The physical aspect of the game is the main factor when it comes to sports. So much so that we forget the mental aspect. But it was Yogi Berra who said, “Baseball is 90 percent mental. The other half is physical.”
Who would argue with a Hall of Famer?
As time goes on, more and more athletes are speaking out about their trust in sports psychologists and how it impacts their game.
Lydia Ko
Professional golfer and youngest LPGA Hall of Famer Lydia Ko said talking to someone is important.
“Have somebody, whether it is like a therapist, or family friends, that you can talk to about anything,” she said on an episode of Golf.com’s The Scoop.
For Ko, she needed to escape golf when she was no longer on the greens. When she was on the greens, it was about training her in a way she can keep her nerves steady.
Framber Valdez
Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez swears by it.
His body language was night and day compared to what it was in 2018-19. He worked in a mental skills program with the organization and learned to control his emotions and stay focused. You could also see him more relaxed on the mound.
Valdez said he owes about 75% of his career to his mental skills coach, Dr. Andy.
Simone Biles
The decorated gymnast was very open about her mental health struggles during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. Biles became an advocate and credited therapy as a part of her return. She didn’t think she’d ever step foot on a gymnastics floor again at one point.
“But with the help of [my coach] Cecile [Landi], I got back in the gym and worked really hard mentally and physically. Even this morning at 7:00 a.m., I saw my therapist,” she told Women’s Health Magazine. “And there’s a time change, so she is so amazing for allowing me to do that these couple of days here in Paris.”
She said she did therapy “religiously” and would add sessions in as needed before big competitions.
George Mumford experience
George Mumford is well-known in the sports world as a psychologist who’s worked with some of the biggest names in the game. We’re talking legends. Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Phil Jackson… the list goes on and on.
He understood these athletes mastered the basics, but it was about the excellence they wanted to achieve.
Tristan Wirfs
Tristan Wirfs had to switch from right to left tackle in 2023 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which may sound like an easy transition, but it wasn’t.
Wirfs had to start from square one. Thanks to Dr. Joe Carella, he made it happen, but it took some time.
“I was very reserved in talking about how I was feeling. I am still trying to get better at it. It seems so minuscule like, ‘Oh, you are just flipping sides.’ But I was having breakdowns about it,” Wirfs told CBS Sports’ Jeff Kerr. “I decided I cannot sit here with these thoughts anymore. I was setting myself up for failure. I would just think about, ‘I am going to suck?’ or like, ‘I am not going to be able to do it?’ for all day long.”
