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You might find yourself saying; “That’s Easy; It is a Bicycle Race.” And for the most part you would be correct, that it is. But it is much more than that really. The Tour de France is a test of strength of character, mind over body; the ultimate challenge of endurance. The Tour de France tests for human will, intent and perseverance. Like the Olympic Games, the Tour de France invites peoples from all the world to compete to see who has the will, inner strength, athletic ability and desire to perform at super human levels.

The Tour de France reminds of us of our own strengths, challenges and will. It is quite fitting that Lance Armstrong has won this event seven times. Surely it puts him at the top of the list of the greatest athlete of our present period, but it does more than that. It shows us that anything is possible; that is if you are willing to sacrifice and press on thru any hardship. It is emotionally moving to watch Lance Armstrong, much like how American audiences fell in love with Rocky. A story any athlete can relate, a story that anyone who has ever made it thru the rain, understands. A Superman, who has over come his kryptonite, not because he wanted fame, but because it was there; the mountains, the competition, the Tour de France and even cancer stood in his way. He beat the odds, by shear will and strength and now he has shown us why; “We should Live Strong.”

The Tour de France is a race indeed one, which tries men’s souls. That is what the Tour de France is. Although Lance Armstrong makes it look easy, if you are to watch closely you can see that it is far from easy. And he did it with a little help from his friends; he got by with a little help from his Team Discovery Channel. Still in the end a man who rides the talk, competed and did the seemingly impossible. One has to ask themselves, if Lance Armstrong can do that, then certainly we can raise a good family, surely we can succeed in our own live and we all definitely can improve ourselves.

The Lance Armstrong story is a rags to riches story. He came from behind, rose up, was knocked down and refused to surrender to adversity. Today he stands right were he belongs, at the top of the podium in the Jersey, which is the color of the Sun. This adversity he has over come has built a “strength of character’ unmatched by average men. Now he has given of himself by example to show us that anything can be done, if you work hard, play fair and Never, ever, ever, ever give up. We have so few examples like Lance Armstrong; modern day heroes, which truly inspire a nation. In Lance Armstrong’s case he has inspired the World.

May I now ask you a question: “What are you waiting for and where would you like to go today?”

“Lance Winslow” - Online Think Tank forum board. If you have innovative thoughts and unique perspectives, come think with Lance; www.WorldThinkTank.net/wttbbs/

Golf is an amazing mirror of life. Yes, other sports provide life lessons as well, but golf happens to be my favorite sport and the one I understand the best. It is an addiction, a mystical experience, a test of character, an escape, a source of rare joy and excruciating pain. No psychological test will tell you as much about a person’s character as a round of golf. With the arrival of spring, here are some of my observations about golf and the game of life:

1. Expectations & Flexibility. Golf, like life, is not mastered in a season, and it is particularly frustrating if we approach it with stiff and inflexible expectations. Great golf begins with stretching, bending, loosening up, and matching my desired outcomes with the realities of a body grown lazy over the winter. A sense of humor, and a sprinkling of humility go a long way!

2. Clarity of Purpose. Many golfers never stop to think about why they play the game. To win? To have fun? For social reasons, or for the challenge? For the exercise? Just as striving to become rich and famous often creates frustration and disappointment, few will ever play professionally, and striving for perfection is a setup for “failure”. Know why you play the game and where you find your satisfaction and joy in it.

3. Equipment. Most golfers play with clubs that don’t fit them, or that no longer suit their games. Graphite shafts and new club designs have revolutionized golf. Active golfers should have their clubs checked for loft, lie, and length, and have them re-gripped every season. Almost any job is easier with the right tools.

4. Solid Foundations. Golfers go to extremes. Some take lesson after lesson, trying to fix the tiniest flaw in their quest for the perfect swing. Others, ignore the classic foundations of grip, stance and swing in their eagerness to “do it my way.” Success is usually found in a healthy balance of learning from the wisdom and experience of others, while celebrating your unique style and approach to the game.

