-researched technique enhances performance by “practicing” technical skills (in the mind’s eye) and simulating environments to boost familiarity in specific contexts (e.g., a soccer field in France, a sailing venue in Tokyo, or a basketball court in the next town over). Imagery also improves motivation, reduces competitive anxiety, and [...]

2019-07-05T12:36:39+00:00By |Lacrosse, Mental Skills, Performance, Sailing, Sport Injury, Swimming, Teams|
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Emotions: The Mental “Ouch” from Injury

Athletic injuries can take a toll, not just on the body, but also on the psyche. For some athletes, their identity revolves around their sport; being injured can lead to feeling lost and big questions such as “Who am I?” Why are your emotional reactions to injury important? The body is attached to the brain and the heart. In [...]

2019-07-03T18:32:15+00:00By |Lacrosse, Life, Mental Skills, Performance, Sailing, Sport Injury, Swimming, Teams|
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Reaching Ahead, LLC

Dr. Tim Herzog
EdD, LCPC, CMPC, BCB
USOC Sport Psychology Registry

info@reachingahead.com
410-980-2014
www.reachingahead.com