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Newsletter Archives
Efficient Summer
Training through Goal Setting - 6/07
Getting the
Mental Edge 6/07
Failing
Huge 7/07
Value of Reflection 8/07
Core
Confidence 10/07
Parenting That Opens Up
Kids 11/07
It is Not All or Nothing
12/07
Detail Leads to Confidence
1/08
Preparing for Playoffs 2/08
March Madness
4/08
Skill Development 5/08
High Impact
Conversations 6/08
Design Power 7/08
Tryout Preparation
8/08
A Life Changed 9/08
Stress Yourself for Enhanced
Performance 10/08
The
High Impact Association 11/08
Confidence is Within Your Control
12/08
Maintain Perspective 1/09
The Mental Edge,
Part 1 2/09
The Truth is Intriguing 3/09
Fight vs. Flow 4/09
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MENTAL
EDGE NEWS
May 2009 |
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Guaranteed to improve
the quality of your
individual experience! |
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90-Day
Parent
Challenge
The
Mental Edge invites
you to participate
in our 90-day
Parenting Challenge.
This challenge is
intended to help you
cultivate a High
Impact relationship
with your son or
daughter.
As I tell all
parents
participating in our
High Impact
Parenting Series,
asking quality
questions opens up
the possibility of a
completely different
kind of interaction
with your child.
With that in mind,
you will be given a
series of High
Impact Questions for
the next 90 days (30
days at a time)
designed to open a
door of
understanding into
your child's life
that can give you a
brand new
perspective on who
your child is and
how you might adjust
your parenting style
to powerfully
influence them.
To accept the 90-Day
Challenge please
click here:
I ACCEPT THE 90-DAY
CHALLENGE
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What they're saying
about the Mental Edge...

I want to say 'Thank
you' for your
sessions with my son
Danny. The sessions
were very helpful. I
know he learned a
lot and found new
ways to look at
situations. I think
he is at the perfect
age to understand
the connection
between his thinking
and how his thinking
can change his
results. With
only 2 sessions with
you, his grades
spiked upward on his
semester final
exams. But the
biggest news is that
with the new
confidence he found
from your sessions,
he had successful
try-outs and made
the golf team. That
has been a goal of
his, and he is very
proud and excited.
We would like to
return in the Fall,
when football,
hockey, and the next
school year begins.
I will contact Dawn
at that time.
Thanks and keep up
the good work!
Mark A. Nelson
_____________________
"Thank you so much
for all of your
support! You run a
great program and it
really helped me
acheive all of my
goals. Take care!"
~Becky Kortum
______________________
Our experience
working with the
Mental Edge has
proven the
additional
life-altering
benefits that your
mentoring offers in
addition to just the
sport-specific goals
you work on. It
sounds crazy, but I
truly believe that
Shaun was an angel
that came into our
son's life to lead
him down the right
path. We were all in
a dark place,
crushed to think
that his dreams
might have come to
an end. We knew it
wasn't life
threatening and we
knew things could be
much worse. But we
also saw a
vulnerable,
talented, driven kid
with so much
potential and
commitment, on the
verge of giving up
and changing his
life path out of
desperation. It
wasn't our place to
try to convince him
otherwise because we
knew what he had
gone through, but,
we also knew the
alternative could be
very detrimental to
his happiness.
Shaun's approach
truly was the
answer, and the
respect that our son
had for him
immediately was
amazing. Equally
important was
Shaun's willingness
to take our phone
call from a parent
you knew nothing
about, regarding an
ordinary 15 year old
kid you knew nothing
about and take the
situation
seriously enough to
help him before it
was too late. This
was impressive and
very kind hearted,
considering the
caliber of athletes
that you try to
squeeze into Shaun's
busy calendar. Thank
you from the
bottom of my heart
for that! Hockey
aside, the life
lessons that he has
taken from this are
invaluable and life
changing. His
renewed strength is
amazing. The joke
around our house is
that I need "a
Shaun" in my life. I
think it's hardest
on moms seeing their
kids go through
tough times!
