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The International Mental Game Coaching Association

News Release: December 21, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces PhDr. Michal Kopcan Is A New Level I Certified Coach.


PhDr. Michal Kopcan, based in Trencin, Slovakia has earned the Level I Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Dr. Kopcan was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Instructor.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

"Michal came to IMGCA certification training determined to start a career as a mental game coach. He will make a wonderful mental game coach because he has a strong educational background already, he's a lifelong learner and he has fantastic insight into human nature.

He has already shown that he brings a deep level of dedication to his clients, and he continues to deepen his skill set as a coach and teacher. He is adding NLP and hypnosis as well as other disciplines so he can offer a wide array of modalities to his clients. He has excellent communication skills and is eager to learn more. He speaks multiple languages.

Michal is passionate about helping people, whether it is sports, business, or life. His goals are to help his future clients achieve their full potential in any field, in both learning and performance.

I can easily see Michal becoming a leading mental game coach in Slovakia, and ultimately, in all of Europe. He has the intelligence, drive and interest to continue to develop himself at every level. He will be a tremendous coach, consultant, writer and trainer, and he has a unique set of business skills that will help advance him in his mental game coaching practice. He is destined for great things. I am going to follow his career closely."

Michal has had an exceptional athletic background. As a former high level football player and advanced combat sports athlete and referee, he uses these experiences to help his clients learn the laws of success in the mental game. Michal wanted to advance his knowledge and skills in teaching, learning and performing and in coaching. With formal training from IMGCA in the mental game he could help others.

Michal holds a Master of Arts (MA); PhDr., in the education of adults, and in psychology and andragogy from Jan Amos Komensky University, in Prague, the Czech Republic.

Michal was a lecturer and consultant at the Jan Amos Comenius University for eight years in Prague, in the Capital of the Czech Republic, and also an English teacher at the Academy of Education in Trencín, Slovakia for eight years.

Michal will take the concepts, assessments, skills and tools he received during the IMGCA certification process and help his clients reach their fullest potential.

He will be expanding his mental game coaching practice, working with athletes from many sports. He will now focus mainly on football players, hockey players, MMA fighters and combat sports athletes at the outset and expand his offerings from there.

Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: October 22, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, was interviewed in Humber College News in Toronto, Canada for the article "Blue Jays Thrive Under Pressure Situations: Experts", by writer Javon Walker, as an expert on sport psychology.


Bill Cole, MS, MA, was interviewed on the 2015 MLB American League Championship Series game six between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Kansas City Royals in Humber College News for the article "Blue Jays Thrive Under Pressure Situations: Experts", by writer Javon Walker, which was published on October 22, 2015.

The last time the Blue Jays won the ALC series was 1993, so Bill was asked how that would play out in the minds of the players. He was also asked what are the pros and cons, from a psychological perspective, of playing at home vs. playing on the road.

Other experts interviewed for the piece were Paul Dennis, a high performance coach at York University and Dr. Andrew Jacobs, who was the Royals' full-time psychologist from 1989-1990 and 2008-2011.

Yahoo Sports has called Bill Cole "a leading author on sports psychology".

Bill Cole, MS, MA, is a mental game coach to athletes and coaches, politicians, professional speakers and trainers, the entertainment industry, executives and business professionals. The British Broadcasting Corporation (The BBC) called him "A world-renowned peak performance coach." He has been the mental coach or sports psychology consultant with athletes or coaches of 17 world and national teams, eight international and Olympic teams, 31 professional sports teams, associations or leagues, and of athletes who have won 35 world and national championships. He has been the mental trainer for thousands of athletes in over 75 sports, at all ages and skill levels and has been a leader in the field of mental training for over 30 years. He was the first person in the world to earn an undergraduate degree in sports psychology, and is also the founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association, which trains and certifies mental coaches worldwide.

For more information, to engage Bill as a guest expert, or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

William B. Cole Consultants
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358
VOICE: 408-725-7191
FAX: 408-440-2339
E-Mail: Bill@MentalGameCoach.com
Website: www.mentalgamecoach.com


News Release: October 4, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Bc. Jan Moravec, DiS. Is A New Level II Certified Mental Game Coach.


Bc. Jan Moravec, DiS., based in Prague, in the Czech Republic, has earned the Level II Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Jan was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Coach.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

"I really enjoyed having Jan in the IMGCA certification program, and it was a pleasure helping him earn his Level II certification. Jan was already a very experienced coach, and he wanted to learn the latest and most potent mental game coaching approaches. He has had very good results with many different types of athletes, and is excited about putting what he learned in the certification program to use.

I can see Jan quickly building his business to a very high profile level in the Czech Republic. He has a deep interest in the mental game and takes a systematic approach to extending his knowledge in the field. I can see Jan becoming one of the top sport psychology providers in the Czech Republic and eventually even the leader in this field in the country.

Jan has great listening skills, a master counselor's attitude and deep compassion for his clients, with an eye to doing everything he can to help them grow and succeed. I can tell Jan's clients really admire and respect him. He is a true professional.

He added more interventions he can use with his clients, ranging from cognitive-behavioral approaches, attentional control, stress control and coaching methods and techniques."


Other areas of study Jan covered include:

  1. Managing the inner critic
  2. Mistake management skills
  3. Pressure management skills
  4. Managing expectations
  5. Enlisting parents and coaches
  6. Reframing approaches
  7. Choke-proofing skills
  8. Competition management skills
  9. Post-event review skills
  10. Lead management skills
  11. Competitive mindset
  12. Championship thinking skills
  13. Pre-event mental preparation
  14. Pre-play mental preparation
  15. Slump management skills
  16. The mental game coach as change agent
  17. How to avoid common mistakes in mental game coaching
  18. Confidentiality, ethical and legal issues in mental game coaching

Jan was a soccer goalkeeper in the fourth highest league in the Czech Republic, and has been involved in sports since childhood. In his business he plans to specialize in the sport psychology of soccer and then expand to other sports.

With his upper level sport background, Jan can really draw from these competitive experiences to help his clients. It's not mandatory to have been a great athlete, or to have competed at the highest levels in order to be a competent mental game coach, but it certainly helps when coaching higher level people.

At the Univerzita Jana Amose Komenského Jan passed state exams in psychology, sociology, pedagogy and Adult Education and received a degree in Social and mass communication.

