What’s in a name? Nicknames have been around for thousands of years. Without attempting to make a deeply scientific claim about the psychology of nicknames – I assume the tradition of nicknames has a lot to do with possession and intimacy: ‘to name is to claim’ – which would explain why sports fans often come up with names for the players they love – or fear – most (this is why nicknames often reveal as much about the namer(s) as the named).

Some athletes love having one; others really can’t stand theirs. Fact is that only very few world class athletes’ escape getting a nickname. Athlete nicknames often are either a modified version of their given name (such as Becks, A-Rod and Shaq ) or picked for reasons such as physique, style or a particular (athletic) achievement, such as “The Golden Boy” and “The Refrigerator” .

10) “EL D10S”

Diego Armando Maradonna

Diego’s nickname finds its origin in the 1986 FIFA World Cup quarter final, Argentina vs. England June 22, 1986, one of THE most legendary games in the history of the sport. Immediately following the match, Maradonna claimed that a widely disputed goal was scored “a little with the head of Maradona and a little with the hand of God”  (“un poco con la cabeza de Maradona y otro poco con la mano de Dios”). Video and photographic evidence clearly demonstrated that Maradonna had struck the ball with his hand. The “Hand of God” became instantaneous soccer history.

For those less familiar with what else happened during this particular match, just four minutes after the “Hand of God” goal, Diego Maradonna scored “The Goal of the Century”,  so called because it is often claimed to be the greatest individual goal of all time. (for a translation of the legendary commentary click here).

Dios means God and the 10 represents Maradonna’s number. Until this day fans worship Diego like a God in the “Maradonian Church” which was founded in 1998 in the city of Rosaria, Argentina and now counts over 150,000 members from more than 60 countries around the world. Other nicknames for Maradonna include: Pelusa, El Pibe de Oro, Barrilete Cósmico and El Diez (literally “The Ten”, which explains why no 10 is the only possible place on this list for Diego).

9) “THE HUMAN HIGHLIGHT FILM”

Dominique Wilkins

Very few athletes have earned their nickname quite like Dominique Wilkins. “The Human Highlight Film” has got to be one of the coolest nicknames in sport and it was perfect for Dominique Wilkins. Wilkins played 11 seasons of NBA basketball with the Atlanta Hawks and was a nine-time NBA All-Star. During this time he did things you wouldn’t believe until you watch them on film – twice – and than you still won’t believe them. Curious? Click here for a short highlight film of the “Human Highlight Film”.

Dominique Wilkins’ nickname was formed on the model of the “The Human Eraser” the late Marvin Webster, aka “Marvin the Magnificent”. Who played in the ABA and NBA between 1975 and 1987 and also resulted in “The Human Victory Cigar”, used for Stojko Vrankovic and Darko Milicic given to them because, at the time, they only seem to play when their team had a comfortable lead late in the game.

“PRIME TIME” / “NEON DEION”

Deion Sanders

Deion Sanders was a showman, he was extremely skilled, and athletic. His touchdown dances were flashy, but so was his mouth on more than one occasion. Watch here as “Prime Time” gets upset about the fact that he was placed #34 on the list of Top 100 NFL players and said that he should at least be in the top 10. I’m not sure if it will be much of a consolation, but at least he’s number 8 on this list.

Sanders will be remembered for being one of the most visible and outspoken football players to ever take the field due to his alter-ego; “I’m a businessman, and the product is me; Prime Time”.

The name Prime Time was given to Sanders by a friend and high school teammate. The two played basketball together during the prime time television hour, and Sanders’ athletic display during those games earned him the name. It summed up his goal: to be a prime time player – a famous, wealthy, and admired athlete. Playing both football and baseball, Sanders clearly achieved this goal and became the only man to play in both a Super Bowl (1995 and 1996) and a World Series (1992).

Deion was one of the few professional athletes to make a bid for rap success. Late 1994, Deion Sanders released Prime Time, a rap album on MC Hammer’s label Bust It Records, it featured the minor hit “Must Be The Money”.   A track called “Prime Time Keeps on Tickin“ was also released as a single. The recordings didn’t make much impact but his name … is still awesome!

7) “PISTOL PETE”

Pete Maravich

Pete Maravich was called “Pistol Pete” as early as during his High School years. He shot faster than his shadow and had developed the habit of shooting the ball from his side, as if he were holding a revolver.

