Bill Belichick, Phil Jackson, Scotty Bowman and some of the top coaches (past and present) in sports have used time-tested methods that incorporate advanced technology and analytics to know their players inside-out, not only to be beneficial for their game but for life itself.
We are all aware of the headlines in the NHL surrounding two high-profile coaches, Mike Babcock & Bill Peters. You've probably heard of other troubling news in the coaching world and there is more surfacing with every passing day.
In the wake of these coaches being dismissed from their roles, many stories have emerged that question their decisions, tactics, and approaches to treatment and development of their players. These coaches were accused of abusing, bullying, manipulating, and otherwise making players and team personnel uncomfortable. As a result of the bravery of some of the players that came out with their recount of past incidents, many others are now having the courage to speak out and voice their concern and disappointment with the way coaching is developing. 
Coaches are introduced into a child’s life as young as five or six years old sometimes. As parents or stakeholders involved in the development of a child, we often assume or take for granted that the coach knows exactly what to do, how to do it, and how to deal with 'your child'. However, we know that no two people are alike and therefore, it is illogical to assume that every coach knows exactly how to deal with every athlete. 

It is extremely concerning and discomforting to think that coaches we have let into the lives of our kids or athletes did not impact them positively. We can all think of someone or some coach that was not ideal or appropriate at times when motivating, disciplining, or teaching an athlete.

Let me make one thing very clear: we all know coaching is no easy task and definitely comes with some highs and lows. Often times, it can be challenging to understand and get through to everyone on the team. This in turn may lead to some tension in dynamics between teammates, coaches, players, and parents. Much respect must be given to those who volunteer their time and energy to a group of kids in an effort to develop not only a high-performing, cohesive unit but also well-rounded individuals.

It has been said before that it doesn't matter what you know as a coach, who you've coached before, what you've accomplished, or the credentials you have - it's all about how you act with the players, how you make them feel, and how you motivate them to be better..

Any coach or organization would want to avoid situations like the ones mentioned above at all costs. Not only does it stain the reputation of the team, but it also demotivates players and causes turmoil behind the scenes which is damaging to their overall performance.

This is why elite coaches like Bill Belichick rely on technology and data to make their lives easier and get a blueprint on exactly how to deal with the various personalities and athletes that comprise a team.

Over 30 years of scientific research and data resulting from working with elite athletes, coaches, and teams has proven, over and over again, that mental intangibles are directly tied to performance and overall success.
Coaches and athletes at all levels are waking up to this fact and are actively looking for tools and services to help with the mental game and provide them a competitive advantage. In parallel, there is growing awareness and demand for services relating to athlete mental health and wellness. Recent studies have shown that today's competitive athletes, both youth and collegiate, suffer from anxiety and other related mental health issues more than ever before. A recent NCAA survey showed more than 50% of college athletes suffer from overwhelming anxiety.

Yet, most of us have no idea on how to evaluate or approach the mental game. Today, it seems only the elite college teams or pros have access to a mental skills coach or sports psychologist. This is why BoxOut Performance was formed - to provide mental performance solutions, coaching and training services to the amateur sports market.

Some of most relied on tools for coaches in professional sports include a visual-sensory assessment, cognitive assessment, and psychology/character assessment. The results from these allow them to paint a holistic picture of each athlete that includes how they process information, how they learn, and how they prefer to be coached/criticized/and motivated. Once a coach has access to this deeper level of data and information, they can be much more effective as a leader for a team by putting people in positions where they are comfortable and ready to succeed. 

The origins and background of these technologies and assessments can be traced back to military and special forces roots. That's where it was extremely critical to know the person and help them unlock their maximum potential. Managers and administrators were able to tell about a person's character and intangible traits. These traits apply to everyone, not just those in the military or part of the privileged 1% of the world. Since then, it has filtered into pro sports because the stakes are high and every edge matters. The same methodologies have been used by dozens of championship winning teams including the New England Patriots, San Antonio Spurs, and Kansas City Royals.

That's where the buck stopped for many decades.

As parents and coaches, we may know and recognize the importance behind these things but still don't know how to act on it. 

BoxOut Performance aims to change this dynamic forever. Our programs are targeted towards grassroots and development stage organizations because that is where coaching and athlete development begins and we believe even aspiring athletes deserve nothing but the world's best. 
At this point, you must be thinking 'Sure this sounds great, but what does a coach actually gain by having his or her team go through this process and take these assessments??'
I hope that this will make it crystal clear for you on what you can expect when applying this methodology into your team or organization:
1. Quantitative analysis of 12 intangible performance traits detailing an individuals' mindset compared to other athletes (Mental toughness, composure, confidence, coachability, attention to detail, focus speed, decisiveness, and many more).
2. Personalized commentary delivering detailed information and guidance to better comprehend how the individual is wired mentally.
3. Results that can be shared with coaches, parents, or teammates to build effective relationships through mutual understanding.
4. Receive tips on how to deal with things like setbacks, praise, motivationspractice, and mistakes for each individual.
5. Every person has their own characteristics, strengths, struggles, and preferred coaching / interaction styles. Studies have revealed 8 of these distinct mindset groups and we can tell which one(s) best apply to an individual. A strong, well-rounded team will be made up of many of these types so as to not be one-dimensional and easy to expose.

Obviously, it shouldn't come as a surprise because the best in the world use and rely on these systems but the types of transformations that I have seen firsthand are remarkable. Athletes and individuals go from feeling alone and misunderstood to feeling supported and finally understood. I have seen so many athletes come out of their shell and become who they were truly meant to be because of information that was revealed through the BoxOut Performance program. 
Now you might be thinking, 'OK I get it, super helpful information, but all of this is great for the coach or parent, but is it actually helpful for teen athletes?'
For one second, let's consider the environment for teen athletes today: 
Today's Teen Athletes...• Feel higher societal pressure to succeed in sports, school, and life• Are overscheduled• Often have "highly engaged" parents with high expectations• Grew up with "participation trophies" as the norm• Communicate primarily via smartphone messaging• Have to deal with all the pressures of social media
Resulting In...• Lower mental toughness• Higher anxiety and stress• Poor communication skills• Relationship challenges• Performance struggles

Although we love working with pro teams, and love even more helping them win championships, this realization inspired us to dedicate a large part of focus to building out tools and systems to help younger, developing athletes with their mental game. Our latest program is specifically designed for the emerging athletes starting at age 13, into high school and when applicable, into college and beyond.

We firmly believe that athletics is a golden opportunity to mold young people with positive characteristics and life skills that will serve them not only in athletics and school, but for their entire life. Our program ensures all the stakeholders in an athlete's development - the athlete, parent, and coach - are armed with the insights, tools, and techniques to be most effective with interactions, foster development, and optimize performance. This information helps all the stakeholders get the most from their experience in athletics while guiding the athlete towards reaching full potential in sports and in life.

Whether you are an athlete, coach, parent, trainer, teacher, or even a business owner - you face situations every day where you have to build relationships, communicate, develop others, and try to get a group to perform up to their ultimate potential. We have tools and systems available for you that are proven and historically used only by the worlds elite.

The choice is now yours:
Will you wait for more news to come out or something major to happen before you take action? Or will you be proactive and make sure your team is understood and supported before a crisis occurs.

If you're ready to take the next step towards personal and team success, we would be thrilled to work with you. Together, we can work towards knowing, understanding, and coaching individuals better to create not just high performers but also mentally healthy and well-rounded people.