5. Profitable Practice. On the day of a big tournament, I often go to the practice green and watch skilled, dedicated golfers practice missing putts. With a small crowd milling about, they quickly hit putt after putt, destroying their rhythm, timing and confidence. Then, in frustration, they wonder what ever happened to their carefully honed putting stroke! In golf, and in life, practice smart. Practice for success!

6. Smart Preparation. Tour players always play practice rounds. Ben Hogan used to walk the course at twilight before a tournament to learn all it’s hidden tricks and traps. Top players rehearse every shot in their imagination before going to the course. They prepare in advance so they are ready when the moment of truth arrives. It pays off.

7. Show up. The biggest challenge for many Nike Tour and other young players is to play their best golf without a nickel in their pocket, often lonely and far from home. They have reasons to be distracted. What are your excuses? Ram Das said, “Be here now.” In golf, and in life, it’s hard to win if you don’t show up, or only show up for every-other swing!

8. Warm up. Every great athlete, the ones in the best physical and mental shape, respect their bodies enough to loosen up, stretch and rehearse before competition. Unfortunately, most amateurs don’t go to all that trouble. We jump out of the car, grab the clubs, and head for the first tee. Before any important event, arrive early, walk around, relax, and warm up to the task at hand.

9. Focus on Results. Every golf stroke creates a result. Sometimes the ball goes in the hole; sometimes it goes out of bounds. Golfers tend to focus (1) on the result they would have preferred, which is merely wishful thinking, or (2) on beating themselves up for being so “stupid”, which is painful. Learn from every swing. Observe the results you actually get. Life never lies!

10. Review and Adjust. If you aren’t getting the results you want, find the reason. You can trust the ball; it goes where you hit it. If you want a different outcome, change your setup, routine, or other actions until you get the result you prefer. Someone said, “Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is a mark of insanity.” Successful people learn quickly; others learn eventually.

Have a marvelous day and a wonderFULL week, and I’ll see you on the links!

© Copyright 2003 by Philip E. Humbert. All Rights Reserved. This article may be copied and used in your own newsletter or on your website as long as you include the following information: “Written by Dr. Philip E. Humbert, writer, speaker and success coach. Dr. Humbert has over 300 free articles, tools and resources for your success, including a great newsletter! It’s all on his website at: http://www.philiphumbert.com

The Sultanate of Oman is the second largest country on the Arabian Peninsula, lying along its southeast corner. It has a total land area of 300,000 square kilometres and a population of over two million.

The Musandam, separated from the rest of Oman by the United Arab Emirates, is the northernmost part of the Sultanate.

Due to its geographical position and mountainous terrain it was isolated from the rest of Oman and the region developed at its own pace. Graded roads cut across the mountains have now made it more accessible. The grandeur of Musandam can best be explored by sea.

Musandam Peninsula has an abundance of sheltered fjords, some only connected to the mainland by narrow cliffs. Fjords, or khors, created by fragmented rock stretching claw-like into the sea and massive overshadowing cliffs towering above are magnificently reflected in the water below.

The coast juts into the Strait of Hormuz and extends some 600 kilometres. These spectacular fjords have given the area a second name “The Norway of Arabia” The Strait of Hormuz is only 60km wide and does not exceed 60m in depth and is of strategic importance to Oman as 90% of all the Gulf’s oil trade passes through this area.

The only dive center is the Extra Divers Dive Center located in the “Golden Tulip Hotel” in Khasab, which is the capital of the most northerly province of Musandam.

It is the only dive center in the whole area…so lots of fish and few divers! Turtles, rays, nudibranches, dolphins, barracudas…name it - you’ see it…….maybe…! The dive center is brand new with new equipment, compressor, tanks, dive shop, dry room for our guests, multilingual instructors (german, english, french, italian & russian), a workshop… and a terrace for chill-out after diving. More infos at: http://www.scubasailing.de

The total population of Musandam is approximately 27,000 and the capital Khasab has 18,000 inhabitants. Dibba on the East coast of Musandam has a population of approximately 5,500. The Peninsula begins with Tibat, on the west coast in the Arabian Gulf to Daba (Dibba), on the east coast in the Gulf of Oman, this coastal zone, along with many offshore islands, offers a unique contact with nature. Small villages nestle along the tortuous shoreline, most of them only accessible by sea, like Lima and Kumzar.