Jan is currently owner of a personal coaching and sport psychology coaching business, Moravec Consulting, in Prague, specializing in younger people. His website:

http://www.mentalnipripravasportovcu.cz/

His Linked In page:

https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jan-moravec/34/673/6a8

Level II IMGCA certification requires five hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level II certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: October 1, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Founder and President Bill Cole, MS, MA, who was the Consulting Producer on the documentary film The High: Making the Toughest Race on Earth, announces that The High has been selected as a 'Finalist Best Feature' in the 2015 Trail Running Film Festival, and that the New York premier of The High will be held on October 24th, 2015 at the SVA Theatre in New York City.


Finalist Award - The HighBill Cole, MS, MA, who was the Consulting Producer on the documentary film The High: Making the Toughest Race on Earth, announces that The High has been selected as a 'Finalist Best Feature' in the 2015 Trail Running Film Festival, and that the New York premier of The High will be held on October 24th at the SVA Theatre in New York City.

The High: Making the Toughest Race on Earth film is a remarkable telling of the pioneering of a high-stakes ultra race over the two highest motorable passes in the world.

References:

https://www.facebook.com/events/1484248771885173

https://www.mentalgamecoach.com/
BillColeOnTVRadioAndFilm.html#BillColeInFilm


http://thehighdoc.com/

https://www.facebook.com/TheHighdoc/

https://www.youtube.com/user/LaUltraTheHigh

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm6454714/

Yahoo Sports has called Bill Cole "a leading author on sports psychology".

Bill Cole, MS, MA, is a mental game coach to athletes and coaches, politicians, professional speakers and trainers, the entertainment industry, executives and business professionals. The British Broadcasting Corporation (The BBC) called him "A world-renowned peak performance coach." He has been the mental coach or sports psychology consultant with athletes or coaches of 17 world and national teams, eight international and Olympic teams, 31 professional sports teams, associations or leagues, and of athletes who have won 35 world and national championships. He has been the mental trainer for thousands of athletes in over 75 sports, at all ages and skill levels and has been a leader in the field of mental training for over 30 years. He was the first person in the world to earn an undergraduate degree in sports psychology, and is also the founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association, which trains and certifies mental coaches worldwide.

For more information, to engage Bill as a guest expert, or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

William B. Cole Consultants
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358
VOICE: 408-725-7191
FAX: 408-440-2339
E-Mail: Bill@MentalGameCoach.com
Website: www.mentalgamecoach.com


News Release: September 11, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, was interviewed in The HUB newspaper in Davis, California for the article "Blurred Lines: Coaches Walk Fine Line Between Motivation And Abuse", by writer Roland Lee, as an expert on sport psychology.


Bill Cole, MS, MA, was interviewed on the role that professionalism plays in the lives of athletics coaches in The HUB newspaper for Davis High School for the article "Blurred Lines: Coaches Walk Fine Line Between Motivation And Abuse", by writer Roland Lee, which was published on September 11, 2015.

The article discussed various aspects of motivational techniques coaches use with athletes, and the often fine line between what is considered inspirational, motivating and abuse.

Yahoo Sports has called Bill Cole "a leading author on sports psychology".

Bill Cole, MS, MA, is a mental game coach to athletes and coaches, politicians, professional speakers and trainers, the entertainment industry, executives and business professionals. The British Broadcasting Corporation (The BBC) called him "A world-renowned peak performance coach." He has been the mental coach or sports psychology consultant with athletes or coaches of 17 world and national teams, eight international and Olympic teams, 31 professional sports teams, associations or leagues, and of athletes who have won 35 world and national championships. He has been the mental trainer for thousands of athletes in over 75 sports, at all ages and skill levels and has been a leader in the field of mental training for over 30 years. He was the first person in the world to earn an undergraduate degree in sports psychology, and is also the founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association, which trains and certifies mental coaches worldwide.

For more information, to engage Bill as a guest expert, or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

William B. Cole Consultants
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358
VOICE: 408-725-7191
FAX: 408-440-2339
E-Mail: Bill@MentalGameCoach.com
Website: www.mentalgamecoach.com


News Release: September 10, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association announces IMGCA-Certified Mental Game Professional Coach Radek Sefcik has been appointed to the Advisory Board.


Radek Sefcik, member of IMGCA Advisory Board The International Mental Game Coaching Association announces Radek Sefcik, of Slovakia, the world's first Level IV IMGCA-certified mental game practitioner, has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the International Mental Game Coaching Association.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

It is a true pleasure that I announce that Radek Sefcik has joined IMGCA as an Advisory Board member. Radek has had an illustrious career as a mental game coach, and he continues to reach ever-higher levels of accomplishments in this field. He is mental game coach to a wide variety of people, in many fields. For more than a decade, he has had the privilege to coach and develop sport and business teams and coaches and leaders from many venues. He's been a mental game coach for more than 15 sports.

Radek has been active in martial arts for more than 25 years, and holds two black belts and multiple certifications in various martial arts.

Radek will be offering his valuable insights on IMGCA programs and content. Radek has great expertise in a wide array of disciplines and he will share his best practices with IMGCA.


Here are just some of Radek's accomplishments.

Some teams he has been mental game coach for include national junior golf teams, top ice hockey teams, professional basketball teams, tennis teams and academies, top soccer teams, special operations teams in military and police and WTCC/ETCC World/European Touring Car Cup.

He has regularly conducted coaches and leadership workshops for leaders and coaches in Slovakia.

He has had a five-year coaching arrangement with number 6 ATP pro tennis player Tomas Berdych, who reached the finals of the 2010 Wimbledon Championships, defeating top seed and six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer in the quarterfinals, and world number three Novak Djokovic in the semifinals. Learn more about Tomas Berdych at his website and wikipedia.

Radek Sefcik with no.6 ATP tennis player T. Berdych  

Radek Sefcik with no.6 ATP tennis player T. Berdych


Radek Sefcik has worked with Olympic Gold medalists and numerous World Cup and European Cup medalists in trap shooting.

with bronze Olympic medalist /skeet/ D.Bartekova  

Radek Sefcik with bronze Olympic medalist /skeet/ D. Bartekova

Radek Sefcik with D. Kostelecky and D. Bartekova  



Radek Sefcik with two Summer Olympics medal winners: D. Kostelecky (gold medal in Trap) and D. Bartekova (bronze medal in Women's Skeet)


He is currently working with three very high level WTA professionals. One is 2014 Australian Open finalist Dominika Cibulkova. Learn more about Dominika Cibulkova at wikipedia.

Radek Sefcik with D. Cibulkova  

Radek Sefcik with 2014 Australian Open finalist D. Cibulková


In team sports, his number one Professional soccer team, which he has been coaching for almost two years, recently beat the high profile Spanish team Athletic Bilbao in the European League play-off.

