She sat and listened to her breathing for about 10 minutes. Then, she began her self-talk. She repeated the statement to herself and focused on her breathing until she vaulted and won the event. The winning gymnast needs tools to compete. The fact is practice doesn't make perfect.
Practice gives the athlete options.
Athletes devise tools during practice to determine their options when obstacles occur during competition. The wise athlete and coach explore the bumps in the road during competition and then develop tools, such as altering energy demands, to navigate those bumps. Kevin Elko holds a Ph.D. in education with major emphasis in sport and counseling. He serves as consultant for the University of the Pittsburgh Athletic Department, University of Miami Football, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Dallas Cowboys. He is presently adjunct professor to the Sports Medicine Fellows at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and adjunct professor at Marshall University.