- Dr. Julie Wiernik, host of “Gettin’ Gritty with Dr. J”” is a sports clinical psychologist with 20 years of experience in the business and a background in sports as an athlete
- Impact of coaches & the role of sports psychologists in helping athletes with mental health
- Specialization in working with collegiate athletes, specifically pitchers and hitters
- Importance of having routines & the ability to handle distractions in order to pitch well
- Problem of fans bullying athletes and the importance of having tools to handle distractions
- The details are everything in sports and there is always room for improvement,
- Recommendation for athletes to do some reading to learn more about their favorite pitches and develop a deeper understanding of the game
- “Gettin’ Gritty with Dr. J” provides the opportunity to reach the whole world and offer advice, especially to those who cannot afford it.
- Many athletes are afraid to say they work with a sports psychologist, and coaches should start utilizing mental performance experts more.
- The mental game is critical for athletes, especially for pitchers & hitters
- Emulate the best athletes and model from their success.
- The key is to maintain confidence, stay the course, and make adjustments when necessary
- Jose Altuve, kept his confidence even when he was 1 for 15, knowing that's just the reality of baseball.
- Yandy Diaz, a Tampa Bay player who focuses on getting on base and adapting to each pitch.
- Bad coaching and how overly emotional, abusive coaches can negatively affect players and contribute to high dropout rates in Little League baseball.
- Dr. J emphasizes the importance of positive, relaxed, and trusting coaches who believe in their players and understand that mistakes are inevitable.
- Self-awareness is important to understand and express emotions properly to avoid burnout, depression, anxiety, and injuries.
- Communication between coach and player is crucial, especially when dealing with players from other countries.
- Bringing in a mentor for a player can help develop trust, empathy, and kindness, leading to better performance. Nelson Cruz & Wander Franco
- The Washington Nationals' success in winning the World Series was attributed to enjoying the game and focusing on winning one game, one pitch, and one at-bat at a time.
Dr Julie Wiernik's podcast can be found at “Gettin’ Gritty with Dr. J”
For more information about: Dr. J and the Texas Center for Sports Psychology
Dr. J can also be found on Twitter at@JulieWiernik
texascenterforsportpsychology.com
You can find BaseballBiz here and also on iheartradio, Stitcher, Spotify, Apple & Google podcasts and https://www.baseballbizondeck.com/blog/
You can reach Mark @TheBaseballBiz on Twitter & Brandon @SportsBlitzPod
Special thanks to XTaKeRuX for the music "Rocking Forward"
Thanks to ChatGPT for providing recommendations on the show notes.