Its rugged mountains rise up over 2,000 meters above sea level. In Arabic it is known as Ra’s Musandam. The Ru’us al-Jibal (the Mountaintops), the northernmost extremity of the al-Gharbi al-Hajar (Western Hajar mountains), occupy the northern tip of the Musandam Peninsula. The peninsula is generally about 35 km wide.

The peninsula is mainly inhabited by the Shihuh, who are fishermen and herdsmen and are probably descended from the original inhabitants of northern Oman. Fishing is the peninsula’s main industry with packing plants at al-Khasab and Bay’ah. Transportation is mostly by sea, since no roads cross the forbidding terrain.

Uli Mewes - Dive center Manager in Khasab, Musandam - Oman. For more information about this topic or/and our dive center, please visit ScubaSailing Travel Resources Musandam Dive Center

Every golfer would like to have a golf training tip to increase their drives by 10, 20, 30 or even 40 yards. But what do you need to focus on to accomplish that?

Have you ever received a golf training tip that didn’t work? I think we all have. That can be very frustrating to say the least. But the key to implementing a golf training tip that’s effective is to look at your swing.

Do you lack a full, 90 degree shoulder turn on your backswing? Do you breakdown at impact where it really counts? Or do you have a hard time staying in your golf posture through out your swing?

You’ve got to take a deeper look at your swing faults AND physical limitations to determine what golf training tip will be the most effective in improving your driving distance.

Don’t just try any golf training tip your golfing buddies tell you. Give it some serious thought before you do one of the golf training tips in the magazines. There are hundreds golf training tips you can read about, but won’t work for you.

Have you ever heard of the “62 point check-list?”

If you haven’t, it means instead of having one golf training tip you think about during your swing, you think of 62 of them. Maybe not that many, but you think of enough to accomplish what they term “paralysis by analysis”.

When this happens, your swing will go south real quick. This happened to the Number One ranked golfer in the world back in the 90’s. His name? Nick Faldo. He became so mechanically he couldn’t even hit a ball. He would enter a tournament and take so many practice swings, and not have one golf training tip on his mind, but many.

It took him right out of the world rankings and ultimately off the tour. He is now commentating and doing a great job.

Here’s a golf training tip that will help your backswing range of motion, enabling you to have a much higher clubhead speed and quickly improve your driving distance.

I call it the Backswing Shoulder Stretch:

* Extend left arm out in front of you (if you are a right handed golfer), in a handshake position, thumb pointing skyward.
*Take right hand and put under left wrist, so the back of the hands are touching each other.
* Pull with right hand against left wrist and make as big a turn on back swing as possible.
* Hold for at least 15 seconds, repeat two more times.
* Reverse the stretch to work the follow through.

As you can see this is a simple golf training tip, but one that is very effective if you do it consistently. This is a great stretch to do throughout your round to maintain a full backswing.

This is just one golf training tip that can have a big impact on your performance; and is well worth trying.

Do you want to play BETTER golf right now?

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is the featured expert for Golf Magazine’s GolfOnline.com site, one of the top golf performance experts in the country, author and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Take a look at his just released golf fitness dvds and manual at his golf swing tips site - Perform Better Golf.

Even the most casual of golfers needs a golf bag. Having the right golf bag is essential. It is another tool to help raise your game. If your clubs and other equipment are stored in an appropriately sized and organized bag, you can concentrate on your game. Otherwise you can be scrambling to find your rain gear when hit by a sudden shower or for another golf ball to replace the one you just hit into the middle of the lake. For anyone looking to purchase a golf bag, there are several things to consider and brand is not necessarily one of them:

• Size

When it comes to golf bags, size does matter. Some tour bags seem like they are big enough to double as a shelter in a rainstorm while I have seen golf bags so small they look like they could hold no more than a putter and a driver. So how big of a golf bag do you actually need? Try to determine your present requirements based on current equipment. Then, consider how your equipment list may change and grow over the projected lifetime of the bag.

