As we near Super Bowl Sunday and the much-anticipated rematch between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants, the talk is not only about which team will win but which one is more mentally tough.
This begs the question: what is mental toughness? Everyone from sports writers to fans throws that term around – sometimes incorrectly.
Sport psychologists coined the term years ago when they discovered that 50 to 90% of success in high-level sports could be attributed to mental factors, known collectively as mental toughness.
Ok, so what are those mental factors?
Well, first, let me tell you what they are NOT:
Mentally tough is not…
- Acting mean and aggressive
- Knocking the bejeezus out of another player just because you can
- Talking trash
- Thumping your chest or strutting like you’re “the man”
- Playing when injured (if doing so can cause further serious damage)
- Staring down your opponent in an effort to scare him
- Playing dirty
In other words, toughness or a display of toughness is not the same as being mentally tough.
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Are you trying to break into the sports industry? If so, you probably already know that sports jobs are highly competitive! When you throw your name in the hat for that highly sought after position, the fact is that you are likely one of a thousand applicants. So, how do you stand out in the crowd and ensure that when you get your shot, you have the mental toughness to land your dream job?
Rick Sessinghaus – Golf’s Mental Coach
Meet Rick Sessinghaus. Rick is best known as “Golfs Mental Coach”. He specializes in increasing people’s performance in their personal, business and athletic careers through speaking, training, and coaching. Rick founded Sessinghaus Performance Systems Inc. with the purpose of helping others realize their full potential and live their dreams.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Rick and asked him to provide his insight on how mental toughness is not only beneficial for professional athletes, but can also provide the edge needed to excel in the sports industry. In this interview, Rick discusses:
- Why some performers play great on the biggest stage and why some choke
- Why you need to rehearse scenarios before they happen to get what you want
- The value of knowing your strengths and why you should focus on becoming an expert in one niche
Last week Mashable put up their list of who you need to follow on Twitter during the Super Bowl. That list is very well done and is more than worth a read. It was so good, in fact, it gave us the idea to create our own list of must follow Sports Twitter accounts with a Sports Networker twist.
From Sportsbiz to inside information to pure entertainment, this list of Twitter account is sure to make you the social media czar of your Super Bowl party and ensure you don’t miss a minute of the behind-the-scenes action at Super Bowl 46!
So without further ado, here is Sports Networker’s 20 (Plus 1) must follow Sports Twitter accounts at Super Bowl 46:
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The Sportsbiz Weekly Buzz is a collection of articles curated by Sports Networker’s Online Marketing Coordinator – Steve Richards
Sports Business
“Columbia Pictures’ Moneyball was nominated for a handful of Academy Awards on Jan. 24. At Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, across town from the studio where this box office hit about the Oakland A’s was filmed, an ongoing drama of a different kind is playing out.”
“Even when the deal was finalized and the lockout lifted, the details of revenue sharing were not finalized and unclear. But now they are starting to come into focus. ”
Sports Networking
“All indicators are pointing to the growing importance of storytelling in the intertwined social media, PR and advertising worlds. In fact, one could go as far as claiming that storytelling is one of the current buzz words in online and offline marketing as proven by the recent attention it has drawn from sources as varied as Hubspot, Simply Zesty, Fast Company, Social Media Today and many other quality blogs and publications. All predictions are indicating that digital storytelling is on the way up as one of the most proven and valuable tactics and techniques to engage with communities and improve the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.”
“In the 40th anniversary year of Title IX, the federal law intended to bring equality to men’s and women’s athletics, Peg Brand sees at least one measurement of the remaining disparity.”
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Several different qualifications are needed to be crowned as the King of the NFL Facebook Pages and overall number of “likes” does not guarantee you a spot on the most engaging NFL players on Facebook list. In order to be the NFL Facebook master, one must entertain and amuse, while engaging with their fans, providing insightful opinions and being the source of inside information. Energy is required and displaying a lighter side is desired.
Social media is where the most loyal and passionate fans come to connect with their favorite athletes. It is a platform for athletes to build their fan base, while rewarding them at the same time. Facebook is a perfect way for athletes to be more influential than ever and connect with millions of fans worldwide. The following ten NFL figures are at the top of the mountain:
Most Engaging NFL Players on Facebook
Known for his popularity on Twitter, OchoCinco has also become proficient on Facebook. No one can accuse Chad of not being candid. He expresses himself as openly as can be on a daily basis, but also challenges his fans to think. He is cutting edge with what is new and in vogue. He covers all bases, whether it be speaking Spanish to his subscribers, telling jokes he heard on the street or inviting random fans to attend the next Patriots game on him. Like him or not for his on the field antics, OchoCinco is a storyteller and an innovator when it comes to social media and his near two million facebook subscribers tell quite a tale.