He is part of various teams participating in Word Cups, the Olympics, the European Soccer league, ATP World Tour Finals and the WTA Finals.

Radek Sefcik has been the mental game coach for a pro ice hockey team in the Slovakian Extra League, the highest ice hockey league in Slovakia, which eventually reached the national play-off finals.

He's been the mental game coach for Slovakian professional basketball extra league team, which reached the semifinal play-offs.

He's been the mental game coach for the Slovakian National Golf Team.

Mental game coach for junior and senior golfers, where some players qualified into the finals in the "Faldo Series" and into Junior European Cups.

He's conducted mental game workshops for business leaders, on focusing under pressure, leadership and communications skill development, and in breaking limiting self-beliefs.

He's been the mental game coach for a pro motocross racer.

Radek Sefcik with racer M. Homola  

Radek Sefcik with upcoming young top 1 Slovakian professional WTCC/ETCC racer M. Homola, numerous times European champion

He's been the mental game coach and consultant for Special Operation Police Units in Slovakia, working with team units on mental toughness. He has worked with police special unit snipers, as well as with team management on their leadership skills.

Radek Sefcik with Special Operation Police Units

Radek Sefcik with Special Operation Police Units in Slovakia

Radek holds a college degree in economics.

Peak performance strategist and mental game coach Radek Sefcik may be contacted through his websites, mentalcoach.sk/ and www.coach4life.sk


News Release: August 23, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces John D. Kim, MA Is A New Level I Certified Coach.


John D. Kim, MA, Level I Certified CoachJohn D. Kim, MA, based in Los Angeles, California has earned the Level I Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. John was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Instructor.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

I was really excited to have John enter the Level I certification program because I knew with his background and drive that he would ace the training. And he did. It was a true pleasure to have John go through the program.

John Kim is the veritable, ultimate renaissance man when it comes to reinventing himself in academics and business throughout his life. John has an amazing array of talents, skills and abilities and many accolades, awards and achievements that he has collected over many years. Achieving his IMGCA Certification is a next logical step for him, which can take him deeper into the coaching world or multiple other directions.

John distinguished himself in the IMGCA program by being the master of research, organization and analysis. I see these skills as being among some of John's biggest strengths. With John's mental health background from Boston University, he breezed through this certification, and was able to go very deep into the subject matter.

With John having one foot in the business and financial world and the other in the sports world, I can see John becoming a sports executive for a major league team or league or association. He has that executive, managerial mindset that can serve him well. John also has the entrepreneurial philosophy and action mindset that will continue to help him achieve. Wherever John finds himself along his life path, he will always be a high achiever, and a big success. That's just who John is. He has "the right stuff".

John's involvement in sports began at a young age. He played three years of Little League Baseball making All-Stars all three years, AYSO Soccer, learned the Korean martials arts Taekwondo, and developed a love for the game of tennis inspired by watching his tennis idol Andre Agassi win his first Wimbledon title in 1992. In high school, John played freshmen football and competed in Division 1 CIF high school varsity tennis where John and his doubles partner swept their rival team Mira Costa in all three sets and won two of three sets against a Top three, Division 1 CIF school Beverly Hills, which were some of his proudest moments as a high school athlete. His achievements in high school varsity tennis include CIF Athletic Award, 2nd Team All-League, Doubles MVP, League Tournament Quarter-Finalist, and Finalist and Semi-Finalist in the USTA Jr. Satellite Tournaments. With a wrist injury heading into his senior year, John took a break from tennis and began teaching tennis as an Assistant Tennis Instructor. At UCSD, he was the Team Captain for an Intramural Tennis Team. Upon graduation, John was a private Tennis Instructor and coached a Junior Varsity Girls Tennis Team while playing in a community softball team as the starting Pitcher.

John graduated Redondo Union High School top 10% in his class, holds a B.A. in Psychology from UC San Diego, and a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling and Behavioral Medicine offered through the Graduate Medical Sciences program from Boston University School of Medicine which is the only Clinical M.A. Program in Mental Health Counseling in the U.S. housed in a School of Medicine. He had the privilege of studying Research and Evaluation under one of America's leading Sports Scientists, Dr. Leonard Zaichkowsky. Due to John's display of strong work ethics and professionalism, the Director of Clinical Training provided him with the option to choose from his Top three internships of choice and chose to intern at the Boston Medical Center ER and Massachusetts Department of Mental Health (DMH) Inpatient Unit working with the forensic population. During his internship at the DMH, he conducted Independent Research on the "Quality of Work Life" which covered job stress, burnout, and best practices for stress reduction for employees in the workplace.

John is always striving for excellence and developing himself through self-education and training. His passion for the mental game ignited in 2011 during his recovery from spine surgery when he realized the slow progression in his physical rehab using only one type of treatment. His relentless pursuit to heal his body and realization that he needed to build strength from inside out led to developing the mental strength necessary to succeed in the process and combining various styles of movement such as kettlebell, yoga, tai chi, and pilates to regain flexibility, mobility, and balance. John considers completing Landmark Worldwide's Leadership Training & Transformational Coaching program a major achievement in his life where he created and hosted a health and wellness community event and saw his passion and vision for the mental game come to life. The event was designed to promote healing, freedom, and self-empowerment from chronic back pain and injuries where four Trainers in their discipline were invited to share and demonstrate how each style of movement provided benefits in reducing back pain and recovering from injuries.

John has been a Peak Performance Coach and Mental Game Consultant coaching Small Business Owners to create a financial structure for business growth, and also for Business Professionals in career transition, performance improvement, and skill development. Previously as an Independent Health and Fitness Coach for Team Beachbody, he coached Team Beachbody Coaches and Members through 60-90 day workout programs and nutritional challenges.

In the banking world, John was nationally Ranked #1 in his most recent role as Assistant Vice President, Personal Financial Specialist where he was recognized for achieving Top Key Performance Index (KPI) in the company and as Company's Best-of-the-Best: Top 25 of 9200 bankers profiled to build Bank of America's Top Performer Talent Profile used for hiring and retention of top talent.

Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: August 17, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Mike Drysdale, Ph.D., and Level IV Certified Mental Game Professional Coach, is a new IMGCA Advisory Board member.


Mike Drysdale, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor of Psychology and IMGCA Level IV certified coach based in Vincennes, Indiana has been appointed to the Advisory Board of the International Mental Game Coaching Association.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

It is my distinct pleasure today to announce that Dr. Mike Drysdale has been appointed to the IMGCA Advisory Board. I know he will bring a vitality and new vision to the expansion of IMGCA services and program offerings.

