Sports Psychology

Actually called The Winning Edge in Sports during the opening credits, this program features sports psychologist Andrew Jacobs interviewing a number of sports professionals and discussing the key components of improving one's sports performance through positive thinking. Jacobs' four keys to success are: concentration, motivation, relaxation, and visualization-in other words, the four building blocks that you'll find applied to business, exercise, or quit smoking tapes. Although some of the interviewees offer concrete suggestions, this is basically generic stuff with a whole lot of jargon thrown in to cloud the simple simon nature of the material. In the section on designing a mental game plan, viewers are taken through the three steps of "Identification," "Assessment," and "Management" of "challenges." "Challenges" is the euphemism given to screw-ups. Let's take an example: last year, following Seattle Seahawks' quarterback Dave Krieg's thumb injury in the first game, backup quarterback Jeff Kemp was given the starting nod. Okay, Jeff's "challenge" was that he invariably forced the ball when he was near his own end zone, resulting in numerous interceptions. Therefore: the "identification" is that Jeff threw a lot of interceptions, making a lot of Seahawk fans pretty miserable. The "assessment"? Simple, Jeff was a dork. How to "manage" the challenge? It took the Hawks a long time to figure this one out, but the solution was to get rid of him. Alright, that's not exactly how Sports Psychology would recommend you deal with a "challenge," but you get the general idea. With the exception of a fairly interesting section on how motivational drive theory has changed over the years, the remainder of the tape deals with relaxation, visualization, and avoiding burnout, usually accompanied by overwrought terminology. Not a necessary purchase. (See CONSTRUCTIVE COMMUNICATIONS for availability.)