Playing in the Box: A Practical Guide for Helping Athletes Develop Their Mental Game

by Pete Temple

Athletes work hard in practice, putting in the time and the grind, but when it comes to game time, sometimes they miss the mark. They know they’re capable of more—and their coaches and trainers know it, too—but when the lights are on them, and the pressure rises, they often underperform. The truth is, physical training is only one part of any athlete’s game. The mental game is just as important, yet in young athletes, mindset is almost never a focus in development and practice—and it’s costing them results.In Playing in the Box, renowned sports psychologist Dr. Pete Temple describes how young athletes can use simple mental exercises to relax, improve, and achieve their goals on and off the field or court. If you’ve ever struggled in competition, Dr. Temple’s practical approach will help you develop confidence, drive, and resilience, so you can bounce back from setbacks, relax when the game gets tense, and reach your full potential.

208 pages, Paperback

Published March 7, 2019

Reviews

[Brooke O’Brien · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read it for my sport but I found it very boring and gave basic tips that don’t necessarily always help. Skipped through most parts.

[Julia N · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very motivational and inspiring. I could really relate to the mentality being a college athlete myself. Highly recommend athletes to read if they want to work on their mental game. :)

[J. Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The word in the title of Dr. Temple's book that is most fitting is practical. A lot of these kind of books us a lot of theory without many action steps. Dr. Temple explains the why and then demonstrates how to apply the idea. I think this will help me to help many of the athletes whom I coach.