Dr. Mike Drysdale has been an elite athlete, so he understands the mental demands and nuances of athletes at all levels. He has special expertise in the psychology of golf and we look forward to his contributions in that realm.

He is an expert in educational psychology and research, particularly around assessments. We are excited to have Mike on board and look forward to collaborating with him on some new projects.

He has been a mental game coach with athletes, and has developed and teaches a college course on the mental aspects of sport, and this helps him understand peak performance strongly from both those sides. His experiental, academic and professional background allows him to deliver cutting-edge services. Dr. Drysdale will help develop new specialized certification content and programs for IMGCA and co-create new products and assessments.


Dr. Mike Drysdale

Mike Drysdale, Ph.D. is presently an Assistant Professor of psychology at Vincennes University in Indiana, USA. He teaches a variety of courses in the Psychology Department and also created and teaches an undergraduate course entitled Mental Aspects of Sport Performance. He also is a mental game coach with athletes at the university and locally, helping them from a psychological or mental perspective on their performance. He is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

Mike holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, a master of science degree in psychology, and a Ph.D. in experimental and applied psychological sciences from the University of Utah.

Mike has an outstanding athletic background. He excelled in basketball and golf. Mike participated in sport from an early age. He was involved in youth soccer from the ages of 9-11 and in high school he competed in basketball at the junior varsity and varsity levels and golf at the varsity level. In golf in his junior year they were state champions. He placed third individually. In his senior year he was the conference player of the year. To be a competent mental game coach, it is not mandatory to have been a great athlete, or to have competed at the highest levels. But it is very helpful to have competed so you can empathize with clients and provide them insights about competing that only a former competitor can know. In this way, Mike can really draw from his competitive experiences to help his clients.


News Release: August 11, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Caitlyn Worledge, MS, LPC Is A New Level I Certified Coach.


Caitlyn Worledge, Level I Certified CoachCaitlyn Worledge, MS, LPC based in Haslet, Texas has earned the Level I Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Caitlyn was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Instructor.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

Caitlyn Worledge is a very experienced psychotherapist and it was a delight taking her through the program. It's always exciting having a clinician of her caliber come into the certification training who wants to combine mental game coaching with a therapeutic practice, because I can really go into depth and bring the psychology of coaching together to help the "whole person". I teach that philosophy regularly, but with Caitlyn, it was a real pleasure to hear how she works with a wide array of patient populations, and of how she will be applying this mental game coaching to her practice.

Caitlyn distinguished herself by having the best final project in IMGCA history. She designed and published a beautiful website for her new mental game coaching business: www.mentalgameperspective.com

Caitlyn will be working with a wide array of client populations, and she will, at least initially, specialize in coaching equestrian clients. Caitlyn's accomplishments as an equestrian champion will serve her well in helping her clients reach all of their potential.

Caitlyn has a very gentle, respectful style with people, and I can see how her clients really appreciate her. She has a deep desire to learn all she can in the mental game field and I know she will be a wonderful mental game coach, and a leader in this field.


Caitlyn Worledge is a licensed professional counselor (LPC) in the state of Texas. She has experience in individual counseling with adolescents and adults, group counseling with adolescents and adults, family counseling, consultations, assessments, and giving presentations and lectures. She has worked in various counseling settings, including: nonprofits and community agencies, private practices, college and universities, and at a dual diagnosis treatment center.

Caitlyn has been an assistant to a sports psychologist and helped him with his practice, teaching, and presentations. Currently, she owns her own counseling practice and specializes in working with athletes, among other patient populations.

Caitlyn holds a Bachelor degree in Psychology and a Master degree in Counseling, and she is a LPC in the state of Texas. She is also trained and certified in Animal Assisted Therapy.

Caitlyn's motivations for wanting to be certified by IMGCA were as follows:

  1. To better assist athletes in her counseling practice. She believes athletes face unique challenges, not only in regards to athletics, but also in every day life. She hopes to be able to merge counseling applications and mental game coaching so her athletes will be healthier mentally both on and off the field.

  2. To better help parents understand what their child is experiencing, and guide them in helping their child.

  3. To better help coaches understand what their athletes are experiencing, and to guide them in getting the best out of each athlete.

Caitlyn first gained her interest in the psychology of sports when she applied mental game coaching techniques when she was an equestrian.

Her background as an athlete began at age seven, when she started riding horses. From age seven to age nineteen, she was a serious equestrian and competed locally, at the state level, and national level. She practiced anywhere from four to six days a week, and competed regularly during the show season. She has competed successfully in hunter, jumper, equitation, and medal divisions. She's won first place, reserve champion and champion in all levels and divisions she competed in.

Currently, she runs, does yoga, and interval training. She does have an interest in riding horses again at some point.

Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: August 10, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Mike Drysdale, Ph.D. Is A New Level IV Certified Mental Game Professional Coach.


Mike Drysdale, Ph.D., based in Vincennes, Indiana has earned the Level IV Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Dr. Drysdale was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Professional Coach. Level IV is the highest certification level offered by IMGCA.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

"It is my pleasure to award Dr. Mike Drysdale the Level IV Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. He may now call himself a Certified Mental Game Professional Coach. Level IV is the highest certification level offered by IMGCA.

Mike distinguished himself by going through all four levels of the IMGCA certification program in record time, and by doing high-level work every step of the way. Mike dedicated himself to graduating in a short time period so he could begin using the wide array of mental game methods to help his clients, and since he teaches a heavier load at Vincennes University in the winter, he had some extra time to dive into the full IMGCA curriculum this summer.

In Level IV Mike focused on golf psychology, extensive case studies, advanced psychological techniques for learning and peak performance, stress control techniques, mental game assessments, self-awareness skills, self-regulation skills, self-coaching skills, control factors, life balance skills, breath control skills, emotional control skills, and emotional intelligence skills. Mike took a very in depth look at The Inner Game method, developed by Timothy Gallwey. He reviewed and experienced over 20 different concentration techniques that come from the inner approach.

Mike Drysdale is a peak performer in academia, and in mental game coaching. He has a true thirst for knowledge and a deep desire to help people. This is a very potent combination that will catapult him into the ranks of great mental game coaches. His career as an elite athlete, academician, scholar, researcher, writer, teacher, course developer, tests and measurement expert and keen observer of human behavior will undoubtedly allow him to make substantive contributions to the field of mental game coaching."


Even though Mike has an extensive background in academic psychology, he did not focus on the applied learning and performance side of psychology in his years of schooling. His motivation for undertaking IMGCA certification now was to be better equipped to help athletes overcome their learning and performance challenges. He has been a mental game coach to high school and college athletes in track and golf and has seen how important the mental side of their sport is.