Thanks for
everything!
~ Parent
______________________
"I watched my son
the last two
tourneys and he has
really had great
focus!
It's like he was
like his old
self prior to going
to the U when I used
to watch him as a
junior. It's
like my real son is
back! His progress
has been fun to
watch. I hope
you realize I think
you really helped
and he does too!
Thanks so much for
your time and
effort.
You'll always have a
place in our
family's heart."
~ Parent
_______________________
"When we first met
Justin Johnson at a
State Bantam
tournament a few
years ago, he talked
a little bit about
The Mental Edge.
I remember thinking
to myself, "This is
exactly what my son
needs!" My
son, Nolan, was one
of our team's two
goaltenders.
He had good skills,
but was struggling
with confidence
issues and was
having difficulty
dealing with
adversity.
Having majored in
Psychology myself, I
was keenly aware of
the importance of
mental preparation.
On the way home from
the tournament, I
talked with Nolan
about The Mental
Edge. Always
interested in
improving his game,
he was very
interested in trying
it out.
All of Nolan's
goaltending training
has been valuable,
but The Mental Edge
training has clearly
been the most
effective. I
sat back and
watched, with
amazement, as his
game consistently
improved and his own
satisfaction with
his performance
visibly increased
over the next
season. He was
having fun again!
Consequently, I
became much more
relaxed at his
games. I began
to enjoy
break-a-ways,
because I knew he
was going to make
the save!
At the end of the
season, Nolan
received a
hand-written note
from his coach
congratulating him
on his performance
during the season.
The coach went on to
say, "Your
consistency and
confidence improved
constantly, as did
your skills."
His team members and
other parents also
noticed the
difference.
Many of the mental
strategies that he
learned from Justin
to improve his
athletic skills are
also excellent life
skills that have
helped him to become
more assertive,
responsible, and
emotionally mature
in his personal
life. The
training he received
from The Mental Edge
was not only the
best investment I
have ever made in my
son's athletic
career, but also his
emotional
development. I
would strongly
recommend this
program to any
athlete, especially
the youth. My
son and I are both
very grateful that
we found The Mental
Edge."
~ Ellen Paulseth,
Parent
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Mental
Edge Athlete
of the Month
After having
the
privilege of
working with
many
athletes
over the
years we
have decided
to name a
Mental Edge
Athlete of
the Month
each month.
As a staff
we talk
through the
athletes we
are working
with and
come up with
one that
embodies the
concep ts
we teach and
values we
stand for.
Earlier
this month
two Mental
Edge
athletes,
Rebecca
Ruegsegger
and
Lauren
Joarnt,
reached the
pinnacle of
their level
by winning
the Girls 19
and under
National
Championship
in
Rochester,
NY. Both
goaltenders
exhibited
the
necessary
skills and
attitudes it
takes to
become
champions.
Rebecca
took to the
veteran role
with
determination
and focus
leading her
team through
the
tournament
with a .953
save
percentage
and
displayed
her
versatility
and ability
to make
plays with
an assist!
She was also
named the
winner of
the Overall
Goalie and
in the Catch
and Shoot
competition
in the
Easton
Skills
Competition.
Lauren
filled her
role with
great
distinction
as well. In
addition to
maintaining
a great
attitude and
pushing her
teammates
throughout
the season,
Lauren kept
her focus
and was
ready when
called upon
stopping
every shot
she faced in
the
quarterfinal
game.
Mental Edge
expects more
of the same
for these
ladies as
Lauren will
be returning
to Shattuck
St. Mary's
in pursuit
of another
championship
while
Rebecca will
be attending
the
University
of Wisconsin
on a hockey
scholarship
next fall.
Mental Edge
is proud to
have worked
with such
determined
competitors
and looks
forward to
watching
them in the
seasons to
come!
