It was during my 14 years working as a mental health therapist with families when I realized that more often than not parents and their children would struggle to make a positive change in their lives if they first could not envision it. They needed to think it, visualize it and mentally practice it to physically accomplish it.
The same holds true with almost every performance-driven endeavor in our lives. We need to first create a mental picture of what we want to accomplish before we set out to achieve it. This approach specifically holds true for competitive athletes who seek to improve their game-time performance. Physical training and practice provide the foundation to build and develop needed athletic skills, but neither completely addresses the mental side of skill development that is necessary for athletes to excel at a higher level.
I-imagine has filled this need by creating an affordable visualization audio app for soccer players ages 9 to 22. The training app offers nine modules based on position and skillset to help players prepare mentally before and during a match. Mental imagery is not something new or unknown in the sports world. It just has not been affordable for competitive athletes at the earlier stages of their training. Olympic-level athletes and professional players have long known the value of visualization training and pay high fees for sports psychologists and the related programs in order to reach their optimum performance level. Former Chicago Bulls’ superstar Michael Jordan visualized his moves and shots before every game. Tampa Rays’ all-star third baseman Evan Longoria uses mental imagery to stay in the swing of his sport. Legendary golfer Jack Nicklaus did the same. Visualization tools helped push swimmer Michael Phelps to 22 medals, including 18 gold, in three Olympics to set the record for medals by any athlete in the history of the Games.
It is I-imagine’s goal to help coaches and athletes of all competitive age groups in soccer to reach their potential by developing the mental muscle necessary for players to see their success. Visit our website or contact us for more details of our app and its launch at the end of January 2016. We would welcome the opportunity to talk with you or send you additional information.
It is time to help young athletes get their heads in the game. I-imagine can help.