Pete Maravich was one of the greatest point guards in NBA History. He could score, pass and defend. Very few players were able to handle a basketball as good as Pete could. He brought magic to the game – even before “Magic” did.

Here are the Top 10 Plays of “Pistol Pete Maravich”. Want more Pistol? Here’s a great NBA.com post with 60 Cool Facts about Pete Maravich.

Aged 25 Pete Maravich told Pennsylvania reporter Andy Nuzzo: “I don’t want to play 10 years in the NBA and then die of a heart attack at 40”. Pete Maravich played in the NBA from 1970 until 1980 and died, suffering from a heart attack, on January 5, 1988 at age 40. Pistol Pete is number 7, also in this top 10.

6) “POCKET HERCULES”

Naim Süleymanoğlu

Nairn Süleymanoğlu, measures only 1.47 meters (approx. 4 feet 10 inches). Despite his size (or because of it) he is arguably the best weightlifter of all-time and the strongest man who has ever lived, pound-for-pound. He was the first weightlifter in history to win gold medals at three Olympics (1988, 1992 and 1996), celebrated seven World Championships and earned 46 world records. He is the second of only seven lifters to clean and jerk three times their bodyweight.

Hercules is a Roman mythological hero famous for his strength. Hercules is the Roman name for the Greek demigod Heracles. Ironically “Pocket Hercules” is also known under more than one name (all of them challenging to pronounce). He was born in Bulgaria as Naim Suleimanov and was of Bulgarian Turkish descent. In 1985 the Communist regime in Bulgaria forced its Turkish minority to adopt Bulgarian names. Naim Suleimanov was changed into Naum Shalamanov (Наум Шаламанов). However after defecting to Turkey in 1986, his name was changed once again – this time by his own choice – into a more Turkish Naim Süleymanoğlu.

“Pocket Hercules” showed the world that you do not need to be tall to be great!

5) “IRON MIKE” / “THE BADDEST MAN ON THE PLANET”

Mike Tyson

In case you think I’m referring to Mr Mike Landrum, or Anthony Edward “Tony” Stark – I’m not! In this article the nickname “Iron” is attributed to the former undisputed heavyweight champion of the world, the man also known as “The Baddest Man on the Planet”; Mr. Michael Gerard “Mike” Tyson.

Iron (Fe) is the most common chemical element in the whole planet Earth, but Tyson – at his prime – was definitely an extraordinary athlete. His nickname “Iron” was as simplistic as his style; black trunks, black shoes, complemented by an extreme overdose of power, aggression and intimidation. Tyson was definitely a remarkable and extra ordinary athlete, winning his first 19 professional fights on knockout (with twelve of them in the first round).

After watching “The Hangover” I’m just happy Tyson never decided to become a singer.

4) “AK-47”

Andrei Kirilenko

Andrei Kirilenko is a Russian-American professional basketball player currently playing for the Utah Jazz in the NBA. He’s married to Russian pop singer Masha “Marina” Lopatova, whose nickname is “MaLo”. Here’s  AK-47 in a music video his wife eh… shot.

Andrei Kirilenko was born in Russia and wears No. 47. The AK-47 is an assault riffle developed in the Soviet Union by Mikhail Kalashnikov. The number refers to the year 1947 when the riffle was introduced into service with the Soviet Army. The AK-47 is still one of the most widely used and popular assault rifles in the world because of its durability, low cost, and ease of use. Not sure if there’s a one to one match with Andrei’s global popularity, firing power, durability or cost…

Finally, here’s some personalized interior design advice from Philippe Starck especially for Andrei.

3) “DER KAISER”

Franz Beckenbauer

Asking “Who is Der Kaiser?” is like asking “Who is Keyser Soze?”. Franz Beckenbauer is a German soccer coach, manager, official and former player, nicknamed “Der Kaiser” (“The Emperor”) because of his elegant style, charisma and leadership. His first name “Franz” (reminiscent of the Austrian emperors), and his dominance on the pitch did the rest. He is generally regarded as the greatest German footballer of all time and one of the greatest and most decorated soccer players in the history of the game.

There are two versions of how and where the nickname originated. In the first Beckenbauer simply happened to pose for pictures in Vienna, Austria, right next to a bust of the former Austrian emperor Franz Joseph I. The association was easily made and stuck.

