The mental aspect of sports is important and often overlooked. Self-confidence and mental preparedness are key parts of an athlete’s success come game day; no matter how skilled a certain individual may be, they must possess certain mental traits to be truly great. These traits are what make or break athletes, and they are qualities that should be exhibited by all student athletes as they prepare for life on and off the court or field.

Self-confidence is an integral part of an athlete’s success. The first step to doing something in sports is believing that it is capable of being done. Many athletes have spiraled downwards because of lack of confidence, and confidence levels can even fluctuate within a single game. Players on hot streaks have high self-confidence while the opposite is true for individuals on cold ones, reinforcing the idea that self-confidence is extremely important and has a major effect on the success of an individual during a game. An important aspect of playing any sport is the player’s mindset, and self-confidence is one of the most pivotal parts, as it determines how an athlete thinks of him or herself.

Mental preparedness for game day is also vital to a student athlete’s success. Getting mentally prepared for game time is important as it helps the athlete process the game plan, get their nerves under control and keep emotions from running too high. Without knowledge of the game plan, players (especially in team sports) would not be in the best position to succeed and would not be mentally prepared for game time. Nerves and emotions are things that can sometimes be destructive and managing both is necessary to be mentally prepared. Being mentally prepared for game day goes hand in hand with success, and the best athletes are the ones who exhibit extreme readiness on top of physical prowess and self-confidence.

The mental aspect of sports is just as, if not more, important than the physical aspect. The mind is what controls the human body and it is no different when it comes to game day, as it is  the individual who controls his or her own success. Self-confidence and mental preparedness are vital things that can go a long way for student athletes. These mental qualities are exhibited by the greatest athletes in the world at the professional level and their success is a testament to their importance. A lack of self-confidence or mental preparedness could be the downfall of an athlete, while having these traits is another step to success for student athletes in games and beyond.