• Durability

The durability of a golf bag depends on design, material and treatment. If you are a casual golfer who stores your golf bag in the house after use, you could enjoy a nylon bag that isn’t very expensive.

If you are a more frequent golfer and keep your golf bag in the trunk of your car, then you will probably want a bag made of leather or vinyl. Remember, the golf bag is not just for carrying the clubs, it is also for protecting them.

• Style

Depending on how you get around the course, you will want to decide between a carry bag and a cart bag.
A cart bag is nice if you use a golf cart frequently. Cart bags are also designed to be used with a pull cart.

When considering a cart bag, consider also the type of pull cart you will use. Test the ease of motion and comfort of the handle at preferred transportation angles. Check if any of the features that help you transport the golf bag are adjustable, as the center of gravity will vary depending on the load in the bag

If you are accustomed to walking, you should look for a golf bag that is comfortable, light weight and ergonomically designed to minimize the stress on your back and shoulders. Many of the new bags have gel carry straps for shoulder comfort.

• Depth/Design

If you use extended length shafts…ensure that the golf bag you are considering will adequately protect as much of the shaft as possible and comes with the enough club dividers to satisfy your needs.

• Cosmetics

Color and accessories are really a matter of taste, need and how much extra money you are willing to spend.
Some golfers want to make their bags unique. Some just want a place to put their clubs.

• Storage

It does not matter how often you play golf, at some point that golf bag is going to need to be stored somewhere. Ensure that the size golf bag you purchase will fit in the area where you will be storing it.

Chris Bennett is lifelong golfer who has played extensively in the USA and Europe. He hit his first golf shot at age 4 years old and since then has played golf at every possible opportunity. If he is not playing golf he is watching it, reading about it or most likely writing about it. Read more about golf bags and other equipment at http://www.golf-topics-tips.com

This article “Baggin it Right…Raises Your Game” is free to use as long as the following is attached: - Author Chris Bennett: http://www.golf-topics-tips.com

The tearing down of Coach Zook by the Gator Nation can be likened to that of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Centers. Just like the terrorist nation the gators thought the attack would keep a great man down. But they fail to realize the amount of support that Coach Zook actually had. That fan base would not allow the candle that is a light and an example to many coaches to be extinguish by a bunch of unappreciative crocs. Like the Trade Centers a new and improve Coach Zook will arise from the ashes. Like America, Coach Zook will go on and continue to build a great team of young men to be all that they can be.

This process of rebuilding will take time. It has been three years since that infamous attack on america and there is still no buildings to replace the memories of the old, but there are plans on the table and when those plans are finally put into action you will see the results of those who worked day and night to create a fine tuned and greater nation under god. Coach Zook has been removed from the swamp for a few months now.

The group of young men that he has inherited will be coming into a new system, but we all know it will take time to implement and learn a new system. No coach coaches the same, this is one fact the gators fail to realize. They immediately expected Coach Zook to be like Coach Superior from the start. Coach Zook produced a well oiled machine at the swamp, but another coach will benefit from it.

This is not a bad thing it only proves that Coach Zook is capable of developing undervelop young men into a powerhouse to be reckon with. Coach Zook left the gators with a caliber team that will contend for the NC in ‘06 and he did this under a continous calling for his head. Imagine what he will do with the support of all the Illini Nation. To say this year a young Coach Zook team will be ready for a head to head competition with a more experience Coach Zook team like the Gators will be an overstatement, but given Zook’s zeal and determination our road to the Gators will be paved sooner than later.-We Support Our Coach!

