The distinction between standing on the rostrum and falling quick typically comes right down to one thing you’ll be able to’t see: what’s taking place in an athlete’s thoughts.
When Olympian Doug Lewis ran his first World Cup, he was bodily robust and technically sound. However regardless of all of the preparation, one crucial piece was lacking—his psychological recreation.
Doug Lewis said, “I didn’t know find out how to deal with nerves, embrace failure, or cope with distractions. I noticed that until I labored on these, I wouldn’t attain my targets. As soon as I targeted on constructing my psychological expertise, every little thing modified—that’s what enabled me to land on the rostrum at Worlds.”
In 2002, moguls specialist Shannon Bahrke was snowboarding higher than ever. She was robust, quick, and able to make her first Olympic crew. However with Olympic goals on the road, the strain grew to become suffocating. She crumbled at each qualifier.
Bahrke said, “At my mother’s urging, I reluctantly noticed a hypnotherapist. Skeptical however determined, I gave it a shot. The psychological expertise I discovered not solely helped me qualify for the 2002 Olympics, but in addition propelled me to a silver medal in Salt Lake Metropolis. From that second on, I noticed psychological coaching was my aggressive edge and by no means stopped coaching it.”
Collectively, Doug and Shannon know firsthand the highs and lows of elite competitors. From youth ranges to the Olympic stage, they found one important fact: psychological energy is what separates nice athletes from the remainder.
That realization led them to create Champions Benefit, a first-of-its-kind psychological expertise curriculum for athletes aged U13–U19. Whether or not the objective is Olympic gold or making the highschool varsity crew, this program offers athletes the instruments to coach and carry out at their best.
Contained in the Curriculum: Constructing a Basis
Drawing on over 50 mixed years as Olympians and coaches, Doug and Shannon designed a four-level program that matches seamlessly into crew coaching. Classes are bolstered every day on the hill, within the health club, and past.
Degree 1 focuses on these important psychological expertise:
Self-Consciousness: Core values, strengths, weaknesses, “I AM” statements
Efficiency Instruments: Visualization, breathwork, competitors routines/evals
Resilience: Embracing failure, overcoming worry, managing nerves & distractions
Motivation & Progress: Purpose setting, the “Rule of 1 Extra,” and maintaining it FUN
As athletes progress, the curriculum dives deeper into superior instruments like management, grit, communication, and teamwork, constructing layer by layer on the inspiration laid in Degree 1.
Extra Than a Course: It’s a Connection
What actually units Champions Benefit other than conventional on-line packages is the human connection. Athletes obtain texts/movies 4 occasions per week from Olympians, NCAA champions, D1 athletes, {and professional} rivals. They share insights tied on to that week’s psychological talent.
“As soon as you determine a recreation plan to handle your psychological recreation, you’ll be able to actually carry out, and that’s what it comes right down to.” – Travis Ganong, World Cup Winner
Every month, groups additionally join dwell by way of Zoom with a world-class athlete to go deeper right into a key matter. These aren’t summary theories; they’re actual, relatable tales from athletes who’ve lived it.
“Think about listening to from Lauren Macuga about dealing with start-gate nerves or listening to Jaelin Kauf describe the visualization routine that helped her win on the world stage. That’s not simply principle; it’s inspiration.” – Doug Lewis
Constructing Stronger Groups from the Inside Out
On the coronary heart of each nice crew is a robust tradition, and that doesn’t occur by chance. Every week, groups come collectively for a shared psychological expertise session, together with a crew exercise and debrief. These periods create house for connection, belief, and progress each individually and as a unit.
Coaches open up alongside their athletes, sharing tales, struggles, and classes discovered, which breaks down limitations and deepens respect on each side. When a crew learns collectively, they develop collectively. And once they construct that tradition with intention, they don’t simply compete collectively; they consider in one another.
Empowering Coaches as Psychological Abilities Leaders
Champions Benefit isn’t only for athletes; it’s a software for empowering coaches, too. Designed for golf equipment, groups, and academies, this system consists of ready-to-use curriculum, easy instruments, and ongoing assist.
Whether or not it’s your first step into psychological coaching or a option to deepen what you already do, this program meets you the place you might be. With a shared language and sensible framework, coaches turn out to be highly effective mentors in psychological efficiency.
“Champions Benefit launched and legitimized psychological expertise coaching. It grew to become a daily matter in our program and gave coaches a typical vocabulary they may seek advice from throughout coaching and racing.” – Hilary Lindh, Government Director and Head Coach, Flathead Valley Ski Academy (FVSA)
Actual Outcomes, Measurable Affect
Doug and Shannon constructed Champions Benefit by listening to what athletes and coaches stated they lacked: time, instruments, engagement, and affordability. So, they constructed a program that’s environment friendly, cost-effective, and impactful.
“We’ve by no means been this constant. Breaking every talent into 30-minute periods made it simple to show and reinforce all through the week—at inspection, in the beginning, or post-race.” – Anna Sommer, Coach, Crotched Mountain Workforce
Inside weeks, athletes started utilizing instruments like visualization, self-talk, and begin routines, which confirmed clear outcomes.
Athletes’ Publish-Curriculum Progress
CVA Joins the Motion: A Main Academy Embraces Psychological Abilities
One of many nation’s high ski academies, Carrabassett Valley Academy (CVA), has formally signed on to implement the Champions Benefit program throughout its athletic packages. Identified for creating elite-level expertise, CVA sees psychological coaching as a cornerstone of athlete success.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Shannon and Doug at Champions Benefit. Their program gives all of our athletes the chance to develop priceless psychological expertise whereas additionally supporting total psychological well-being. With everybody talking the identical language and instructing the identical expertise to deal with stress, embrace failure, preserve focus, and dig deep to seek out their grit, we’re giving our student-athletes a bonus!”– Tristy Wolfe, Sports activities Medication and Excessive Efficiency Director
“For the athletes, a number of instruments are important for optimum efficiency, together with athletic capability, approach, techniques, and psychological expertise. With the Champions Benefit program, we’ll assist our CVA college students in creating all of the psychological expertise they should attain their full potential.”– Jenny Piot, Alpine Director
With this partnership, CVA is setting the usual for what it means to coach the entire athlete on the hill, within the classroom, and in life.
Time to Practice the Complete Athlete
At the moment, psychological expertise are not non-obligatory; they’re important. Champions Benefit trains athletes to be bodily ready, technically sharp, and mentally unstoppable. It offers coaches the instruments to construct robust, supportive, and targeted crew environments the place psychological coaching is a part of on a regular basis growth.
At its core, Doug and Shannon’s mission is easy: to empower the following technology of athletes and coaches with the mindset instruments they should thrive in sport and in life.
Join
Doug Lewis | [email protected] | 802-793-3078
Shannon Bahrke | [email protected] | 801-918-0252