_______________________________________________________________________
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5PerformanceKeys.com
Mind Strength: An Edge on Your Competition
5 Performance Keys to Become a Winner on the Field
& in Life!
(Mind Strength is available in 8 sport-specific versions)
Click on the logo to listen to a clip from each audio:
5
PERFORMANCE
KEYS
___________________________________________
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Practice with a
Purpose
Shaun
Goodsell, MA
Senior
Performance
Coach
Shaun@MentalEdgeNow.com
When
looking at
the
activities
of athletes
you will
notice that
many spend
twice as
much time in
practice
than in
games.
Practice is
intended to
prepare
athletes to
perform with
excellence
in the game.
However, I
have noticed
when
watching
practices
too many
athletes
seem to
simply "go
through the
motions",
entrenching
bad habits
that are
reinforced
consistently
through
repetitive,
unintentional
action or in
this case
inaction.
This is
truly
destructive
to athletes
for three
reasons.
First, it
trains them
to be
unintentional
in their
performance
and to
disengage
mentally.
Anytime we
do something
without a
predetermined
outcome we
set in
motion an
expectation
that it is
ok to simply
go through
motions.
This is the
complaint of
many
coaches.
Second, it
takes away
the
possibility
of
performance
feedback to
the athlete.
Getting
information
as an
athlete is
very
important in
helping
athletes
make
internal
adjustments
in their own
performance.
If we tell
an athlete
that we
expect them
to shoot
fifty free
throws
looking for
a percentage
of eighty
percent and
they shoot
at seventy
percent,
they receive
feedback
that they
need to
improve by
about ten
percent
therefore
providing
quality
performance
feedback.
Each
practice
needs to
give the
athlete
information
that helps
them to get
information
to gauge
their
abilities
against the
competition.
Third,
intentionality
provides a
foundation
for
motivation.
Athletes
that are
goal
directed and
can measure
their
effectiveness
through
improvement
tend to
exhibit
greater
levels of
motivation
then those
that are
less
intentional.
This is the
most useful
type of
motivation
because it
is generated
from within.
Taking some
time to
mentally
prepare to
be
intentional
in practice
can maximize
your
practice
time;
training you
to be
intentional
about your
performance
leading to
better
performance
in games.
Practical
Tips:
1.
Identify one
performance
factor you
want to
improve on.
Make sure
this is
clear and
measurable.
2.
Define a
purpose in
every drill
or practice
session.
Examples
could
include
hitting the
ball past
the service
line in
tennis,
keeping your
hands and
hips back
during your
golf swing,
or using
good form
when lifting
weights.
3. Set
internal
goals for
yourself.
Shoot to
accomplish
something.
This gives
you
information
that tells
you how well
you are
doing. When
lifting
weights you
set in your
mind how
many reps
you want at
a certain
weight and
whatever you
accomplish
gives you
information
as to what
you need to
do to get
where you
want.
So the next
time you
show up at
practice,
have a
purpose!
Shaun

For more
information
regarding this
topic or to
schedule your
F.R.E.E.
30-minute
performance
consultation
with Shaun,
please call Dawn
today at
763 439 5246.
________________________________________________________________________
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Concentrate on
YOU for Peak
Performance
Justin Johnson,
BA, Performance
Coach
Justin@MentalEdgeNow.com
Knowing
that
concentration
is a key
to
athletic
excellence,
then
mistakes
in
concentration
are the
primary
reason
that
athletes
struggle.
Choking,
slumps,
fear of
failure,
and lack
of
self-confidence
can all
be tied
to the
athlete's
inability
to
concentrate
on what
is
important.
If you
want to
develop
mental
toughness
skills
and
start
performing
more to
your
potential,
then you
need to
begin to
learn
how to
better
control
your
concentration.
Specifically,
you
better
learn
how to
keep
your
concentration
squarely
focused
on you,
what
you're
doing,
and what
you
want.