It’s Spring; always a great time of year for everybody! Our customers on the East Coast and the Mid-West are thrilled because the long winter is finally coming to an end. For the rest of us, we get to be excited because baseball season is starting. While I always try to be positive, especially with Spring Training going strong and all the youth leagues kicking off their seasons, for this newsletter I’d like to add a twist and focus on 10 things I hope NOT to hear this season.

1.Swing Level

You’ll hear this at every park you go to watch baseball or softball: “Swing Level”. However, it’s not possible to swing level. Think about the baseball swing for a moment. Your hands are held high, close to your head. The ball, if it’s a strike, is thrown between your knees and the letters. So, how can a swing be level? Well, it can’t be. A correct baseball swing is elliptical; it has a downward motion through contact to create backspin on the ball and a high follow through. Great hitters may each have different planes they swing on, but none of them are ever going to be “level”. Let’s stop creating this incorrect mental image for the kids.

2.Just Throw Strikes

“Ok Johnny, just throw strikes now; all you have to do is throw strikes.” Any kid who’s pitching is doing his or her best to throw strikes. Especially when a kid is struggling to get the ball over the dish, you can bet anything they’re not trying to “paint the black” or “blow it past” the hitters. All they’re trying to do is “throw strikes”. Pitching is the greatest pressure cooker in all of youth sports. When a kid is on the bump, he’s all alone and the entire team is depending on them to throw strikes. When a pitcher is struggling, they may have a basic mechanical flaw or they might be nervous. Stating the obvious and telling them that the sky is blue isn’t going to help them throw strikes. What it will do is make them stop “pitching”, change their mechanics even more, and try to “aim” the ball.

3.Practice Makes Perfect

We’ve talked about this before, but it’s worth emphasizing again. Ask any kid what practice makes and they’ll tell you: “Practice Makes Perfect!” Of course, practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes PERMANENT! Repetition creates muscle memory. If you practice the wrong motion over and over again, what kind of motion are you creating? Breaking a bad habit is very, very hard. It’s crucial that parents and coaches spot flaws quickly so that they aren’t repeated. Of course, that means that a parent or coach needs to know the right way to do things. Please, get some instructional books and tapes (LINK TO INSTRUCTION SECTION). If you’re going to volunteer to coach, make sure that you’re not passing along the same bad habits that you learned. It takes about 1,500 repetitions to turn a bad habit into a repeatable good habit. It’s a lot easier to just do it right in the first place.

4.Bad Game

Sportsmanship is something that every kid, parent and coach should be always be aware of. In our baseball league, we’ve instituted a new Code of Conduct that requires good sportsmanship and enforces penalties, including suspensions and expulsion, for violations. After the game, each kid should congratulate each person on the other team. Even in jest, nobody should ever tell another kid: “Bad Game”. As a coach or a parent, if you hear it, please stop it.

5.Keep Your Back Elbow Up

Keeping your back elbow up is neither right nor is it wrong. The batting stance is one of the most over coached aspects of hitting. Think about some of the unique stances you’ve seen. Jeff Bagwell, Bobby Tolen, Joe Morgan, Eric Davis, Steve Garvey, Frank Thomas, Don Mattingly and every other player each has their own unique stance. What all great hitters do have in common is not their stance before the pitch comes, but getting into the proper position when the pitch is on the way. That means having their hands back, wrists cocked, balanced and ready to swing down through the ball. So, focus on getting kids into this position and stop picking on them for everything before the pitch.

6.Throw From Your Ear

I really can’t believe that anybody teaches throwing like this - even for really young kids; it’s just wrong and it creates bad habits. Putting the ball next to your ear and throwing creates a pushing motion and costs much of the power a kid has. Get them to extend their arms in both directions - like a half jumping jack. They should maintain flexibility and bend in their arms. Then just “high-five” to throw the ball. If you’re teaching kids to throw from their ears, get some tapes.

