{"id":9059,"date":"2023-04-20T12:04:07","date_gmt":"2023-04-20T16:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/?p=9059"},"modified":"2025-07-08T07:00:43","modified_gmt":"2025-07-08T11:00:43","slug":"the-power-of-pregame-visualization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-power-of-pregame-visualization\/","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Pregame Visualization"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"600\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization.jpg\" alt=\"The Power of Pregame Visualization\" class=\"wp-image-9060\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/pregame-visualization-300x150.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_Sports_Kids_Believe_They_Can_They_Build_Confidence\"><\/span>When Sports Kids Believe They Can, They Build Confidence<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-power-of-pregame-visualization\/#When_Sports_Kids_Believe_They_Can_They_Build_Confidence\" >When Sports Kids Believe They Can, They Build Confidence<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-4' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-4'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-power-of-pregame-visualization\/#Simply_stated_visualization_is_the_%E2%80%9Cseeing%E2%80%9D_that_helps_athletes_believe_in_themselves\" >Simply stated, visualization is the \u201cseeing\u201d that helps athletes believe in themselves.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-power-of-pregame-visualization\/#Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\" >Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-power-of-pregame-visualization\/#Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\" >Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>When they have unshakeable <strong>confidence<\/strong>, they are more resilient, overcome obstacles and increase the likelihood of accomplishing their goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Belief, <strong>confidence<\/strong> and accomplishment are intertwined in youth sports. Belief sets the cycle in motion, but what creates belief?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kids may have heard the term \u201cseeing is believing.\u201d This phrase refers to experience.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When young athletes are successful, they can see themselves capturing another win, another championship, another national cut or another playoff win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if they have <strong>NEVER<\/strong> won a title?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if their team has <strong>NEVER<\/strong> advanced to the post-season?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>What if they <strong>NEVER<\/strong> achieved a national cut?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can kids believe if they have never seen themselves accomplishing a significant athletic achievement?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>How can they believe without seeing? Belief is the sticking point for many athletes. The lack of belief causes many athletes to become stuck in a rut of mediocrity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Without belief, these athletes lose confidence in their abilities. Their goal seems impractical or impossible, so they give up working for it at the first setback.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To build belief, athletes have a powerful mental tool at their disposal: visualization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>With visualization, sports kids create a mental movie or mental images of accomplishing a goal. When they regularly visualize performing successfully, they increase their belief and embed those images in their minds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Visualization helps young athletes feel prepared to handle the pressure of the moment. When they visualize success, they build the self-confidence necessary to accomplish their goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Simply_stated_visualization_is_the_%E2%80%9Cseeing%E2%80%9D_that_helps_athletes_believe_in_themselves\"><\/span>Simply stated, visualization is the \u201cseeing\u201d that helps athletes believe in themselves.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s look at the following 2023 NCAA Women\u2019s Basketball Tournament example.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Iowa defeated Louisville, 97-83, in its elite eight matchup to advance to its first Final Four since 1993. Not one player on the Iowa squad was even born when Iowa accomplished that feat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That did not stop junior forward Caitlin Clark from <strong>believing<\/strong>. Clark achieved something unprecedented in Division I NCAA Tournament history by registering the first-ever 40-point triple-double.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Clark had often <strong>visualized<\/strong> herself winning this game, which helped her develop unshakeable confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cI believed, and I visualized [being] in this press conference with a hat and a shirt around me. So here we are\u2026 I\u2019ve dreamed of this moment since I was a little girl. I\u2019ve always wanted to take a team to the Final Four and be in these moments and have confetti fall down on me,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Seeing is believing<\/strong>. Visualization gives athletes the feeling they have done it before and can do it again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Visualization uses specific and vivid images that elicit positive emotions and builds confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To help young athletes start <strong>visualizing<\/strong>, ask them to write down vivid details of the event they want to experience as a success.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They should use all their senses so they can immerse themselves in the experience. They should write about how they will feel after accomplishing their goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vivid images leave a lasting impression on kids\u2019 mind, so when the event arises, they will feel that they have accomplished this feat before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"related-articles-on-hockey-mental-game\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Related_Articles_on_Kids_Mental_Game\"><\/span>Related Articles on Kids&#8217; Mental Game:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-visualization-and-deep-breathing-help-sports-kids-excel\/\"><strong>How Visualization and Deep Breathing Help Sports Kids Excel<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-archery-builds-confidence-and-focus-in-kids\/\"><strong>How Archery Builds Confidence and Focus in Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/how-this-sport-builds-confidence-and-focus-in-kids\/\"><strong>How This Sport Builds Confidence and Focus in Kids<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p id=\"block-f49818fa-7c7a-4ee3-b5ee-66581aad2c71\">*Subscribe to\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/podcasts.apple.com\/us\/podcast\/sports-psychology-podcast-by-peaksports-com\/id152566009\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0on iTunes<br>*Subscribe to <a href=\"https:\/\/open.spotify.com\/show\/0ynyaalKxbnNmsoeL8gF5X?si=8224669de9b3435b\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>The Sports Psychology Podcast<\/strong><\/a> on Spotify<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-css-opacity is-style-dots\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Improve_Your_Mental_Game_From_Anywhere_In_The_World\"><\/span><strong>Improve Your Mental Game From Anywhere In The World<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/11\/mental-training-for-young-athletes.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-6868\" style=\"width:138px;height:auto\"\/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re certain that, as a parent,&nbsp;you want to help your child develop confidence and discipline in sports and life.&nbsp;And as a sports parent, you\u2019d love for your children to reach their potential in sports.&nbsp;But encouraging your child to <strong>strive for greatness without pressuring them<\/strong> can be a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can get expert mental coaching with us from anywhere. Meet with us via Zoom, Skype, FaceTime or phone call. With today\u2019s video technology, we are able to connect with athletes and coaches all over the globe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\"><strong>Call Us Today to Schedule Your Free 15-Minute Session.<\/strong><br><strong>Find Out How Your Athlete Can Benefit From One-on-One Mental Coaching<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Sports Kids Believe They Can, They Build Confidence When they have unshakeable confidence, they are more resilient, overcome obstacles and increase the likelihood of accomplishing their goals. Belief, confidence and accomplishment are intertwined in youth sports. Belief sets the cycle in motion, but what creates belief? Kids may have &#8230; <a title=\"The Power of Pregame Visualization\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/the-power-of-pregame-visualization\/\" aria-label=\"Read more about The Power of Pregame Visualization\">Read Sport Psychology Tip<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9061,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[309,39],"class_list":["post-9059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-youth-sports-psychology-blog","tag-confidence-in-youth-sports","tag-kids-sports-psychology","resize-featured-image"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9059","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9059"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9059\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9059"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9059"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.youthsportspsychology.com\/youth_sports_psychology_blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9059"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}