In the second version Beckenbauer fouled an opponent (Schalke 04’s Reinhard Libuda ) who himself had the nickname “König von Westfalen” (King of Westphalia). After the foul Beckenbauer took the ball into the opposite part of the field and started to juggle the ball, humiliating his opponent and taunting the upset Schalke ’04 crowd. Afterwards the media needed a name that would describe a person “above even a king” and doing so coined “Der Kaiser”.

Fittingly “Der Kaiser” currently resides in Austria in the “Kaisergebirge”(the imperial mountains) on an altitude of 1750 meters in an old house right next t the slopes.

2) “THE WIZARD OF OZ”

Ozzie Smith

In “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz”, a children’s novel written by L. Frank Baum in 1900, The wizard rules the Land of Oz and his fans believe he is the only man capable of solving their problems. This explains why Ozzie Smith deserves this name more than any other player. Ozzie Smith was elected in the Hall of Fame in 2002 and was arguably the best defensive player in the history of baseball. Solving problems was his specialty.

Smith’s nickname was first mentioned by the Yuma Daily Sun in a March 1981 feature article about “The Wizard of Oz”. After that he was simply known as “The Wizard”. Here’s a great video on MLB.com with Ozzie Smith talking about his career, including his legendary “Go Crazy Folks” home run and his famous back flip (good call from his PR guy).

Showing his sense of humor Ozzie Smith actually did play the part of Wizard in the 2001 St. Louis Municipal Opera production of “The Wizard of Oz”. This wizard was certainly not a fraud (unlike the one in the novel) and his capital was not called The Emerald City but Busch Stadium.

1) “THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE”

Reggie White

Reggie White was the greatest Defensive End and most religious athlete of all time. In addition to his football career, White became ordained Evangelical minister for the Inner City Church in Knoxville, Tennessee. This is why he was known as the ”Minister of Defense“.

When White was a free agent, after his seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, Mike Holmgren – the Packers Head Coach at the time – left a message on Reggie’s phone: “Reggie, this is God. I want you to play at Green Bay”. Reggie smiled and the rest is history. Holmgren shares their story here. Reggie ‘brought the sack to the pack’ and the team won Super Bowl XXI!

Reggie White retired after the 2000 season with a then NFL record of 198 Sacks, a mark that has since been passed by Bruce Smith. “The Minister of Defense” is a Hall of Famer, Super Bowl champion, a two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year and was voted the No. 2 pass rusher of all time. For more on Reggie click here. Packers QB Brett Favre said that White was “the best football player I ever played with or against.” Reggie White, the Minister of Defense  died December 26, 2004.

* Bonus Nickname – for those that can’t get enough

“NEVER NERVOUS PERVIS” / “OUT OF SERVICE PERVIS”

Pervis Ellison

Pervis Ellison is a former college and professional NBA Basketball player. While he was playing for the University of Louisville Ellison was nicknamed “Never Nervous Pervis“. Ellison was made the first overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft by the Sacramento Kings. Unfortunately an injury kept him on the sidelines for 48 of 82 games of his rookie year, after which he was traded to the Washington Bullets. A Sacramento team mate, (Danny Ainge) had nicknamed him “Out of Service Pervis”.

About Thomas van Schaik

Thomas studied Communications in Amsterdam and has been working in international sports for over 15 years. He started his professional career at the Amsterdam Admirals in the NFL Europe and moved to Dutch professional soccer champions PSV Eindhoven in 1997. In 2001 he moved to Southern Germany to join Adidas. He's filled a variety of roles with the sporting goods brand, including 'Head of Global PR'. In 2011 he moved into the role of Global Brand Director.

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A while back I talked about how using social networks focused on exclusivity like Path and Facebook Groups can give less social media savvy athletes an outlet in case they want to blow off some steam or share things with their intimate family and friends. This week, I want to talk about how exclusivity can help elevate the brand of athletes who are already doing a good job with social media and want to take it to the next level.

Before I begin, I want to make something clear. I am in no way suggesting that athletes ought to focus on using exclusive networks in lieu of mainstream public social networks, but rather as a complement networks like Twitter and Facebook in order to grow their brand in more creative ways.

Now back in 2008 when I first joined Twitter, it wasn’t long before I got an interesting email. It was titled:

Barack Obama is now following you on Twitter!

