My Name
Matt Cuccaro, Director of Mental Training at Hank Haney IJGA
My Experience
Since joining Hank Haney IJGA in 2006, Matt has trained numerous American Junior Golf Association Junior All-Americans, IJGT champions, as well as PGA, LPGA, and Champions Tour players from around the world. He received his Master of Education in Counseling/Sport Psychology from Boston University
How my tip will help:
At Hank Haney International Junior Golf Academy on Hilton Head Island, our student-athletes, ages 10-19, reach their potential on and off the golf course by creating a mindset of continuous improvement. We call this the Performance Cycle. Below is insight into how this is achieved each day.
Here's my tip:
Prepare Stage of Golf Performance Cycle
The "prepare stage" of the performance cycle is the longest in duration for all athletes. This includes the days, weeks, and months set aside for training between competitions. This is an opportunity for players to develop the technical, tactical, physical, and mental skills required to compete at a high level. The performance cycle typically starts with a high percentage of instruction in order for the athlete to learn new skills and improve technique. As the cycle continues, the athlete engages in quality repetition of movement to create the feel and trust required to compete without excess technical thought as competition nears.
Compete Stage of Golf Performance Cycle
The "compete stage" is the time to execute and showcase the skills developed and improved during the prepare stage. It is not ideal to try something new or uncomfortable in a tournament. Competition is naturally a time of higher stress, so an athlete's mind and body will automatically revert to doing what it knows best. The compete stage is the opportunity for an athlete to measure his or her current potential and show how well they can manage the physical, tactical, and mental aspects of performance in a public forum.
Evaluate and Active Rest Stage
The "evaluate and active rest stage" is often skimmed over or eliminated altogether because it may not show immediate results. However, if the athlete does not have an opportunity to assess himself and take time for other off-course needs, long-term development suffers. Success in life is a continuous process of evaluating, learning, and developing; which takes a significant amount of time and energy. Without proper evaluation and rest, athletes typically lose perspective on their sport and life as a whole, resulting in burnout and shorter, less fulfilling athletic careers.
