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Mind Over Muscle

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Lesson Plan

Mind Over Game Lesson Plan

Students will learn and apply sports mental health strategies—specifically positive self-talk and visualization—through discussion and a quick practice exercise to build resilience on and off the field.

Equipping students with mental skills helps them manage pressure, stay focused, and enhance performance. Early exposure fosters resilience, reduces stress, and supports well-being in sports and academics.

Audience

8th Grade

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Introduce concepts, discuss, practice, and reflect.

Materials

Prep

Review Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction

3 minutes

  • Welcome students and introduce the concept of sports mental health.
  • Highlight why self-talk and visualization matter for performance and resilience.
  • Show Slide 1–2 from the Sports Mental Health Strategies Slides.

Step 2

Key Strategies Discussion

4 minutes

  • Define positive self-talk and guided visualization using Slides 3–4.
  • Ask students to share examples of self-talk they’ve used in sports.
  • Record responses on the whiteboard under two columns: “Self-Talk” and “Visualization.”

Step 3

Guided Practice

5 minutes

  • Pair students and distribute the Self-Talk and Visualization Practice Worksheet.
  • In each pair, students write two positive self-talk statements relevant to a sport they play.
  • Lead a brief guided visualization: have students close eyes and imagine performing their sport successfully while narrating positive cues.
  • Use the timer to keep each segment to 2–3 minutes.

Step 4

Wrap-Up and Reflection

3 minutes

  • Invite 2–3 students to share one self-talk statement and a brief reflection on the visualization.
  • Emphasize how these strategies can be applied in future practices or games.
  • Encourage students to use their worksheet as a go-to reference when preparing for sports activities.
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Lesson Plan

Mind Over Muscle

Students will learn and practice mental health strategies—specifically positive self-talk and visualization—to build resilience and improve performance under sports-related pressure.

Teaching mental health strategies early fosters resilience, reduces sports-related stress, and enhances focus and performance both on and off the field.

Audience

8th Grade

Time

15 minutes

Approach

Introduce strategies, practice in pairs, and reflect

Materials

Prep

Review Materials

5 minutes

Step 1

Introduction

3 minutes

  • Welcome students and explain the purpose of the lesson on sports mental health.
  • Highlight the benefits of positive self-talk and visualization for performance.
  • Display Slides 1–2 from the Sports Mental Health Strategies Slides.

Step 2

Key Strategies Discussion

4 minutes

  • Define the concepts of positive self-talk and guided visualization using Slides 3–4.
  • Invite students to share examples of self-talk they have used during sports.
  • Record their responses on the whiteboard under two headings: “Self-Talk” and “Visualization.”

Step 3

Guided Practice

5 minutes

  • Pair students and distribute the Self-Talk and Visualization Practice Worksheet.
  • Ask each pair to write two positive self-talk statements related to their sport of choice.
  • Lead a brief guided visualization: have students close their eyes and imagine performing successfully while narrating positive cues.
  • Use the stopwatch to keep each segment to 2–3 minutes.

Step 4

Wrap-Up and Reflection

3 minutes

  • Invite 2–3 students to share one self-talk statement and describe their visualization experience.
  • Emphasize how these strategies can be applied in future practices and games.
  • Encourage students to refer back to their worksheet when preparing for sports activities.
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Slide Deck

Sports Mental Health Strategies

Explore how mindset impacts performance and well-being in sports. Today you will learn two key techniques:

  • Positive Self-Talk
  • Guided Visualization

Welcome students and set the stage. Emphasize that mental skills are as important as physical skills and preview today’s focus on two powerful strategies.

Why Mental Health Matters in Sports

  • Reduces stress and anxiety under pressure
  • Improves focus and decision-making on the field
  • Builds resilience when facing challenges

Explain why mental health matters in athletic performance. Relate to times when nerves or doubt got in the way of success.

Positive Self-Talk

  • Internal dialogue that shapes feelings and actions
  • Examples:
    • “I am prepared for this game.”
    • “I can handle any challenge.”
    • “Stay calm and focused.”

Define positive self-talk and share real examples. Invite a quick student example if time allows.

Guided Visualization

  • Mentally rehearsing a successful performance
  • Steps:
    1. Close your eyes and relax your muscles
    2. Picture every movement in vivid detail
    3. Engage your senses: sights, sounds, feelings
    4. Narrate positive cues: e.g., “Smooth swing, perfect follow-through.”

Walk students through each visualization step. Model a brief example: imagine the field, the sounds, the movements.

Discussion Prompt

  • Share one self-talk statement you’ve used in sports
  • Describe a moment when you visualized success

Record responses on the whiteboard under “Self-Talk” and “Visualization.”

Transition to discussion. Ask for volunteers and jot responses under the two headings on the board.

Practice & Reflection

Explain the practice activity and time limits. Circulate and support pairs as they work. Wrap up by inviting a few reflections.

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Worksheet

Self-Talk & Visualization Practice Worksheet

Part 1: Positive Self-Talk

  1. Write two positive self-talk statements you can use in your sport.

Statement 1:



Statement 2:


Part 2: Guided Visualization

Follow the steps below to create a vivid mental rehearsal:

a) Describe the performance setting (e.g., the field, court, track):





b) List the sights, sounds, and physical sensations you imagine:





c) Write two positive cues or affirmations you will narrate during your visualization:

  • Cue 1:


  • Cue 2:


Part 3: Reflection

  1. How did you feel during the visualization? What thoughts or emotions came up?










  2. How can you apply these self-talk statements or visualization strategies in your next practice or game?










Tip: Refer back to the Sports Mental Health Strategies Slides for examples and inspiration.

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Mind Over Muscle • Lenny Learning