At the time, I thought I was so cool. A presidential candidate (and now better known as President Obama) was following what lil ‘ol Canadian ME had to say! It made me feel valued and heard. Then, I found out that it was a well thought out marketing campaign. Mr. Obama followed everyone who followed him back. Oh.

Some time later on, I got my first @mention on there from an NBA athlete. Once again, I was pumped. He responded to one of my questions with a crisp and cool “yup“. I was totally floored.

Even today with tons of athletes responding to fans everywhere, there still isn’t much that can top being recognized by a professional athlete. It can absolutely make a fan’s day. But for athletes who want to get ahead, here’s what they can do:

Leverage Exclusivity to Recognize the ‘Superfans’

With the increase of users and more and more athletes ‘getting it’, getting an @mention may already not mean as much as it once meant anymore. Kids growing up now will find it no big deal that they can holler at their favorite football player on their cell phone because they never had to wait 2 hours in the pouring rain just in hopes to catch a glimpse of their hero and maybe a high five. But for the die hard fans? They’re going to want more than ‘yup’ (I know, spoiled, right?).

Using networks that promote exclusivity and small groups can help give them that. What if instead of an athlete simply replying to your message, they know you personally well enough to ask how your sister or your brother is doing? That would be taking engagement to another level. As an example, I’m going to use Kevin Durant, a fairly well known guy who’s already doing all sorts of great things with his brand (If you’re reading this Kevin, call me!)

1. Create a private Facebook Group called KD’s Superfans, and limit it to 35 members.
2. Announce a contest on his blog asking readers to provide a YouTube clip of themselves proving that they are Durant’s #1 fan.
3. Pick the 35 ‘best’ entrants and give them access to the group.
4. Provide them with exclusive personalized content, goodies, and pre-release versions of his shoes. Ex. if Durant enters the 3 Point Contest, the superfans will be the first to know.
5. Interact with them on a name by name basis.

Athletes are busy people, I get that. Expecting them to know the names of all their fans is impossible. But in the same way that more and more athletes have found 30 minutes out of their day to interact with fans on Twitter, they can spend an hour a week giving a small group of diehard fans some extra love.

The thing is, superfans will become viral brand ambassadors of their own for Durant. They’ll feel proud to be part of the group – an exclusive group that they had to work to get in and will tell everybody they know that they’re in. Unlike President Obama who added everybody in 08, exclusivity can recognize the special fans for who they are and they’ll be happy to return the favor.

What do you think of using exclusivity to recognize the superfans? Are there other ways that exclusive networks can help elevate athletes’ brands? I’d love to hear your thoughts, please let me know in the comments below!

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About Sam Chan

Sam is the community manager of Sports Networker and the Sports Executive Association. He is passionate in all things sports, mobile, and social media. His dream is for the Vancouver Canucks to win a Stanley Cup in his lifetime, although so far, its looking kind of bleak. In the past, he worked with BlackBerry and helped relaunch their Business-to-Business network. With his experience there, he can probably help you change your ringtone, maybe. When he finds time (never), he also writes infrequently at his personal blog. If you would like to talk sports, write a guest post for us, or argue about why iPhone > BlackBerry, you can find him on Twitter, Facebook or email.

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When a pro athlete retires for whatever reason, he is often in his 20’s or 30’s, and faced with a career crisis. The pressing question is, ‘what do I do with the rest of my life?’ Many retired athletes become motivational speakers, taking their powerful presence to the stage. Some apply their financial prowess to develop banking and investment companies. Still others capitalize on their creative edge to produce exceptional products for the public.

Whatever the product or service, marketing is an integral part of any business success. The retired pro athlete often feels more comfortable working with people familiar with the sports world…he wants to work with those who “get it.”

There are a few outstanding sports marketing companies who are poised and leveraged to propel the retired athlete to the next level in his career.

The first is Dorsett Sports Marketing, headed by Founder and Principal, Forrest Dorsett. Dorsett Sports Marketing is a full-service professional athlete brand marketing agency who works with select clientele. They’ve also joined forces with sports broadcaster veteran with 30+ years’ experience, Fred Hickman, to form Fred Hickman Communications at fredhickman.net. From media training/coaching, to PR & Marketing, to consulting, this company is an athletes’ ace in the hole.

