John Wooden, one of the most successful coaches in history, has described the psychology of coaching in the best way possible. To John Wooden, “Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” (The Greatest Coach Ever, p22) This is the epitome of a successful coach. To John Wooden, you cannot reach an athlete to make them the best they can be if you are not the best you can be yourself. There are several ways that the principles of psychology are applied in the coaching environment. The first begins with the mental side of athletes. A coach must understand the background of an athlete. If an athlete has had a rough upbringing, such…show more content… One technique of bonding a team is by confidence building. Confidence building can be done in a couple of different ways, such as complimenting others often, helping others less fortunate, keeping jerseys tucked in and dressing presentably. Another example is to help a team through communication skills. One way to improve communication skills is to have a practice where no one may talk at all during the whole practice. Athletes must find another way to communicate with each other. In the next practice, talking is allowed and the athletes can learn how much easier it is to communicate loud and often in order to be successful. Finally, building positive cohesion within a team can be difficult if the team finds a hard time getting along. Building positive cohesion is essential to creating a successful, winning team. Cohesion does not necessarily mean that the team has to get along personally off the field, but understand what it takes to be a team on the field. This comes with compromise and cooperation with each other. Cohesion is essential for a coach to build by creating a positive atmosphere on the field. Constant praise when the athletes work well together is important in showing confidence in a…show more content… Relaxation techniques, for example, can be a good game day preparation. One example of a relaxation technique is visualization. Visualization can also be considered the use of imagery. Imagery asks the athlete to imagine a given situation. For example, by taking 20 minutes before a game, a coach can have all athletes close their eyes, turn the lights out, and lie on the floor. While mentally preparing themselves for a game, a coach will be giving specific scenarios on the game. A coach can offer specific situations to a defensive position or can give a pitching situation while the batter is at the plate mentally. Being descriptive is key. The use of visualization can help an athlete’s confidence to know exactly what they are looking for to be