The Present Moment

https://vimeo.com/648262110

Topher Scott discusses the importance of focusing on the present moment during the stresses of a season and game.

Great coaches and great programs always find a way to bring their teams and their players back to the present moment." - Topher Scott

A coach can help their team focus on the present moment by doing the following:

1. Focus On The Journey

  • Big Gains Come From Small Gains: enjoy every rep of every practice. Focus on goal setting, accountability and the process of striving to get better every single day. Even a 1% improvement each day compounds into huge gains by the end of the year. 

2. Gratitude

  • Gratitude Is Great For The Soul: hockey can be tough. The long practices, travel days and hard games can be draining at times. Taking a moment to talk about being grateful for the opportunity and ability to play this great sport can help bring people back to the present moment. 

3. Mental Health & Well Being

  • Being Present is Beneficial For Mental Health & Well Being: if you can teach kids to focus on what they can control in the present moment is great for their health and well being.
  • Don't Focus On The Future: Being your best today is going to dictate where you go in the future so it is important to focus on the now. Spending time worrying about the future will get you nowhere. 
  • The Past Is Gone: a great life lesson in hockey and off of the ice is to help kids understand that the past is the past and that it can not be changed. Focus on the now and how you can be your best right now.
    • Example: Made a bad play last shift? Don't dwell on it on the bench. The play can't be changed. But, you can learn from it and go out and make your current shift the best of the night. Then build off of that.