Pro Productions is devoted to their mission of helping each athlete promote their foundations and charities. Their media production, Outside the League, is dedicated to providing a well-rounded show that is both entertaining and educational for the entire family. Pro Productions uses their combined talent as a motivational tool to help athletes grow professionally and personally.

GAGA Sports & Entertainment provides athletes, sports leagues, and other clients the ability to create a unique engagement with their fans and let them “inside the velvet ropes.” GAGA provides their clients a way to connect with their fans on a more intimate level. Whether it’s a fun trivia contest, shooting video of behind-the-scenes places they have never seen, or getting to know people in the organization, they assist in building out engagement strategies with fans.

Last, but certainly not least, is Zookeeper Industries. Dave Waite, founded Zookeeper and has an impressive client list, including ESPN Sports Center, Nike, and New York Yankees. The company focuses on branding, strategy, communications, design, and advertising. Zookeeper delivers original, branded work that’s edgy, provocative and memorable. They excel at forging emotional connections with clients that create passion for the athletes’ brand.

I’ve just named a few stellar resources to help athletes, or anyone in the sports industry for that matter. Do your homework, check out their websites and make an initial contact. I always enlist a healthy arsenal of companies to refer and utilize in my own business. Not all companies are a perfect match for each other. There has to be a comfort level in doing business and we all know we do business with those we like, know, and trust. From my personal experience in developing rapport with each of these companies, I can wholeheartedly say that integrity, prestige, and professionalism reigns in each one.

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About Michelle Hill

Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com

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The ingredients are simple: Take one talented young athlete. Add one agent, one team owner, dozens of family members not heard from in decades, a few dashes of self-entitlement, several bushels of undisciplined spending habits, one unscrupulous financial advisor, a couple of shakes of bad business investments, and a handful of injuries. Yield: One post-NFL broke athlete.

Travis Henry, Mushin Muhammed and Deuce McCallister are just three examples of ex-athletes intoxicated and hung-over by the dollars. In spite of the millions they made in the NFL, all three (and many more) have traveled to the intersection of broke and busted. In fact, Sports Illustrated reports that 78% of post-NFL athletes are broke within two to five years after leaving the NFL.

Does the outcome lay solely on the athletes broad shoulders or should many take part in the blame game where nobody wins, especially not the athlete?

David Mitchel of Norton-Michel Marketing provided his insight about broke ballers who have turned fame and fortune into a flop. David says it really originates with the NCAA. “The NCAA system has deviated significantly from what it was when it was founded. The modern college athletic system doesn’t understand the meaning of student-athlete…the goal of the NCAA should be to make sure that the players participating in NCAA sports are equipped to handle a career in something other than sports.”

The topic of post-NFL broke athletes ignites a high degree of emotional fire for both those in the industry and outsiders alike. It exposes the underbelly of the NFL and brings to light the dedicated athletes from past decades who played for nearly nothing and are today homeless and broke with no insurance to fund their on-going medical needs. Voices of the NFLPA like Nolan Harrison are working aggressively to gain benefits yardage for retired athletes of yesteryear.

The majority of responses in a recent poll I conducted revealed that it’s really not the responsibility of the NFL to ensure young athletes are fiscally sound. The respondents replied that even though a portion of the disconnect may actually lie in the hands of many, it’s ultimately up to the athlete himself and the decisions he makes.

Mike Minter, former all-pro safety for the Carolina Panthers experienced the highs and lows of NFL life and was privileged to stay with one team his entire 10-year career. When asked, Mike told me, “I believe it has to do with many factors but the most devastating one is when you are playing, you acquire a certain level of living expenses. Then you retire at such an early age that your lifestyle can no longer be supported with no income coming in.” Mike added, “I think we leverage our net worth too much also. We don’t buy to own, we buy to have. We get into business ventures and we lose a lot of our money because we have never learned business skills to run a successful business.”

Elaine DeBassige D’Amato, coach and consultant at Champion Consulting –  specializes in sports psychology and the transition of athletes to civilian life. She discussed several great points on where the disconnect lies and if it is simply one organization’s “fault” for failing to properly prepare athletes for the “real” post-NFL world.

Elaine suggests, “Yes, the NCAA needs to help the athlete prepare for what is to come. Yes, the athlete needs to pay attention. Yes, the NFLPA needs to help its players understand that the money does end very quickly. Yes, parents need to help their children understand that sports will end and that they should have a plan B.”