Now
there is
plenty
of talk
out
there
discussing
how
opponents
"psyche
out"
their
competition
because
you
concentrate
on how
good the
opponent
is, and
this
certainly
happens.
However,
I'd like
to
discuss
a more
hidden
and
rarely
talked
about
phenomenon
that I
actually
think
claims
more
victims.
There
are a
growing
number
of youth
athletes
who are
devoting
the bulk
of their
mental
and
physical
energy
towards
what
they
believe
others
want.
These
athletes
have
allowed
the
opinions
(perceived
or
other-wise),
comments
and
actions
of
parents,
coaches,
teammates,
peers
and the
media to
infiltrate
their
decision
making
process
and
compromise
their
ability
to
accurately
judge
what is
in their
best
interest
as an
athlete
and
their
value as
a
person.
For
example,
picture
yourself
as an
athlete
sitting
on the
sidelines
taking a
break
from the
action.
As you
are
observing
the game
you hear
a
teammate,
coach or
parent
make a
comment
about
how bad
of a
player
Johnny
or Jill
is
because
of that
mistake
they
just
made.
The
message
many
players
within
ear-shot
are
getting
is that
if I
don't
want
that
said
about me
then I
better
not make
any
mistakes.
On the
flip
side,
you have
a
glamorization
of
individuals
who are
rewarded
for
their
play be
it
through
increased
attention
from
peers,
coaches,
parents
or even
teachers
or other
accolades
that
send the
message
to
others
that if
you are
really
good
athlete,
then you
have
increased
value as
a
person.
The more
that our
athletes
begin to
buy into
this way
of
thinking
the more
their
experiences
become
linked
to the
opinions
and
perceived
value
targets
of
others.
This
causes
constant
distractions
for the
athlete
by
forcing
their
thinking
outside
of them.
Think
about
it, how
hard is
it to
play up
to your
potential
when you
are
trying
to
juggle
everyone
else's
idea of
perfection
because
not
everyone
has the
same
idea of
perfection!
This is
the
ultimate
"mental"
carrot
on a
stick
dilemma.
One
answer
to this
increasing
problem
is to
help
train
our
athletes
to
develop
an
internal
compass
of what
it means
to be
successful
and to
teach
them how
they
need to
go about
reaching
their
goals.
Your
concentration
needs to
be on
you,
what
you're
doing,
and what
you
want;
not what
you
think
others
want for
you or
expect
of you.
If you
would
like to
learn
more
about
concentrating
on you
for peak
performance
then
contact
Justin
Justin

For more
information
on this
topic or to
schedule
your
F.R.E.E.
30-minute
performance
consultation
with Justin,
please call
Dawn today
at
763 439
5246.
________________________________________________________________________
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It
is our
pleasure to
introduce
Brady
Greco,
Mental Edge
Performance
Coach
Brady
Greco grew
up as a
four-sport
athlete
competing in
hockey,
baseball,
soccer, and
football.
He was
forced to
make
difficult
decisions
early on in
his athletic
tenure due
to the time
commitment
each sport
required in
high school.
Prior to and
throughout
his high
school
football,
hockey,
soccer, and
baseball
careers at
Madison
Edgewood
High School,
Brady
captained
and led his
teams to
State and
National
Championships,
as well as,
was honored
with
prestigious
athletic
awards
including:
All-Conference
Defensive
Back
Football
Player;
All-Conference
Baseball
Catcher;
All-Conference,
1st Team
All-City,
and 1st Team
All-State
Defensive
Hockey
Player.
After
deciding to
chase his
dreams as a
hockey
player at
the early
age 17,
Greco left
his home and
High School
his senior
year.
Playing
junior
hockey for
the Billings
Bulls of the
AWHL, Brady
earned a
full-scholarship
to play for
the Michigan
Tech Huskies
in the WCHA,
again
earning
prestigious
awards.
