Passion: The Defining Trait of Elite Hockey Players—Coach Jay Woodcroft’s Perspective

By Enio Sacilotto   Aspiring hockey players often focus on developing skills, speed, and strategy. However, according to former Edmonton Oilers head coach Jay Woodcroft, one defining characteristic sets true competitors apart: passion. In a conversation with Kevin Weekes, Woodcroft emphasized that passion isn’t just about enjoying the game—it’s an internal fire, a relentless hunger…

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How mindfulness training quietly gives elite athletes an edge

By Luke Fox, Sportsnet, @lukefoxjukebox June 17, 2020, 1:41 PM “It’s the moment, man. It’s the moment. You gotta get in the moment and stay in it. Just stay in the moment.” — Michael Jordan In an enduring scene from the ultimate episode of The Last Dance, Michael Jordan is fresh off victory and still in…

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To Train an Athlete, Add 12 Minutes of Meditation to the Daily Mix

By Gretchen Reynolds, NY Times, June 21, 2017 If athletes practice meditation for a few minutes a day, they may become better able to withstand the mental demands of hours of strenuous physical training, according to an interesting new study of Division I college football players. The study, which compared different types of mental training for…

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HOW TO CREATE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE FOR ATHLETES AND COACHES

By Enio Sacilotto My life mentor Jon Lee Kootnekoff told me many years ago, “An attitude of gratitude is altitude”!  It took me several years to figure out precisely what this means.  The Harvard Medical School definition of gratefulness, “With gratitude, people acknowledge the goodness in their lives … As a result, gratitude also helps…

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