Mike has an outstanding athletic background. He excelled in basketball and golf. Mike participated in sport from an early age. He was involved in youth soccer from the ages of 9-11 and in high school he competed in basketball at the junior varsity and varsity levels and golf at the varsity level. In golf in his junior year they were state champions. He placed third individually. In his senior year he was the conference player of the year. To be a competent mental game coach, it is not mandatory to have been a great athlete, or to have competed at the highest levels. But it is very helpful to have competed so you can empathize with clients and provide them insights about competing that only a former competitor can know. In this way, Mike can really draw from his competitive experiences to help his clients.

Mike holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, a master of science degree in psychology, and a Ph.D. in experimental and applied psychological sciences from the University of Utah.

Mike is presently an assistant professor of psychology at Vincennes University in Indiana, USA. He teaches a variety of courses in the Psychology Department and also created and teaches an undergraduate course entitled Mental Aspects of Sport Performance. He also is a mental game coach with athletes at the university, helping them from a psychological or mental perspective on their performance. He is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

Level IV IMGCA certification requires 40 hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level IV certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: July 20, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Mike Drysdale, Ph.D. Is A New Level III Certified Mental Game Master Coach.


Mike Drysdale, Ph.D., based in Vincennes, Indiana has earned the Level III Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Dr. Drysdale was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Master Coach.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

"It was really exciting having Mike in the Level III IMGCA certification program because we went into far more depth with case studies and the application of various mental game approaches to golf and other sports. Mike has a very sharp ability to analyze human behavior and to come up with clever solutions to problems. He studied experimental and applied psychology in his doctoral program, and has been using that background to devise new approaches to old issues in sport psychology. I know Mike will make a huge impact in the psychology of all sports, and particularly in golf very soon."

Other areas of study Mike covered include:

  1. Ball watching skills for ball sports
  2. Concentration techniques
  3. Zone skills
  4. Handling opponent mind games
  5. Mental training and mental practice skills
  6. Visualization skills
  7. Confidence skills
  8. Motivation
  9. Goal setting, visioning and narrative skills
  10. Mental toughness skills
  11. Creating mental game plans
  12. Client resistance, rapport and compliance
  13. Playing to win versus playing not to lose mindset
  14. Hating to lose versus wanting to win mindset
  15. Managing expectations
  16. Self-fulfilling prophecy
  17. Perfectionism and procrastination
  18. The fear of failure
  19. The paradox of success
  20. The imposter syndrome

Even though Mike has an extensive background in academic psychology, he did not focus on the applied learning and performance side of psychology in his years of schooling. His motivation for undertaking IMGCA certification now was to be better equipped to help athletes overcome their learning and performance challenges. He has been a mental game coach to high school and college athletes in track and golf and has seen how important the mental side of their sport is.

Mike has an outstanding athletic background. He excelled in basketball and golf. Mike participated in sport from an early age. He was involved in youth soccer from the ages of 9-11 and in high school he competed in basketball at the junior varsity and varsity levels and golf at the varsity level. In golf in his junior year they were state champions. He placed third individually. In his senior year he was the conference player of the year. To be a competent mental game coach, it is not mandatory to have been a great athlete, or to have competed at the highest levels. But it is very helpful to have competed so you can empathize with clients and provide them insights about competing that only a former competitor can know. In this way, Mike can really draw from his competitive experiences to help his clients.

Mike holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, a master of science degree in psychology, and a Ph.D. in experimental and applied psychological sciences from the University of Utah. Mike is presently an assistant professor of psychology at Vincennes University in Indiana, USA. He teaches a variety of courses in the Psychology Department and also created and teaches an undergraduate course entitled Mental Aspects of Sport Performance. He also is a mental game coach with athletes at the university, helping them from a psychological or mental perspective on their performance. He is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

Level III IMGCA certification requires 15 hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level III certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: July 1, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Mike Drysdale, Ph.D. Is A New Level II Certified Mental Game Coach.


Mike Drysdale, Ph.D., based in Vincennes, Indiana has earned the Level II Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Dr. Drysdale was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Coach.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

"It was great having Mike continue in the IMGCA certification program, and earn his Level II certification. In Level II Mike focused on adding a wider array of interventions he can use with his clients, ranging from motivational approaches, to attentional control, to coaching methods and techniques.

Other areas of study Mike covered include:

  1. Managing the inner critic
  2. Mistake management skills
  3. Pressure management skills
  4. Choke-proofing skills
  5. Competition management skills
  6. Post-event review skills
  7. Lead management skills
  8. Competitive mindset
  9. Championship thinking skills
  10. Pre-event mental preparation
  11. Pre-play mental preparation
  12. Slump management skills
  13. The mental game coach as change agent
  14. How to avoid common mistakes in mental game coaching
  15. Confidentiality, ethical and legal issues in mental game coaching

Mike teaches a class in sport psychology at Vincennes University, and he will be adding a more hands-on, applied section to that course as a result of his Level II IMGCA training."

Even though Mike has an extensive background in academic psychology, he did not focus on the applied learning and performance side of psychology in his years of schooling. His motivation for undertaking IMGCA certification now was to be better equipped to help athletes overcome their learning and performance challenges. He has been a mental game coach to high school and college athletes in track and golf and has seen how important the mental side of their sport is.

Mike has an outstanding athletic background. He excelled in basketball and golf. Mike participated in sport from an early age. He was involved in youth soccer from the ages of 9-11 and in high school he competed in basketball at the junior varsity and varsity levels and golf at the varsity level. In golf in his junior year they were state champions. He placed third individually. In his senior year he was the conference player of the year. To be a competent mental game coach, it is not mandatory to have been a great athlete, or to have competed at the highest levels. But it is very helpful to have competed so you can empathize with clients and provide them insights about competing that only a former competitor can know. In this way, Mike can really draw from his competitive experiences to help his clients.

Mike holds a bachelor of arts degree in psychology, a master of science degree in psychology, and a Ph.D. in experimental and applied psychological sciences from the University of Utah.

Mike is presently an assistant professor of psychology at Vincennes University in Indiana, USA. He teaches a variety of courses in the Psychology Department and also created and teaches an undergraduate course entitled Mental Aspects of Sport Performance. He also is a mental game coach with athletes at the university, helping them from a psychological or mental perspective on their performance. He is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

Level II IMGCA certification requires five hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level II certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: June 11, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California


The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Mike Drysdale, Ph.D. Is A New Level I Certified Coach.


