United States Sports Academy
America's Sports University^®

It could be said that the world’s best athletes are always in control. It can be defined as mental control, as their recognition of specific situations within the game and how they can appropriately respond. Or as emotional control, their ability to ignore the things that don’t matter and focus on the things that do make a difference in the game’s outcome. But, certainly, the ability to control one’s physical self is a major issue for athletes. They must control their sports skills and execute them properly, despite numerous obstacles that are very physical in nature. An obstacle could be a rushing defensive lineman, in football; a tall, long-armed center, in basketball; or a quick-moving goalkeeper, in soccer. In all cases, a high level of physical control—more specifically, balance and stability—is required.

Balance and stability: The words may seem interchangeable, but they are not. The words are closely linked, of course, but they aren’t a two-way street, because it is possible for an athlete to have one but not the other.

Many studies have described the benefits of yoga exercises. Many scientific studies have found that mind-body interventions, including yoga, are effective in treating stress-related mental and physical disorders (Becker, 2000; Benson, 1996; Brown & Gerbarg, 2005). Brown and Gerbarg (2005) indicated that yogic breathing is a unique method for balancing the autonomic nervous system and influencing psychological and stress-related disorders.

The integration of yoga exercises into daily life can have great advantages (Scott, 2006). Evidence has shown that yoga enhances functioning of the body’s operating systems (Dinsmore-Tuli, 2002; Fronske, 2005; Gilmore, 2002; Heaner, 2001; Latona & Shelton, 2002; McGarvey, 2003; McGinnis, 2006). Heaner (2001) indicated that yoga increases self-control, self-discipline, and self-confidence. Yoga enables a person to manage both body and mind well.

Several issues are involved in the heated debate on whether student-athletes should be paid by their institutions for their athletic services. Some believe that student-athletes receive more than enough compensation through their awarded scholarships. Others believe that student-athletes should be rewarded for hard work and the revenue they bring to their colleges and universities. To further the debate, the authors would like to review a few comments from both proponents and opponents of pay for collegiate student-athletes, to help readers gain a better understanding.

Those who think student-athletes should not be paid provide several arguments. Their primary concern is that, once student-athletes start receiving benefits in monetary form, they will no longer be amateur athletes: When monetary rewards are given, the athlete is then a professional. In addition, cash payments could also impose unsportsmanlike conduct among players and university sport programs. When athletes accept scholarships, they are provided tuition, books, meals, housing, and sometimes graduate assistantships. At some colleges and universities, such support may reach a value of $200,000 over a four-year period. Student-athletes may also receive special treatment when it comes to academic issues, for example priority scheduling, tutoring assistance, and excused absences. Aren’t student-athletes, then, well-compensated already?

Just as advances in Internet and digital technology have created new opportunities for collegiate athletic departments, they have also produced new challenges. Perhaps the most commonly encountered such challenge has been the advent of online communities such as Facebook and MySpace that give users virtual carte blanche to express themselves on the worldwide information superhighway. Athletic departments are learning that every student-athlete with a Facebook account is a potential public relations disaster.

A few weeks ago I was talking to an Op-Ed page editor in Pittsburgh about the politics of sports business and the Atlantic Coast Conference’s bold move of offering ACC membership to three Big East schools. The editor thought there might be a day in which sports issues would be on his Op-Ed pages. But today wasn’t that day, although he could see the merit of opinion pieces on how sports really operate.

As a coach and teacher, the real question is not “what” but “why.” By this I mean all effective coaches are essentially master teachers. It doesn’t matter if you win your conference championship or qualify a team for nationals. Your goal is not met unless your success is measured by the attitude of your players, and their commitment to personal achievement. The newly published biography of master coach Percy Wells Cerutty of Australia by Graem Sims exquisitely describes the methods of a world-class coach who taught that the road to self-mastery is the best way to athletic achievement.

Suggestive hypnosis can be used to lose weight without cravings and stop smoking without gaining weight, as well as for pain management and sports and athletic performance.

Hypnosis is nothing more than a very deep state of relaxation, in which your senses are more alert and your concentration is more highly focused. What happens when you are in hypnosis depends on the purpose of the session. Hypnosis is the locomotive. Suggestion is the track that takes you where you want to go. Many people call our clinic and ask us whether or not they can be hypnotized. At first, most of them don’t think they can be hypnotized, but once they try, they find it to be very easy. In fact, anyone able to understand what is being asked of them, and who is willing to be hypnotized with the desired results can be hypnotized.

The Attitude Technique philosophy governs success in all areas of life, including achieving a positive self-image, optimal health, a successful career, and financial independence. A leader with a positive attitude remains in high gear and passes this attitude on to his or her subordinates.

Coaches are the key to youth football, and the future of football itself. Geoffrey Dyson speaking to the 19th session of the International Olympic Academy, Greece 1979, widened the horizon when he said that, “The wise coach develops not only the fullest physical potential in his charges, but also those capacities and habits of mind and body which will enrich and ennoble their later years.” The role of a coach can be overwhelming since the above implies what could be construed as quite an awesome responsibility, especially for the part-time non-professional.

The lowering of physical education standards and the closing of physical education programs in our schools, the lack of family time, the free access to video games and television, the fast food industry targeting children…the list goes on and on as to why the United States is facing the largest obesity problem in its history.