7.Arguing

There is a great line at the end of the movie A League of Their Own when a player is arguing with the umpire about a called strike. The umpire says: “That pitch may be a ball tomorrow and it may have been a ball yesterday, but today it’s a strike!” Umpires do their best and they make mistakes - lots of them. We can’t control the umpires and we need to accept that they are human and that they do their best. Of course, if they make a mistake with the rules, there is no harm in pointing that out, but judgment calls are a different matter. Disputing them is a poor example for the kids. Also, there is no need for parents to heckle the umpires from the stands. Coaches need to proactively make sure this isn’t happening every time they hear it.

8.Charge the Ball

This is another baseball myth - that a good fielder “charges the ball”. What great fielders actually do is “play the ball” instead of having the “ball play them”. This may seem like a subtle distinction, but it’s huge to a kid who is trying to grasp the fundamentals of fielding. Charging the ball required them to run in at full speed and get to the ball. In contrast, playing the ball means that you’re trying to get it on the right hop to make the play. The only time a fielder really has to “charge” the ball is on a dribbler or a bunt. Almost every other grounder will require reading the hop and making the play.

9.Turn Your Wrists

I still hear parents and coaches telling their kids to “roll their writs” as they swing the bat. The proper position for the hands at contact is palm up and palm down. During the follow through, the wrists will naturally turn, but it’s long after the ball has been hit. Just a last note on hitting: kids will swing at bad pitches, including pitches over their head and in the dirt. There’s a time to coach and a time to be a cheerleader. During the at bat, a kid knows he just swung at a terrible pitch and he doesn’t need to hear it from the stands or from his coach. After, you can work on the strike zone and making sure that the recognition is there.

10.Keep Your Eye on the Ball

Of course, it’s crucial to watch the ball, but we try to teach kids to watch the ball with their nose instead of their eyes. For pitching, hitting, throwing and playing sports in general, keeping the head from moving is a key to success. A player can waggle his or her head more or less freely and still technically “see” the ball. They just won’t be able to hit or catch it. In contrast, coaching to watch with your nose trains the head to stay still, allowing the eyes to focus. So instead, we say: “keep your nose on the ball”.

That’s the list of the 10 things I hope not to hear this season. I doubt I’ll make it past the first week, but it still sure promises to be a great year so let’s PLAY BALL!

About the Author

Ken Kaiserman is the president of SportsKids.com ,a leading youth sports website featuring games, sports news, sports camp and league directories, community features, and the with over 150,000 products.
Ken coaches youth football, basketball and baseball.He also serves on the local little league board of directors as well as the Park Advisory Board.

There are several types of learners but there are two that stand out in my mind because they are
the opposite pole of each other:

- The ones you teach over and over and over and never learn!

- The ones you teach once and you will never need to repeat yourself ever again! They’ve learned.

A few years back I was having a tennis camp with a group of young boys and girls and together we
were reviewing a few pointers that we had been practicing over the last 2 weeks.

As I went through the group I realized that the one with the best understanding of the whole issue , the one that had thoroughly studied the subject and actually knew how to apply it, was a tiny 8 year old girl!

While the 10, 12 and 14 year olds got their tongues tied at every question I made, to their embarrassment, the little one sitting right in the front row with these great big scintillating
eyes and a bright smile, would lift her tiny left index finger almost jumping of her seat and
joyfully say:

- I know! I know! I know!

And yes she did know, in addition she was able to make an exposé of my previous teachings with her own practical examples and observations. What a delight!

Surely she had been listening! Deep inside I was totally in love with the little munchkin, literally amazed at her power of retention not to mention her sponge-like absorption, but I sort of had to slow her down a bit for her own sake, for I could see the annoyed faces of the older ones. Maybe would they do something to her later? o:)

It did not take me long to figure out why she was so good!

- She was bright.

- She was the youngest one, the taste of defeat and self doubt had not entered her realm.

- She had an insatiable desire to drink from the fountain of learning.

- Her big round eyes were as large as oceans filled with curiosity, fantasy and dreams.

- She was a breath of fresh air in our world-full of cynics and nay Sayers.