Mike Drysdale, Ph.D., based in Vincennes, Indiana has earned the Level I Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Dr. Drysdale was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Instructor.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

"It was a true pleasure having Mike in the IMGCA certification program. His passion for learning about the mental side of learning and performance made it a joy to teach him the finer points of performance psychology. With his deep background in psychology, the sessions were invigorating for me, and I learned a lot from Mike myself.

Mike has an exceptionally strong background in psychological assessments, testing and surveys, and I know he will bring that expertise to his mental game coaching practice. He already has some ideas for an enhanced golf assessment tool that looks very interesting and promising. He has such a strong background in experimental design that I can see him conducting some very interesting and important research, around some aspects of learning and performance psychology.

Mike has a very nice, personal style as a mental game coach. He is unassuming, down to earth, accepting, and makes people feel very comfortable. I can see how he can create a wonderful coaching climate where his clients will feel free to relax, open up and share what is on their minds. Mike is a great listener and communicator, a sharp analyst and very insightful about people. I can tell that Mike will be a fantastic mental game coach. I can see him being a leader in this field. He has already shown that by creating his own college course in the mental aspects of sport performance and by showing his desire for continuous improvement as a mental game coach. With Mike's strong academic background, his expertise in psychological testing and measurement, his background as a top athlete, and his college teaching experience, I am convinced that Mike will make huge strides in this field, and leave a lasting legacy."


Even though Mike has an extensive background in academic psychology, he did not focus on the applied learning and performance side of psychology in his years of schooling. His motivation for undertaking IMGCA certification now was to be better equipped to help athletes overcome their learning and performance challenges. He has been a mental game coach to high school and college athletes in track and golf and has seen how important the mental side of their sport is.

Mike has an outstanding athletic background. He excelled in basketball and golf. Mike participated in sport from an early age. He was involved in youth soccer from the ages of 9-11 and in high school he competed in basketball at the junior varsity and varsity levels and golf at the varsity level. In golf in his junior year they were state champions. He placed third individually. In his senior year he was the conference player of the year. To be a competent mental game coach, it is not mandatory to have been a great athlete, or to have competed at the highest levels. But it is very helpful to have competed so you can empathize with clients and provide them insights about competing that only a former competitor can know. In this way, Mike can really draw from his competitive experiences to help his clients.

Mike holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology, a Master of Science degree in psychology, and a Ph.D. in experimental and applied psychological sciences from the University of Utah.

Mike is presently an assistant professor of psychology at Vincennes University in Indiana, USA. He teaches a variety of courses in the Psychology Department and also created and teaches an undergraduate course entitled Mental Aspects of Sport Performance. He also is a mental game coach with athletes at the university, helping them from a psychological or mental perspective on their performance. He is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP).

Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: June 1, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, is interviewed as a performance psychology expert for the WebMD Magazine, and on webmd.com.

Bill Cole, MS, MA was interviewed as a performance psychology expert for the June 2015 cover story in the WebMD Magazine webmd.com and online, entitled "Not Your Average Joe: Actor Joe Manganiello is proof there's no magic pill for fitness — just hard work." by writer Lauren Paige Kennedy, on the issues around how to create personal discipline for sustainable peak performance in fitness training.

Read the article on webMD.com or download the PDF file of the article.

The article asked questions around the topic of self-discipline. Why do some people have it in spades, while others struggle so significantly with self-motivation and can't seem to get off the couch?

This article was the cover story, about the actor Joe Manganiello (True Blood, Magic Mike), who is famous for his super-fit form. Learn more about Joe on Wikipedia and the Internet Movie Data Base.

He attributes it to his work ethic, daily gym sessions, and self-discipline-and in his younger years he was a scrawny kid who showed no promise of ever being a body builder. He is literally now a self-made man. Mr. Manganiello is also a best-selling author and a documentary film producer and director. He applies self-discipline toward every one of his goals to achieve success.

Mr. Cole was asked about self-discipline: whether (and how) it can be learned, and for his suggestions and tips for building a better "self-motivation muscle."

Here are some questions posed to Mr. Cole, with his answers:

1. In your experience, why do some people seem to struggle with self-discipline while others find it easy?

The ones who struggle try to force themselves. The ones who succeed come at the project from an inner joy and excitement.

"If your Why is big enough, anything is possible".

Create inspiring, exciting goals and they will PULL YOU toward them, without you having to push.

So-so goals are so bland that they don't excite anybody, so think BIG and go on an exciting adventure.

Shoot for the stars and if you miss, at least you'll hit the MOON.

2. Is developing discipline akin to creating a new habit, i.e. the more you do it, the easier it becomes?

Yes, discipline can take on a life of its own, once you set the proper conditions.

I use a four-step process, leading to sustainable peak performance:

  1. ACTION

  2. TRACTION

  3. MOMENTUM

  4. VELOCITY

This equals SUSTAINABLE PEAK PERFORMANCE.

Schedule regular exercise periods in your planner, and mark them in a bright color so you MUST see them.

Set your PDA or computer to remind you to workout at a certain time each day, and you'll never forget.

Turn what you do into bragging rights (I just ran the ABC hill yesterday—what a killer!!) and that will motivate you.

3. Are there lessons we can learn in the gym or the playing field that will help us to succeed in business? In relationships?

Use your training for MULTIPLE REASONS. That strengthens your resolve and motivation. One is to be more fit. Another could be for personal growth. Another would be to become more knowledgeable so you can train and lead others—the path to mastery.

I often have parents hire me as their kid's mental game coach for their sport AND life. They learn parallel lessons as they go.

The athlete with self-knowledge, achieves. Sport and fitness reveals us to ourselves. But we must keep our eyes open.

4. What specific tips can you recommend to learn and apply self-control and self-motivation to develop a stronger "discipline muscle"?

Look for and get good at noticing the tiniest improvements. No one ever gets bored of getting better. Celebrate each incremental improvement. This gives you traction and hope, and leads to optimism.

Don't call your workout system a program. Call it a training mission. Link your training to a goal that requires fitness to accomplish. You want to run that mini-iron man. You want to fit into the nice outfit you bought for the wedding.

Sign up for an event or sport or activity that requires that you train for it. This takes your fitness program from "I have to workout" to "I am on a mission to workout".

Plan in all your fitness/health/diet tasks for the week. Leave nothing to chance. Don't say, I will work out if I have time today." Build it in to your schedule, and work OTHER activities around that.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, is a mental game coach to athletes and coaches, politicians, professional speakers and trainers, the entertainment industry, executives and business professionals. The British Broadcasting Corporation (The BBC) called him "A world-renowned peak performance coach."

