Coaching Unity. In the Zone with South Africas sports heroes. Read about the book here.

Coaching Athletes to Zone

In The Zone with South Africa's sports heroes looks to answer the question, what are elite sportsmen and women doing when they are at their best? We use the Neuro-Semantic and NLP skills of modelling to unpack some of our top South Africa men and women athletes to provide the information to create several models, most notably the Elite Athlete Development Model, which is described below.

To Order the Kindle version of the book, click on this link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00IOTX3IA

Reviews for "In the Zone with South Africa's sports heroes"

“In The Zone highlights a fascinating blend of practical and psychological concepts. Tim and Michael bring these key concepts to life with their model of 13 specific mental skills for all high achievers to strive for in their quest for success. The book also offers an engaging insight into the mental toughness of some of South Africa’s best athletes and would help anyone looking to improve their own performance.”
Jeremy Snape, South African Proteas Performance Coach

"I enjoyed reading this book of Mike and Tim. As a Sports Psychologist it gave me the opportunity to assist players and coaches getting into the zone. It also challenged me in asking meaningful questions while trying to improve performances of athletes. I believe coaches and players on all levels must read this book in striving for excellence in sport and life."
Dr Henning Gericke, Springbok Sports Psychologist

“I don’t think I have ever read a book on the requirements of mental conditioning in sport that has given me so much practical insight into this yet untapped field, as a matter of fact I really struggled to find something in this book I disagree with.“
Dr Brendan Venter, Springbok and former London Irish Coach

" 'In the Zone' is a significant leap forward for the fields of sport, professional coaching and also Neuro-Semantics. Detailing the mental and emotional strategies of some of the world most elite sports people, this book is an essential resources and handbook for any coach, leader, athlete or sports coach who is committed to replicating consistent states of top performance." Michelle Duval, International Master Coach and founding CEO of Equilibrio, Australia

"If you are interested in elite sport it is a treat to read a work that is localised, yet internationally relevant and does talk of the sharp end of sport. Even if you are not interested in the theory, the profiles are thoroughly fascinating. SA Sport needs more books like this"
Rugby365.com

"The most beneficial book that I’ve read.

Definitely an eye-opener with regards to the importance of mental preparation and visualisation leading up to an event. The Zoning Pyramid proves to be the most significant attribute as it highlights the key components an athlete requires in order to get “into the zone” and perform at ones best as often as possible.

A book that is in a league of its own and one that i would greatly recommend to anyone seeking to improve their mental skills."
Craig Burden, Sharks rugby player

In the book you will find 17 interviews with some of South Africa's superstars, as well as an in-depth analysis of the mental skills that supported such consistently high levels of performance.

Some of the interviewees include: Graeme Smith, Marks Maponyane, Jake White, Jonty Rhodes, Penny Heyns, Dr Sherylle Calder, Roland Schoeman and more.

We also share the model that we use to coach athletes to zone on demand, and share how they to get into the zone, even when under the most extreme pressure and expectation.

To Order the book click on this link: http://www.kalahari.net/bk/product.asp?sku=30626164

From the foreward(s) of "In the Zone with South Africa's sports heroes"

"This book is a compilation of stories, events and information that is unique in the world of sport; you won't find this type of information anywhere else... As such this book will enlighten, entertain and inspire all who read it...I recommend the authors' work to any aspiring individual or team looking to find the edge."
Dr Sherylle Calder, Visual Expert and Eye Coach for the Springboks, Proteas and World Cup Winning England Rugby team

"Now, in this book, Mike Cooper and Tim Goodenough have taken all that I came up with in Neuro-Semantics about being in the zone to the next level. Here they have created a breakthrough model in their 13 steps to the zone...The most significant contribution that Mike Cooper and Tim Goodenough make in this book is precisely this - how to switch on the zone. To that end they have identified how to get into the zone in a step-by-step process... The central focus of this book offers something brand new to the field."
Dr L.Michael Hall, Co-creator of Neuro-Semantics, NLP Author, Trainer and Psychologist

The Zoning Pyramid or Elite Athlete Development Model

By placing the zoning skills in a pyramid we are aiming to demonstrate how the skills are interrelated. When we started our research it was all about “zoning,” the top of the pyramid. How does an athlete get there? As we interviewed more athletes we begun to realise that although being in the zone might only last 9.8 seconds as an example in a 100 metre race, the ability to zone at such an important moment required a lot more mental development then we had first imagined, in fact a total of 11 other skills were required for that level of performance. Due to the way these skills often combine to create other benefits, it was important to understand where to start developing skills, and how the skills are related to each other.

Some skills you would find difficult to develop if some of the lower skills were not developed effectively.