He may be recognized as one of the most feared defenders in the league, but Polamalu is a gentle giant and his compassion comes through clearly on his 2 million+ subscribed Facebook page, the most in the NFL. He shares with his subscribers on a weekly basis, whether through inspirational stories or offers for free tickets, autographs or even a chance to ride a limo with him to a charity event. Polamalu never fails to update his following and he knows that consistency is important. He displays it on the field and on his Facebook fan page. [click to continue…]
There are sports fans, and then there are sports fans. There is no better example than at the upcoming Super Bowl party you will attend. Every party has that relative or family friend that is interested in the social gathering; after a few mini hot dogs and a few too many drinks he’s asking why teams punt on 4th down. Then there’s the true sports fan, who impresses as the one glued to the TV, talking about preparation and in-game adjustments even though he or she has no allegiance to the Giants or Patriots. They live for sports, it’s in their DNA.
Thanks to the sports Web site fanlime.com, that true sports fan’s DNA can now be on display for friends, family, teams and even athletes.
The Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament, which has reached half way stage as I write this, has built on the progress of previous years to establish a strong, recognizable and credible online brand. According to Sam Laird, in a recent post on the US website Mashable, the Australian Open ‘may just be the most digitally connected major sporting event of all time’. High praise indeed.
So why is the event in Melbourne attracting such accolades for its digital presence?
In my opinion, what the Australian Open is doing so well is leveraging digital assets to create deep and meaningful engagement with fans, while at the same time integrating its sponsors. Many sporting events, clubs and organizations across the globe strive to simultaneously achieve these two goals and the Grand Slam for Asia/Pacific has, arguably, pulled it off. [click to continue…]
The Sportsbiz Weekly Buzz is a collection of articles curated by Sports Networker’s Online Marketing Coordinator – Steve Richards
Sports Business
“I immediately contacted Jim Gallagher, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications at IMG Worldwide. Gallagher quickly put the rumor to bed. ”There aren’t ANY conversations going on with Lagardère, or any other company or individual for that matter, regarding a purchase of IMG,” said Gallagher.”
“Television contracts and the money generated from media rights fees have become a crucial factor in how baseball teams are run. Along with ticket sales, they are a team’s primary form of income, and in recent years the fees across sports have skyrocketed. The Lerners have never had a say on their arrangement with MASN. Until now.”
Sports Networking
“Participants will gain insight into careers in sports through presentations by successful sports executives, including GM’s, front office executives, Scouts, Sports Agents, player personnel, and well known media currently working in football. This event includes networking, information on breaking into the sports industry and advice on advancing your sports business career. College credit available for attending. ”
“Recently, Facebook introduced a few new features that will help someone who wants to use their personal profile for personal branding purposes. If you want to use the world’s most popular social network to promote what you do professionally, here are a few tips to get you started. ”
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The MLS National Sales Center is looking for applicants for its March sports sales program. The program selects 12 lucky people who have a passion for both selling and soccer. The program lasts up to four months in Blaine, Minnesota and is an exclusive opportunity to learn the environment and exposure of MLS ticket sales.
Trainees accepted into the program receive a stipend to help offset board, meal plan and relocation. There are also opportunities to earn commission during program. In addition to the real life sales experience selling for MLS clubs, trainees will also benefit from instructional feedback from audio and video analysis and innovative coaching from local improv theatre instructors. After each month those who qualify will be be given the opportunity to use what they have learned to sell season, group and mini plan ticket packages and offered a job interview with select MLS clubs in their sales office.
Exclusive Opportunity For Members Of The Sports Executives Association!
One lucky member of the Sports Executives Association will receive an exclusive opportunity to be interviewed for a position with the MLS National Sales Center. There are many benefits to joining the SEA including the opportunity to network with other sports business professionals, tons of free training, ebooks and webinars and, of course, access to exclusive job opportunities!
Click here to Join The SEA For Only $4.95
How To Apply For The MLS National Sales Center
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With the Playoffs to date breaking all kinds of fan engagement records, the NFL is putting the finishing touches on an incredibly successful season. It appears that the resolution of the lockout, just in time to avoid losing any games on the field, led to records falling off the field on a seemingly weekly basis. There was unprecedented fan interaction at virtually every level, especially when analyzing engagement with the “Four Screens”: TV, Computer, Tablet and Phone.
All of this suggests a great environment for corporate partners to successfully activate their sponsorships, especially when their teams are in the Playoffs. And many did just that.
However, there seemed to be very few fresh ideas. In this day and age, are we really still limited to another Rally Towel?
Now, having worked for a pro sports team, I know as well as anyone the considerations that go into selecting fan premium items for the playoffs; and the two biggest are usually time and money: You want to keep the cost down to maintain your margin while knowing you need guaranteed delivery with a very short turnaround time.
In the past, this pretty much led everyone back to old reliable, the tried and true towel. But today, it seems both cost and time considerations would be better served by looking for inspiration in all of the digital bells and whistles at our disposal. And such a concept would likely result in a program that delivers a whole new level of quantifiable value for corporate partners and a unique engagement opportunity for fans.
And there may be some teams out there utilizing these assets already?? Let us know if you have examples of franchises that are doing a great job of taking advantage of online and/or social network assets to promote fan engagement in the post-season.
I look forward to ideas like this becoming the norm in the very near future. Until then, there’s always towels.
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