When athletes perform their best, all their mental and physical resources are directed to the present. Research is discovering that athletes who perform at or near their peak potential have developed skills and strategies to continuously reset to the task at the present moment and find a type of cognitive and physiological rhythmic flow. There is a cadence to the speed at which peak performance occurs—and it's dependent on skills, the sport's demand, and more importantly the amount of information the athlete can mentally processes.
While water polo is full of mental challenges, the number one challenge that seems to surface most is present-moment focus. Athletes struggling to manage their emotions, work with their nerves, and let go of mistakes can find it difficult to play in the present. In a dynamic, fast-moving sport, many variables compete for an athlete's attention. Which is why present-moment focus is a continuous practice that starts before entering the pool.
The ability to read the play and anticipate what could happen depends on the level of a player's present-moment focus. To anticipate what's next, athletes must be connected to the present play in an external sensory manner. They manage their mental time travel so as not to become emotionally attached to play outcomes or future play outcomes. Rather they're seeing, hearing, feeling, and completely experiencing what they're doing
now through full immersion in the flow of the play. Mental time travel interferes with their ability to quiet their minds and simplify the information they're receiving while in the present.
Athletes also must understand that the mind does have a tendency to wander. The mind will want to find an explanation or a safe guard for what just happened. However, there's a time and place to learn, reflect, and analyze—just not during the play! Through acceptance, athletes can find ways to act more compassionately toward themselves when their minds do wander to the previous result or future possibilities. By accepting without judgment what has happened, athletes can use specific reset routines to move into next play's speed more efficiently.
Self-talk matters tremendously in the constant practice of present-moment focus. Using motivational or instructional self-talk helps athletes direct their attention toward what they can control in the moment as well as what's most important right now. Distractions happen when attention is directed to irrelevant bits of information. To focus on the present-play using self-talk, emphasize what can be done
now rather than how good or bad it is.
As always, becoming an expert on one's own mental and physical game can be a challenge when undertaken alone. Seeking out others' perspectives and guidance can broaden horizons and increase understanding of what is possible. Through trust and vulnerability, athletes discover the courage to seek help from coaches, parents, and mentors so they can grow and continue learning.
