Mental Performance Secrets with Cori Close

How much of basketball comes down to mental performance? 70%? 80%? Now, how much of your practice time is dedicated to mental training? In this post, we’re diving into the insights of Cori Close, the head coach of UCLA Women’s Basketball, on the importance of mental performance development. We’ll explore practical strategies that coaches at all levels can use to build mentally strong and resilient teams.

The Undervalued Mental Game

It’s common knowledge in basketball that the mental aspect is huge. Players and coaches often agree that 70-80% of the game is mental. But here’s the kicker: how often do teams actually train the mental side with the same focus as they do the physical?

Cori Close hits on this directly. Too often, mental training is an afterthought. It’s seen as something separate, instead of being woven into the very fabric of the program.

Mental Training as a Curriculum

Coach Close believes that mental training deserves the same attention and planning as offensive and defensive strategies. This means creating a structured curriculum with clear teaching progressions.

Think about it: when you introduce a new five-out offense, you map out the entire year. You break down the concepts, plan how to integrate them, and develop teaching progressions. Mental training deserves the same level of detail.

Integrating Mental Skills on the Court

Taking mental skills from the classroom to the court is crucial. It’s about making these skills real and applicable in game-like situations. It’s one thing to talk about mental toughness in a meeting; it’s another to practice it under pressure.

Common Language

Just like you develop a common language for offensive and defensive schemes, do the same for mental performance. Create a glossary of terms related to a growth mindset, mental discipline, and other key concepts. This ensures that everyone – coaches and players – is on the same page.

Scoring Mental Toughness

How do you measure mental toughness? Coach Close values getting better every possession. It’s about pushing yourself to the “edge” – that point where your talent runs out and mental discipline takes over.

What does that look like in practice? It could be a drill where players have to execute under fatigue or deal with unexpected challenges. It’s about creating situations where they have to rely on their mental skills to succeed.

Periodization of Mental Performance Training

Just like physical training, mental training should be periodized. That means planning it out over the year and adjusting the intensity based on the team’s needs.

Daily Visualization

Cori Close dedicates time each day (about 4 minutes) to visualization. Players watch videos of themselves performing desired actions.

For example, if a player needs to improve their defensive rotations, they’ll watch clips of themselves doing it correctly. The goal is to train the mind to see and believe in the desired outcome.

“What Went Well” Journaling

Negativity can be a powerful force. To combat this, Coach Cori Close has her players write down 1-2 things that went well each day. This helps interrupt negative mental loops and reinforce positive actions.

Integration

How do you make visualization and journaling a consistent part of your program? Plan it out. Integrate it into your daily or weekly schedule. Consider doing more mental training on days when physical training is lighter.

Practical Coping Skills for Mental Performance: The Refocus Routine

Everyone faces distractions and setbacks. That’s why it’s crucial to equip players with practical coping skills. One effective strategy is the refocus routine.

Identifying Triggers

Help players become aware of their triggers – those situations that lead to distraction or negative thoughts. Use a “stoplight” analogy to help them understand their mental state:

• Green Light: Everything is flowing.
• Yellow Light: Distracted, not fully present.
• Red Light: Complete shutdown.

Developing Refocusing Tools

Once players know their triggers, help them develop tools to regain focus. Some examples include:

• Talking to themselves instead of listening to negative thoughts.
• Deep breathing exercises.
• Positive self-talk affirmations.

Practicing in Adverse Environments

The real test comes when players have to use these skills in challenging situations. Create practice environments that simulate game-like pressure. This could involve:

• Playing 5-on-6.
• Changing the score unexpectedly.
• Purposefully making bad calls.
• Simulating fatigue.

Timeout System

Give players the power to manage their own mental state. Allow them to call their own 30-second timeouts in practice. During this time, they can:

• Pause.
• Gain clarity.
• Ask: “What does this situation require of me?”
• Determine: “What is my next right behavioral step?”

Creating Joy and Struggle

Effective learning environments require a balance of joy and struggle. This idea, highlighted in the book Rare Leadership, emphasizes that significant improvement happens when both are present.

As a coach, your job is to create both joy and struggle in practice. Struggle can come from adversity, pushing players to their “edge,” and creating uncommon choices.

Specificity

Mental skills, like physical skills, are not one-size-fits-all. What works for one player may not work for another.

Just as some players need a hook shot in the post while others excel driving from the perimeter, mental training needs to be personalized to address individual needs and weaknesses.

Teaching Progression

Teach mental skills as a whole, and then get more specific. Start with a base foundation and then progress to individual needs. This can be broken down into proficient, advanced, and elite skills, similar to how you approach physical skill development.

Defining Mental Toughness

Mental toughness isn’t some innate quality that some players have and others don’t. It’s a skill that can be developed and honed.

Mental toughness is about choosing discipline over your natural inclinations. We all have habits or defaults we revert to when left to our own devices.

Normalizing the Struggle

It’s essential to normalize the struggle and acknowledge that everyone experiences doubts and challenges. The key is to equip players with tools to choose discipline and replace lies with truth.

Mental Performance Actionable Steps for Coaches

• Develop your own mental training philosophy.
• Help players develop refocus routines.
• Embrace the “edge” and view challenges as opportunities to learn.
• Develop a glossary of language to promote a growth mindset.
• Evaluate your practices and seek continuous improvement.

Final Thoughts on Mental Performance

Coach Cori Close offers a wealth of knowledge and practical strategies for developing mental performance in basketball. By prioritizing mental training, integrating it into all aspects of your program, and empowering players to take ownership of their mental game, you can unlock your team’s full potential.