And so we designed a pyramid where each level rests on those below. To reach the top you need to climb the lower levels.

Level 1: Being skills and foundation

The first layer of the pyramid is work ethic. Nothing happens unless you work smart and hard in the sports world. It is the foundation as every other skill takes effort and commitment to build and apply.

In the book we describe Performing from one’s highest intentions as skill 1 yet in the diagram, Strong Work Ethic underpins everything. The reason for the ordering is that whilst a strong work ethic is the most critical skill, it is from the performing from ones highest intentions skill that athletes get their motivation and energy to drive their strong work ethic and the development and use of the other skills in the pyramid.

We debated a lot about whether the being skills should be at the bottom of the pyramid alongside the strong work ethic skill, but after reviewing all our interviews again it was clear having a strong work ethic is the cornerstone of every other skill. You may have fantastic mental skills, but unless you do anything with them, they will not support high performance.

These skills are interesting as they are not just foundational skills for elite athletes but are foundational skills for every person who wants to succeed in life. We have found in our executive coaching practices that these four skills are also there in highly successful business men and women.

The being skills are at the bottom of the pyramid, and once they are in place, the doing skills have a strong foundation to develop from.

Level 2: Career Skills

The next three mental skills are more specific for athletes. They will distinguish your committed athlete from the weekend sportsmen. But they take effort and work to practice till they are mastered.

Level 3: Advanced athletes skills

Athletes who have developed skills at this level will typically be above average performers. Advanced athletes require an incredible amount of discipline and effort, the challenge for athletes at this level is to make this type of total personal commitment and sacrifice that is required.

Level 4: Elite athlete’s skills

Now the athlete can congruently and believably create an identity for themselves as an elite athlete and champion. Some never make the jump from level 3 to 4 where they can truly in their hearts see themselves as world beaters and champions. An athlete doesn’t need to have a world ranking as No 1 or even needed to have won the world championship to have this identity; he just needs to be No 1 in his own mind.

With all these levels in place the athlete can create a space for himself where he can zone regularly and at will (the athlete would have been coached on how to do this) even when under tremendous pressure.

Perceptual Positions

This is the other side of the pyramid. This is often called the Captains skill. It is not a skill everyone will have to develop but anyone who plays in an individual sport or is a decision maker in a team will need it to be truly effective. In fact if you fall into this category and don’t have this skill it will stop you being able to perform optimally.

To Order the book click on this link: http://www.kalahari.net/bk/product.asp?sku=30626164

More Reviews

"Great Book! Lots of useful advice in each step of the pyramid and the 13 skills. I would identify most with strong work ethic, the distinction between self-confidence and self-esteem, the quality of being "un-insultable" and, in terms of being a fox, resilience. Lots of luck in spreading your model and message in both sport and business."
Clem Sunter, best-selling co-author of “Mind of a fox”

"As a South African, I am so pleased when I pick up a book and find that it can compete with the best the world has to offer. One of those books, is ‘In the Zone’ .... While the book uses sport people as examples, it has actually been written as a motivational book for all of us. I think it’s simply brilliant!"
Faizel Mohidin for MindmapTutor.com

"This book has the potential to become the benchmark in Sporting Excellence...The old saying - if you can measure it you can improve it - comes alive in the book. Every player and coach in Sport should get a copy and apply it for higher performance."
Brand Coetzee, Mind Coach

"Mark Twain once said “it is not the size of the dog in the fight but the size of the fight in the dog.” The perception by many athletes when referring to this quote is “having a big heart” or what we call in South Africa “gees.” The underlying connotation of this quote however is truly not about physical attributes (be it weight, height or strength or speed). Its about self perception, and more importantly its the mental aspect that one takes into their athletic competitions (rugby, golf, soccer, tennis, swimming etc). The mental aspect of any athlete is the most important function leading to, and performing in any event. If you not in the right frame of mind you will not perform at your best. Furthermore mental preparation is not an elitist aspect of athleticism (by the that I mean only applies to professional athletes). It is for everyone, young and old. It’s for the 10 year old who is afraid of taking on the 13 year in the 100m sprint. It is for the 18 year old looking to make a break into professionalism in his sporting code. For the 35 year old who thinks they are too old to make a comeback in his or her sporting code.

In the Zone focus on all aspects of mental preparation for life's greatest challenges. It has helped me find balance between my perceptions of reality and reality itself. The effort and time Tim and his co-author have put in ensuring that the reader finishes the last sentence of the last chapter mentally stronger is manifested in detail in each chapter. Mental preparation is more than just a confidence issue. In the Zone identifies critical aspects of any athletes cognizance that ensures that the athlete walks into his field of play, IN THE ZONE!! Read it and more importantly use it."
Abonga Nkwelo