He has been the mental coach or sports psychology consultant with athletes or coaches of 17 world and national teams, eight international and Olympic teams, 31 professional sports teams, associations or leagues, and of athletes who have won 35 world and national championships. He has been the mental trainer for thousands of athletes in over 75 sports, at all ages and skill levels and has been a leader in the field of mental training for over 30 years. He was the first person in the world to earn an undergraduate degree in sports psychology, and is also the founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association, which trains and certifies mental coaches worldwide.

For more information, to engage Bill as a guest expert, or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

William B. Cole Consultants
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358
VOICE: 408-725-7191
FAX: 408-440-2339
E-Mail: Bill@MentalGameCoach.com
Website: www.mentalgamecoach.com


News Release: April 28, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, is interviewed as a sport psychology expert on dailyburn.com/life/, by writer Sarah Richards.

Bill Cole, MS, MA was interviewed as a sport psychology expert on http://dailyburn.com/life/, in an article entitled "Is Chronic Stress Wrecking Your Workouts?" by writer Sarah Richards. Bill was asked for advice on how to prevent stress from interfering with our gym goals, and what to do to prevent this from happening in the future.

Some specific questions asked of Bill:

  1. How does work and life stress prevent you from giving your all to you workouts?

  2. How do you stop obsessing about work or relationship problems at the gym, instead of focusing on your workouts?

  3. Does stress leave you so depleted you feel like quitting in the middle of class?

  4. Does feeling wound up make it hard to settle into a good run?

  5. How do you regulate your inner state before or while you're working out?

Bill talked about a number of the elements of the zone. The main goal is to live in the NOW. Here are some other mental game strategies he provided.

Compartmentalize your life activities into segments and be present for each one in a serial fashion.

Assure your mind you will pay attention to its worries and concerns later, after the workout.

A workout is a "moving meditation".

Be present to be safe. Don't allow your mind to wander when engaged in a task. Refocus your mind as needed.

Many people start a session badly and extrapolate that the session will be a complete waste, and that they already failed. Instead, set three main goals for every workout. This way, you can always have a successful workout and never have a "wasted time":

  1. What can I learn?

  2. What can I improve?

  3. What can I enjoy?

Anger at not meeting targets and goals gets in the way of a workout.

Urgency is the killer of the now.

Expectations can be too high. Be realistic.

Use the three time zones to stop time travel and to refocus: Past–present–future.

The Past–regrets, anger, reliving disasters.

The Future–what ifs, fears, picturing disasters, explaining failures.

The Now–where we want to be.

Reduce "time travel" by refocusing continuously.

How to regulate your inner state.

Awareness is the #1 strategy.

Control the controllables. Let the rest go. (Or have a good plan for blocking the externals!!)

Be aware of breath, muscles, thoughts, images, self-talk, emotions, behavior.

The breath is the window to stress control.

Ratio breathing.

Feel and listen to the breath.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, is a mental game coach to athletes and coaches, politicians, professional speakers and trainers, the entertainment industry, executives and business professionals. The British Broadcasting Corporation (The BBC) called him "A world-renowned peak performance coach."

He has been the mental coach or sports psychology consultant with athletes or coaches of 17 world and national teams, eight international and Olympic teams, 31 professional sports teams, associations or leagues, and of athletes who have won 35 world and national championships. He has been the mental trainer for thousands of athletes in over 75 sports, at all ages and skill levels and has been a leader in the field of mental training for over 30 years. He was the first person in the world to earn an undergraduate degree in sports psychology, and is also the founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association, which trains and certifies mental coaches worldwide.

For more information, to engage Bill as a guest expert, or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

William B. Cole Consultants
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358
VOICE: 408-725-7191
FAX: 408-440-2339
E-Mail: Bill@MentalGameCoach.com
Website: www.mentalgamecoach.com


News Release: April 24, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, is interviewed as a sport psychology expert for the web magazine Sports On Earth by NBA writer Alex Wong.

Bill Cole, MS, MA was interviewed as a sport psychology expert for the article entitled "Raptors Vs. Wizards Mind Games" for the web magazine Sports On Earth by NBA writer Alex Wong. Bill was asked for advice on a certain type of psychological psych-out mind game that professional athletes play in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

NBA player Kevin Garnett, who plays for the Minnesota Timberwolves, seems to always block opponents' shots when they decide to try and get in a practice shot after the whistle. This is known as a deadball play, since the clock has stopped.

In covering the first round series between the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards NBA writer Alex Wong noticed a lot of players are doing this. Some have said it disrupts the rhythm of the shooter who is trying to get a feel for their shot and to see a shot go in. Bill was asked, from a sports psychology standpoint, does a tiny gamesmanship move like this affect anything in an NBA player's mind and game?

Bill comments about this psych-out phenomenon:

Overall, it builds Garnett's confidence and prevents the players from getting their confidence.

Blocking a deadball has these effects on the shooter:

They become frustrated that they can't see the fruits of their labor.

They lose feedback on the end of their shot, and lose feel.

They become irritated that this guy is doing this to them. It gets them mad and can make them play for revenge. That could be good or bad, depending on the player! As they say, "Never trash talk Michael Jordan. He'll mess you up!"

If the blocker does this against a rookie, and the rookie takes the bait, that may backfire on Mr. Rookie. Now he's playing with "red eyes", with lots of anger and can easily go out of control. This may not work against a veteran.

It makes them look silly in front of the fans, media and their teammates.

They feel owned by the dude--this is major.

It has these effects on the blocker:

They get a feeling of power.

They get to practice, particularly against that shooter.

They "mark their turf" and send the message, "See? I'm gonna do that when it COUNTS!". It's a mind game. They become the alpha dog.

Sports on Earth is a highbrow, opinion-driven sports site. The venture is a product of a partnership between USA Today and MLB Advanced Media, the much-admired tech startup/spin-off of Major League Baseball. In accordance with the Advanced Media and USA Today partnerships, certain Sports on Earth content is featured in both the print version of USA Today and other Gannett media outlets as well as on MLB.com.

Sports on Earth Magazine said: "Bill Cole is a leading authority on sports psychology and mental coaching."

Bill Cole, MS, MA, is a mental game coach to athletes and coaches, politicians, professional speakers and trainers, the entertainment industry, executives and business professionals. The British Broadcasting Corporation (The BBC) called him "A world-renowned peak performance coach." He has been the mental coach or sports psychology consultant with athletes or coaches of 17 world and national teams, eight international and Olympic teams, 31 professional sports teams, associations or leagues, and of athletes who have won 35 world and national championships. He has been the mental trainer for thousands of athletes in over 75 sports, at all ages and skill levels and has been a leader in the field of mental training for over 30 years. He was the first person in the world to earn an undergraduate degree in sports psychology, and is also the founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association (https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com), which trains and certifies mental coaches worldwide.