Most athletes have been conditioned to depend on others to manage their lives. This is, of course, a generalization but many NFL athletes have grown up insulated in a sports tunnel since their Pop Warner football days. By the time a player reaches pro status, he is often dependent on his management team to handle his financial and business ventures.

At the Rookie Symposium and other life-skills clinics, there are bobblehead nods of understanding by the players with no intention of carrying through on responsible financial decisions. Patricia Pitzel, Ph.D. and Principal at Pitsel & Associates Ltd. states, “Too much money and too much fame is an extremely challenging burden to assume, and only those with solid values will manage to overcome those challenges.”

Fred Vinson, former cornerback for the Green Bay Packers is one of the fortunate players who came into the NFL with a solid foundation of good home training. I talked to Fred recently and he told me he did not have a problem managing the hefty NFL paycheck because he was raised in a fiscally-responsible household and had a solid sense of self before ever reaching the NFL.

We can spend all day blaming who we think is the culprit but it’s up to all of us who work with athletes to find a solution to the challenge. One possible solution might be an on-going mentoring program of successful, retired athletes counseling and advising new athletes throughout their careers; a Big Brother program of sorts.

While I’m sure this happens on a non-official level, perhaps the idea needs to fast track toward decision-makers in the NCAA and NFLPA. The ultimate goal is educating NFL athletes with on-going, highly ethical financial planning and decision-making tools so post-NFL life isn’t so daunting.

I’d love to hear your suggestions and input on this issue.

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About Michelle Hill

Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com

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What is Mental Imagery?

Classically, mental imagery has been defined as:

• The ability to form mental images of things or events
• By repeatedly calling up images in your mind and rewiring the circuits of your mind toward a realization of those images. The remarkable feature of imagery work is that it can be accompanied by physiological changes.
• Experience that resembles perceptual experience, but which occurs in the absence of the appropriate stimuli for the relevant perception.
• Involves focusing your mind to visualize yourself in a certain situation and doing well in that situation.
• A cognitive psychological skill in which the athlete uses all the senses to create a mental experience of an athletic performance

There’s nothing mystical about mental imagery. Simply put, it’s a visualization exercise that helps not only athletes but anyone who desires increased success and performance. There’s multiple ways to practice it and it can be done in short spurts or for a long duration.

How Mental Imagery Works

When an athlete imagines himself performing to perfection, he is physiologically creating neutral brain patterns that are similar to small tracks engraved in the brain cells. This enables the athlete to perform athletic tasks by mentally practicing those tasks first in his mind. Mental imagery is intended to train the athletes’ mind, thus teaching the muscles to perform exactly how he wants them to perform.

Practical Application of Mental Imagery

It’s true that we move closer to what we focus on. If an athlete imagines missing a shot, or how good the other team is, or even fears injury, it harms his game concentration and affects the outcome. It’s absolutely essential that athletes visualize success and victory.  Steven Balzac, a psychology professor and former nationally ranked fencer says, “If we imagine success, we prepare ourselves for success because that’s what’s in our heads.”

It’s important to remember that athletes use imagery in different ways. Their imagery may not involve just visual images, but sounds, smells or touch. It really depends on the person. Another important aspect of mental imagery is for the athlete to watch and study his sports heroes and imagine that he is making those same shots with precision. Does this mean the athlete will always perform at top level? No…we’re human and we all have bad days on occasion. But visualization and mental imagery increases the chance of increased and sustained success.

Results of Mental Imagery

Of course physical practice is always the best way for an athlete to improve his skill level and race to the top of his game. However, mental imagery is better than no practice at all and, incorporated with physical practice, is the best way to see optimal results.

Continuous studies are always being conducted to determine just how much mental imagery plays into the increased success of athletes. And, for the rest of us, imagining ourselves more successful is never a waste of time if we are also spending equal or more time physically developing our skill set. The time spent in mental imagery is beneficial not only to the athlete but to the business person, the student, the entrepreneur, and anyone else who desires to develop and increase their level of play.

The more mental imagery is studied; more effective techniques can be developed and adapted by athletes…and the rest of us.

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About Michelle Hill

Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com

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Pro athletes always seem to have an abundance of resources at their disposal; whether they need to make a cross country move, assess their personality and skill level, get their financial picture in order, or simply find a post-sports career job or business. A multitude of businesses clamor for the athletes’ attention but which ones can they trust? I found two businesses that really put their heart and soul into helping pro athletes manage their career and life.