- The little finger pointing up, indicated to me how the sky was not the limit!

- She was excited about the game of tennis!

What can we learn from that little girl?

Forget about past defeat, there are always new and exciting challenges to overcome! Be a child again; dream big, be limitlessly curious, be insatiable in your thirst for knowledge! Take every tennis lesson, practice or match with endless enthusiasm, unbridled joy and excitement. Listen to your instructor. Learn, learn, learn…

And…oh! I forgot to tell you about what the little girl knew so well and that was:

“Dr. Jim E. Loehr’s 12 Tips of Mental Toughness:

Eye Control -

Focus your eyes on either your racquet or the ground to keep your attention focused between points.

Rituals -

Establish rituals between and before points to appropriately balance relaxation, focus and intensity prior to starting each point.

Winning Pace -

Pace yourself between points especially when angry, nervous, or fatigued to allow yourself to gain control of pulse rate and to remain focused.

Breathing -

Practice deep breathing habits between points to help relax and lower pulse rate. Breathe out at contact when hitting the ball to get better control, relaxation and feel.

High Positive Intensity -

Even when very fatigued or when you feel negative, project the image of having a high level of Positive Intensity.

Calmness and Relaxation -

When nervous and tense, try to project yourself, so being relaxed and calm.

Mistake Management -

When you make a mistake, learn to just turn and walk away from it.
Don’t lose your composure. “let it go”

Confident Fighter Image -

No Matter how bad it gets, project the image that you are confident and will fight to the end.

Negative Self-Talk -

Avoid expressing Negative Self-Talk during play. It only fosters bad results and pumps up your opponent.

Positive Attitude -

Think positively about your situation in the face of adversity. Become challenged.

“I Love The Battle” -

Don’t appear scared or threatened when things get tough; project a challenged and winning appearance at all times.

Racquet Up - “I’m Up” -

Carry your racquet in the opposite hand and keep it up, not dragging it low, as a symbol that when my racquet is up, I’m up.

The above list is taken from Dr. Loehr’s videotape entitled

Mental Toughness Training For Sports, Stephen Greene Press, 1986.”

Have true fun playing “The Game”. Yours, Sérgio

Copyright © 1999-2006 Tenniscruz.com®. All rights reserved.

Sérgio Cruz is an ex # 1 National Champion, Davis Cup Player from Portugal and former Coach Jim Courier ATP World Ranking # 1

cruz@tenniscruz.com

http://www.forum.tenniscruz.com
http://www.tenniscruz.com

Sports betting online has become increasingly popular over the years, and these days you can make a wager on almost any type of sporting event. And if it’s a hobby for you, chances are you have winning streaks and losing streaks. It’s important to look at these experiences in an objective and non-emotional way.

Everyone loves a winning streak. What’s more exciting than getting cold, hard cash in exchange for a wager or well-timed bet? But don’t let that heady excitement gain control of your emotions. Betting on a sporting event is the same as any other type of gambling: it requires knowledge about the odds. If you let your excitement sweep you away, you may make a foolish, overconfident decision. Remember: it’s not YOU that determines whether or not you win the wager, it’s the team.

If you’re on a winning streak, remember to give a nod to good luck, too. Gambling–of all kinds–involves luck to a certain degree, so don’t grow overconfident and start believing that it’s all your skill.

If you’re on a losing streak, have faith that things will go your way. Some days we just have a run of bad luck or make a bad decision. But one bad decision should not affect your overall wagering and betting.

Look at losing as a learning experience. What can you take away from the experience that will help you with future bets? Perhaps you should have done a little more research, or perhaps you shouldn’t have waited to make the bet. Maybe you should have listened to your instincts rather than the advice of your best friend. Whatever the lesson, chances are your losing streak will be make you a better sports gambler in the future.

So whether you’re on a winning or losing streak, remember: the tide can quickly change in either direction.

Check out our sports handicapping systems and gambling baseball systems for the MLB.