Developing Mental Toughness, On and Off the Baseball Field
Success, both on the diamond and off, is often the result of how effectively we deal with adversity and stress. Few understand this as well as Tampa Bay Devil Ray’s third baseman Evan Longoria.
Before he was a three-time All-Star who led his team to the World Series, Evan Longoria went undrafted out of high school, and did not receive a single NCAA scholarship offer. His physical and mental talents had yet to mature to a level capable of taking on the major leagues. It wasn’t until he began working with Dr. Ken Ravizza, a world-renowned sports psychologist, that he was able to become the elite player that he is today.
Dr. Ravizza believes in preparing mentally to be “comfortable being uncomfortable.” To accomplish this, he encourages staying focused and in the moment, erasing negative thoughts, practicing positive visualization and relying on trusted, repetitive routines.
“Failure is an unavoidable part of the game,” he says. “Don’t dwell on it.”
With Ravizza’s guidance, Longoria was able to develop a mental routine that prepares him to keep the game at a manageable pace, including:
- Walking slowly to the plate
- Consistent breathing
- Focal point gathering
- Focusing on only the pitch being thrown
- Mentally regrouping after bad swings (stepping out of the box, adjusting batting gloves, focusing on the top of the foul poll)
This routine has helped provide Longoria the mental edge to become one of the best players in the game.
The Trent Reynolds Commit to HitTMProgram is not only about developing a player’s swing, but their mental toughness, as well, both on and off the diamond. To find out more about how TRPD can help you become the player that you want to be, contact [email protected] or find us on Facebook for information and updates.