One such business is Sportsdrive. The highly educated, synergistic team performs various levels of athlete assessments using a scientific approach specifically developed to evaluate sports performance and sports behavior.

Annika Olofsson, a sports psychologist with Sportsdrive, works with athletes on the German Olympic squad. I caught up with her via email last week and asked how Sportsdrive can help not just the pro athlete but their supporting cast. Annika stated, “Sportsdrive helps coaches select the right athletes; those who are not only physically strong but mentally fit and committed to achieving greatness on their specific sport. Assessment results will reveal the following to coaches; potential for development, talent, and the internal fire of the athlete as well as the best way to support the athlete in reaching his goals.”

The benefits of scientific, psychological evaluation translate into on-field and off-field success for the athlete. On-field, athletes have a sharper focus and more self-confidence because of understanding themselves and their inner drives more completely. Athletes can utilize their strengths to a higher degree with a more acute self-awareness of their inner motivators. Off-field, a better self-understanding means better communication with coaches and staff and a higher level of emotional stability all around.

Another way companies are helping the pro athlete is through successful and stress-free relocation. A pro athlete may change teams many times throughout his career and he needs to make the transitions as seamless as possible.

Janice Bokor, a Coldwell Banker Realtor in Pennsylvania, specializing in re-location services for the pro athlete, has personal experience with the process.

“I am married to a retired pro football player and come from a family of athletes so I understand first hand the need for a trustworthy, confidential and informed realtor who knows how to connect with the client. Since the above was so hard to find I became a realtor myself to fill the void in this specialized pro athlete market and the rest is history.”

I also asked Janice how she makes the transition easier for the player and his family so moving is not as traumatic as it could be.

“Since moving a lot is, unfortunately, part of the pro athlete’s profession, I want them to leave their problems related to the process to me. My sole purpose is to handle every aspect of the real estate and relocation process so the athlete and his family can concentrate on what is important to them: their family and profession.”

“I also ensure that every detail of their move is in place, including shipment of all belongings, packing/unpacking services, school information, private jet service, bodyguards, personal trainers, chefs, nutritionists, utility service connections, doctors, interior designers, lawyers, financial advisers, etc. I never say no to a personal request and I make it my personal mission to ensure every client transitions smoothly and quickly from every single destination they need to be in.”

These are just two companies making a difference in athletes’ lives in professional and personal ways. Even though pro athletes are often idolized and put on pedestals, they are mere human beings with personal, family, and career needs. Thank goodness for companies willing to step up to the plate and offer genuine assistance for those who entertain us year after year.

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About Michelle Hill

Michelle Hill, the Strong Copy Quarterback for Winning Proof, is a sports and fitness copywriter. My mission is to help pro athletes, coaches, and sports agents increase their success score in their entrepreneurial endeavors with my writing expertise and creative turn of mind.I write website content, client letters, media pitch letters, sponsorship proposals, and brochures for sports-related companies. www.winningproof.com

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Sports agents who take any and every athlete who contacts them on their website will not last very long in this industry.  Representing athletes is much like playing the stock market; you have to make a rather large initial investment in order to have a chance to make any significant profit.

You could load up with a bunch of penny stocks that are high risk, do not cost much.  One or two of those athletes break through and you could be generating a solid profit.  On the other hand, you could invest big money into a guy with proven skill and high ratings from scouts.  Unfortunately, the main difference between stocks and athletes is that stocks are not going to leave you mid-investment.  An athlete can.

A big decision for agents, especially in the offseason, is figuring out a list of players to recruit.  There are people who are high up on the list because of talent and factors that lead the agent to believe that he would be an easier guy to recruit, whether it be due to proximity, relationships with current clients, etc.  There are also “reaches”, guys agents would like to represent, but will cost a lot of time and money to get in front of, and most likely will not go with you.

On to some of my methods of research.

