Roger Federer has won the past three Wimbledon championships and on Sunday
he claimed his third consecutive U.S. Open title. Tiger Woods, on the other
hand, has won his last five starts and has captured many grand slams himself.
Both enjoy and expertly handle the pressure of championship matches, and
both feel invincible when they are out on their competitive venues.

On the other hand, the University of Texas was riding a 21 game winning
streak-the nation's longest-when the Ohio State Buckeyes came to Austin
Saturday night. Despite being last year's national champions and slight
favorites in the game, the Longhorns did not dominate their opponent. Texas
coach, Mack Brown, said that the difference in the game was Ohio State's
ability to make big plays and his team's inability to do so.

So, what allows athletes and teams, like Federer and Woods, to make great
play after great play, but prevents others from feeling that extreme sense
of confidence such that they can dominate their opponent and make the big
plays when needed? When game plans and physical preparation are equal
between opponents, it is mental factors that tip the scale to one over the
other: The ability to handle pressure, stay in the present, be confident,
and a motivation to continually improve are just a few of the factors that
make a real difference. Although some athletes come to these naturally and
with little effort, others develop this high level of mental toughness over
time and through purposeful effort. Tiger Woods developed his mental
toughness over the years of working with his father, who focused as much on
Tiger's mental preparation as he did his physical skills. So, as a coach,
what are you doing to help your athletes develop that level of mental
toughness.that unerring belief in their ability to be the best when they
compete?

At the Center for Sport Psychology and Performance Excellence we have a
staff of highly trained consultants who are committed to help athletes,
coaches and teams achieve their performance goals, be it maintaining
successful programs, overcoming odds to beat a great champion, or defeat a
bitter rival. For more information about our services and how we can work
with you and/or your team, contact us at (940) 369-SPORT (7767). Or you can
visit our website and send us an email at www.sportpsych.unt.edu

In closing, we leave you with the sport quote of the week:
"You need to play with supreme confidence, or else you'll lose again, and
then losing becomes a habit." - Joe Paterno