Faced with
controversy
due to
injury and
off-ice
struggles at
the end of
the season,
Brady
withdrew
from school
and
contemplated
quitting
hockey
altogether.
Seeking the
help of a
professional
life coach,
Brady was
bound and
determined
to make a
comeback.
The next
summer he
was drafted
in the 1st
round by the
Chicago
Steel of the
United
States
Hockey
League.
Brady now
had a new
sought-out
perspective
for the game
of hockey
and life,
which
enabled him
to Captain
the
2002-2003
Chicago
Steel hockey
team.
Greco
received a
scholarship
to play for
the Colorado
College
Tigers in
the WCHA,
and was
selected in
the 2003 NHL
Draft by the
Tampa Bay
Lighting.
Brady
received the
Coaches
Award, which
was given to
the player
who was a
highly
coachable
athlete and
best
exemplified
quality work
ethic and
leadership.
His
sophomore
season at
Colorado
College he
finished
second on
the team for
power-play
goals (7).
In his
junior year
Brady helped
the Tigers
to a
McNaughton
Cup
Championship
and a Frozen
Four
appearance.
That next
summer was
one of the
most
difficult
times for
Brady, as he
was coping
with the
deaths of
three
extraordinary
individuals
that
impacted his
life. He was
then faced
with another
strenuous
decision
that same
summer when
the
Lightning
offered him
a two-year
contract to
forgo his
senior year
at Colorado
College.
One week
before
having to
report back
to school,
Greco signed
with the
NHL's Tampa
Bay
Lightning to
come
one-step
closer in
fulfilling
his
childhood
dream.
No more than
30 games
into his
professional
career Brady
was faced
with a
devastating
season-ending
shoulder
injury that
required
surgery to
repair.
After
grueling
rehabilitation
to make a
full
recovery,
Brady
continued to
feel pain
and
discomfort
in his
shoulder.
The day
prior to the
start of
training
camp in
Tampa, FL
Brady
learned that
a second
surgery was
necessary
because the
rotator cuff
ligament in
his shoulder
was still
torn.
The
disappointment
and mental
anguish wore
on Brady to
the point he
was
introduced
to Tampa Bay
Lightning's
sports
psychologist
Max
Offenberger.
The guidance
and support
Max supplied
for Brady
allowed him
to put
hockey in
perspective
to the rest
of life's
blessings.
After
Brady's
two-year
contract
with the
Lightning
expired, he
turned all
his focus on
life after
hockey and
is sincerely
passionate
about
helping
athletes
through
adverse
times.
Brady holds
a strong
belief in
the mental
aspect of
sport and
strives to
help
athletes
make it to
the next
level.
He received
his
Associate of
Science
degree while
playing in
Chicago, his
Bachelor of
Arts degree
in Madison,
WI and is
currently
working on
his Master's
degree is
Sport
Psychology
through the
University
of Pheonix.
Brady
currently
resides in
the Twin
Cities area,
entering his
first year
with the
Mental Edge.
Brady's
crystal
clear vision
of the big
picture, his
innate
ability to
communicate,
and his
personal
experience
with
triumphs and
catastrophes
throughout
his career,
along with
his
expertise in
combining
leadership,
coping
mechanisms,
and mental
strategies
enable him
to mentor
and instill
these skills
within
athletes.
Brady knows
that to
become an
athlete of
excellence
you need an
edge, and
the most
important
edge there
is to gain
is the
mental one!
Brady's
individualized
mentoring
will teach
you the
mental
strength and
emotional
stability to
succeed in
sport, in
the
classroom,
and in
life...he
will assist
you in
gaining that
elusive
Mental Edge!

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Mental Edge
Feature article
on page 26
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We are
super excited to launch
our
5PerformanceKeys.com
audio training system!
Check them out and let
us know what you think!
Happy Mother's Day!
Shaun and Dawn Goodsell
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Mental Edge | 19050 Industrial Blvd.
| Suite 4 | Elk River | MN | 55330
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