Whitefield athletes have enjoyed a series of informative talks with Dr. Jack Llewellyn, an internationally acclaimed sports psychology consultant who has helped major athletes such as former Atlanta Braves pitcher, John Smoltz. Llewellyn’s passion is to help young athletes balance athletic achievement and emotional health by providing them with the tools necessary to be more productive on the court or field.
“Sports are the greatest avenue to teach life lessons,” said Dr. Llewellyn in his opening session, which included parents and athletes. “However, sports should be fun and enjoyable not full of stress and pressure.”
To date, Llewellyn has discussed the power of an athlete’s mind, how to recognize assets and liabilities, and how to set goals and expectations. Below, a Whitefield lacrosse player, Jack Charles, shares how the sessions have helped him:
This spring I have had the privilege of attending a mental development program led by sports psychologist Dr. Jack Llewellyn. I, along with my lacrosse teammates, have attended two sessions after practice about mental toughness. Dr. Llewellyn is a very funny and interesting person with his long pony tail and bright red shoes. He was able to incorporate hilarious stories into deep advice on how to improve my game.
The first session I attended was about the power of the mind - if you decide to use it. This discussion was all about responding to adversity and being able to block out distractions. He taught us that if we try and focus on not failing, we will just fail. Dr. Llewellyn was able to teach us ways to improve our game while somehow weaving in funny stories about things like riding around with race car drivers.
The second session I attended was all about assets and liabilities. He said that the first step to
becoming a better athlete is to list your assets and liabilities. He encouraged us to see how to learn from them. He hit us with the shocking truth that no one is perfect, and if we are not making mistakes, then we are not trying hard enough. Lastly, he taught us that we are bigger than sports and that we need to see the bigger picture in life.
These sessions with Dr. Jack Llewellyn have had a huge impact on my lacrosse game, as they have with my teammates. I have always been one to stress out and get in my own head during games, but through these discussions, I have learned to relax. Dr. Llewellyn has had a huge impact on Whitefield athletics and I look forward to our future sessions.
Dr. Llewellyn's next session will be held on Tuesday, March 22, at 7 p.m. in the Barnett Gathering Room.