1.    Scouting services:

Some services are free and some you have to pay for.  In basketball, one of my favorite services is DraftExpress.com.  A site developed by a fellow Gator grad, Jonathan Givony, DraftExpress provides up to date scouting reports on a variety of talented basketball players and hits up almost every showcase on the planet.  In baseball, my pick is Perfect Game Crosschecker (pgcrosschecker.com).  They provide thorough rankings of future draft classes, break it down state-by-state, hit up the major showcases, and provide detailed information for top prospects.  Want to know a prospect’s parents names?  They have you covered.  BaseballAmerica’s Prospect Plus program is also strong, but it stops covering players once they graduate from high school.  In football, I am a fan of the old NFLDraftScout.com.  Since it was acquired by CBS Sports, I have been looking for a suitable alternative.  While it is not strictly a scouting service, I enjoy Neil Stratton’s InsideTheLeague.com, which highlights player movement, which agencies are going after which players, and provides draft expectancy for the next class of players, by school.

2.    Scouts:

Scouting services are the 2nd best option to actually talking to scouts.  This is something hard for new agents to do, because their rolodex may be thin in this area.  Over time, and as an agent picks up more players within various organizations, these contacts develop.  Hold them near and dear.  In baseball, the scouts not only tell the organizations who to draft, but are also often in charge of presenting the offer sheet.

3.    Facebook:

Want to know a kid’s character?  You are not going to find that out through a scouting service.  Nothing beats meeting the player and his family in person, but sometimes money and time get in the way.  Also, Facebook can be a way to weed out some guys on your list so that you do not have to waste the time of traveling to visit them in the first place.  Check the player’s interests, see what types of videos and pictures he is posting.  Are his status updates worrying you?  Only take players who will allow you to sleep well at night.  Facebook helps.

4.    In-Person meeting:

If a player passes the Facebook test and you talk with him and his family over the phone and through email, it is very important to meet them in person.  Living in an area where you base most of your recruiting is important so that you are able to save on the valuable areas of time and money.  I dress differently depending on the setting of the meeting.  If I am going to an athlete’s game, I won’t wear a suit and tie.  I’ll dress comfortable, especially since it is usually 90+ degrees in the state of Florida.  A Dynasty t-shirt and jeans work.  If I am visiting a player at his home, a button down with slacks is more appropriate.  Impress the player and his family, but don’t scare them off, either.

5.    Use your current clients:

Your current clients are invaluable sources of information.  Many of them have either played with the guy you are recruiting or have heard things from others who have played with them.  In fact, you may not even know that one of your clients knows the guy personally, and would be happy to put in a phone call to him to supply praise for your agency.

6.    Use other guys you are recruiting:

Perhaps you have already decided that you will recruit another player at the same school.  Talk to him and ask him what he thinks of this other guy you are thinking about recruiting.  It may lead to a package deal, or you may realize that you want to only stick with the first guy since their personalities don’t mesh.  The original player may say that in no way will he sign with an agency that his teammate signs with.  This is important information to garner.

7.    Talk to the player’s coach:

This will accomplish two things: 1) The coach may know the player more than the player’s own family.  He knows the player’s work ethic, potential of growth, and personality on and off the field. 2) Building a relationship with the coach will help you recruit more of his players down the line.  Additionally, if you do a good job with his players, the coach may ask you to represent him!

8.    Use intuition:

When it comes down to making a decision on if you want to spend your time and money to recruit a player and then a lot more time and money to actually represent him, you have to take everything that you have learned in the points above and then really make a decision that is best for you and your company.  Sometimes, you need to ignore some of the negative statements you read or hear because you truly believe in the athlete.  Intuition is probably the most valuable component of this list.

About Darren Heitner

Darren Heitner is a CEO, sports agent, journalist, entrepreneur, and innovator. Darren created the first sports agent blog on the internet, SportsAgentBlog.com, which receives upwards of 5,000 unique visits per day from sports agents, athletes, media sources, and the general public. In the blog, everything from contract negotiations to endorsement deals are examined, providing the framework for a great deal of information upon which he has been able to depend. In 2009, Darren created EntertainmentAgentBlog.com, which has the same purpose of SAB, but focuses on the entertainment industry. Darren is also the CEO and Founder of Dynasty Athlete Representation, a full service sports and talent agency that handles contract negotiations, marketing endorsements, financial planning, legal services, etc. Darren graduated from the University of Florida in May 2007 with a Political Science Major and was valedictorian of his class. He is a member of many Honors Societies including, Florida Blue Key, Phi Beta Kappa, and Phi Kappa Phi. He is now in his third and final year at the University of Florida Levin School of Law, where he is serving his second consecutive term as the President of the Entertainment and Sports Law Society.

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