There are two kinds of athletes: those who are injured and those who will become injured. In the competitive arena, even the smallest injury can be absolutely devastating to an athlete - both physically and mentally. In this presentation, Sport Psychologist Dr. Jerry Lynch is joined by other professionals (coaches and trainers) who are not only charged with asking him the important questions that are on every coach's mind, but who also share their own wide range of experiences with injured athletes within their athletic programs. Lynch's insight and expertise is based on his interactions with thousands of athletes throughout his career. He sheds light on the emotional, mental and psychological components of the injury process in an effort to minimize and cope with the unavoidable injuries that arise. In addition, he shares his suggestions for the treatment of injuries, no only physiologically, but psychologically as well. Lynch, with the help of other professionals, provides you with the tools you need to create a positive, proactive management plan to help an injured athlete heal physically and mentally.

70 minutes. 2008.

Females are four to eight times as likely to tear their ACL as their male counterparts. The highest rate of incidence occurs with young women from 15-25 years of age that play sports that require quick change of direction, pivoting and jumping. Coach Stein's ACL injury prevention program focuses on safety, technique/form, footwork, low athletic stance, slow movement strength training, repetitions, time efficiency and productivity. Stein believes that agility and footwork training - proper landing, jumping, starting and stopping mechanics - can prevent injuries. When an athlete lands, the weight needs to be equally distributed within the foot, promoting soft landings. Other key items to watch for are enhanced balance, body/joint awareness, movement technique, and muscle strength (especially the hamstring). There are two main non-contact mechanisms that have been identified; planting/cutting and straight knee landing. Dynamic flexibility and plyometrics are the ideal way to prepare your athletes for competition, and reduce injury. Next is a look at exercises in the weight that add strength and durability in athletes. Stein also shares various symptoms of ACL injuries; guidelines are the same for women as they are for men.

42 minutes. 2008.

In this excellent video, you witness first-hand what the staff at Grant Wood has put together over the past 15+ years with input from staff, consultants, retirees, PE teachers, families, and students to create fun, safe multi-sensory activities and equipment that encourage a friendly, positive environment where students of all abilities can and want to play together and become friends. Traditional PE equipment is used in lots of creative ways along with to foster play and interaction skills. You will also get a glimpse of some of the innovative "inventions" created specifically for these classes - uniquely designed equipment (catapult, bumper car, inner-tube scooter, etc.) that demonstrate additional ways to create more opportunities for everyone!

35 minutes. 2002.

Do you view each practice as a chance to get better? Are you interested in learning to make the most out of every practice? In Making Every Practice Count, Greg Dale identifies six key components to making the most out of practice opportunities: 1) Having a Purpose, 2) Compartmentalizing your Life, 3) Practice Design, 4) Working on Weaknesses, 5) Mental Toughness and 6) Preparing Yourself for Competition. Dale identifies the characteristics of each of these components and offers ideas on how you can turn practice challenges into successful habits. Dale also offers solutions to overcoming obstacles that might be standing in the way of making your practices more purposeful! Let Greg Dale help you break through to the next level!

35 minutes. 2004.

Your opponent's greatest advantage is your lack of belief in your ability to do your best. Lynch shares his strategies to help you create the crucial edge over your opponent. Learn to understand the important message of self-doubt and confidently face each day of competition. Demonstrating heart is essential every time an athlete put their feet on to the playing field. Lynch discusses the characteristics of tough teams and teaches athletes how to create mental toughness from those characteristics. To cement these mentally, Lynch instructs athletes to use mental tools of meditation, visualization, and affirmation. Developing a competitive edge is about what we have to do to bring your best to the game. Through mental training, athletes can execute at their highest level with the competitive edge needed for success.

57 minutes. 2007.