For more information, to engage Bill as a guest expert, or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

William B. Cole Consultants
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358
VOICE: 408-725-7191
FAX: 408-440-2339
E-Mail: Bill@MentalGameCoach.com
Website: www.mentalgamecoach.com


News Release: March 27, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California

The International Mental Game Coaching Association Announces Lukas Piperek Is A New Level I Certified Coach.

Lukas Piperek, based in Banská Bystrica, Slovakia, has earned the Level I Certification from the International Mental Game Coaching Association training program. Mr. Piperek was awarded the title of Certified Mental Game Instructor.

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of IMGCA stated,

"Lukas was a pleasure to have in the IMGCA certification program. He was one of the most organized students I have ever had complete the program. He was always prepared for each class, with a long list of questions and case studies to discuss. He began mental game coaching immediately upon starting his IMGCA program and gained considerable experience working with a wide variety of athletes. Lukas has always been a high achiever, and he has robustly carried this spirit of learning and development into his mental game studies.

With his professional hockey and other sports background, and his outstanding academic preparation, I predict that Lukas will eventually be one of the top mental game coaches not only in Slovakia, but in all of Europe. He has the drive and dedication required to develop himself as a coach, consultant, writer and trainer, and the business acumen to advance his goals in his mental game coaching practice. I will follow Lukas closely through his career. I know he is destined for great things."


Lukas has an exceptional athletic background. As a former professional hockey player Lukas knew that having a strong mental game makes a huge difference in learning and performing. That is one reason he came to IMGCA. He wanted to undergo formal training in the mental game so he could help others. He is going to take the concepts, assessments, skills and tools received during the IMGCA certification process and help athletes reach their fullest potential. He has opened his own mental game training business in Slovakia: http://www.mentalnytrening.sk

Lukas played ice hockey from the age of six. He rose from being a bench player to becoming the captain of a junior team in Slovakia thanks to hard work and individual training sessions.

Lukas holds a masters degree from the Faculty of Economics, Matej Bel University. The Matej Bel University is noted for its leading curricula in international relations and economics. Since he completed University he has been working as a Key Account Manager in the field of fast moving consumer goods. He is very proficient in project management.

Level I IMGCA certification requires two hours of live private telephonic 1-1 coaching with Bill Cole, MS, MA, IMGCA President. Students also have access to over 70 hours of IMGCA pre-recorded audio classes and over 450 mental training videotapes. Each student completes reading assignments, written homework, practical application of the class content and coaching practicum with groups, teams and individuals as applicable and coaching feedback evaluations. Each student passes the IMGCA Level I certification written examination, or writes a final paper or creates and submits a final project.

This sport psychology certification training is provided by the International Mental Game Coaching Association, based in Cupertino, California. The IMGCA was the first international mental game coaching membership organization, created January 1, 2006. It remains the only international mental game coaching membership organization in the world today. The mission of the International Mental Game Coaching Association is to advance the research, development, professionalism, and growth of the discipline of mental game coaching worldwide. The IMGCA is comprised of individuals and institutions interested in sports, movement, health, fitness, business, the arts, achievement, work-life balance, stress control, and peak performance. IMGCA members come from all walks of life, and have varied backgrounds in sports performance, coaching, teaching, writing, business and consulting. They are professionals, students, parents, and interested observers of the mental game.


News Release: February 9, 2015 - Silicon Valley, California

Bill Cole, MS, MA, Founder and President of The International Mental Game Coaching Association, is interviewed as a sport psychology expert on the world's largest sports radio station talkSPORT, in London, England, with host Mike Graham.

Bill Cole, MS, MA was interviewed as a sport psychology expert on the world's largest sports radio station, talkSPORT, in London, England, with host Mike Graham. The segment asked the question: Why do sports people lash out and make some terrible career decisions when they are in a high-pressured situation?

The questions asked of Bill revolved around how sports coaches in particular handle themselves in high-pressure contest where emotions are running high.

Bill discussed the psychology of peak performance and coaching and gave mental game tips on these issues:

  1. How not to allow competition to make you lose your self-control.

  2. Can a coach want to win too much? The answer is yes.

  3. Not allowing an overblown need to micromanage things extend to relationships with the players.

  4. How passion can aid a coach with his players.

  5. Using intentionality to create a strategy to win.

  6. Control what you can and let the rest go. You can only control your reaction.

Talksport, owned by UTV Radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering 24-hour sports radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom. Their content includes sports phone-ins, discussion and live sports commentaries. It is transmitted on 1089 and 1053 kHz across the UK and digitally via DAB digital radio, Freeview, Sky, Virgin Media and Freesat.

Web references:
http://talksport.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talksport
https://twitter.com/IRoMG

The radio show host is Mike Graham. He has presented radio shows for BBC Radio Scotland covering the Edinburgh Festival and the world of politics. Among the politicians and showbiz stars he has interviewed are Bill Clinton, Paul Newman, John Major, Tony Blair, Raquel Welch, Boris Yeltsin, George Michael, Alex Salmond, Meryl Streep and Sigourney Weaver. His radio station website:
http://talksport.com/mike-graham

Bill Cole, MS, MA, is a mental game coach to athletes and coaches, politicians, professional speakers and trainers, the entertainment industry, executives and business professionals. The British Broadcasting Corporation (The BBC) called him "A world-renowned peak performance coach." He has been the mental coach or sports psychology consultant with athletes or coaches of 17 world and national teams, eight international and Olympic teams, 31 professional sports teams, associations or leagues, and of athletes who have won 35 world and national championships. He has been the mental trainer for thousands of athletes in over 75 sports, at all ages and skill levels and has been a leader in the field of mental training for over 30 years. He was the first person in the world to earn an undergraduate degree in sports psychology, and is also the founder and President of the International Mental Game Coaching Association (https://www.mentalgamecoaching.com), which trains and certifies mental coaches worldwide.

For more information, to engage Bill as a guest expert, or to schedule a media interview, please contact:

William B. Cole Consultants
19925 Stevens Creek Blvd., Cupertino, CA 95014-2358
VOICE: 408-725-7191
FAX: 408-440-2339
E-Mail: Bill@MentalGameCoach.com
Website: www.mentalgamecoach.com


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