11 Secrets of Sports Psychologists from Mental Floss Magazine June 30, 2019 | By Suzanne Raga – September 1, 2017 – Sports psychologists help athletes of all kinds achieve optimal results on the court, field, or track. Whether they counsel individual athletes or work with teams, coaches, or managers, they focus on how mental and emotional factors influence athletic performance.
FOCUS ON TASK, KEEP COOL, AND YOU CAN RIDE IN STYLE Cincinnati Enquirer – Updated by John F Murray – June 3, 2024 – John Eckberg – Crosstown Shootout highlight is when underdog wins prize – Mike Zilliox turned his XU hat around backward, then ambled out onto the floor at halftime at the Crosstown Shootout basketball game between University of Cincinnati and Xavier in January. He was one of three picked from the Cintas Center crowd to attempt the improbable: a lay-up, a foul shot, a three-pointer and a half-court shot – and to make all the shots within 24 seconds. The winner was promised a two-year lease on a new Chevrolet Tahoe. Keep in mind that top college hoops players will usually miss most of these shots: one of 10 lay-ups, two of 10 foul shots, six of 10 shots from the field, seven of 10 three-pointers and just about every half-court shot they will ever attempt. Zilliox, a former No. 1 tennis player for Xavier, didn’t care about those stats because he figured they didn’t apply to him. No matter that he hadn’t picked up a basketball in six months and that the last time he did launch one, it was in his backyard, where the hoop is 9½ feet from the ground, not a regulation 10 feet. While he waited for the first participant to shoot – and fail – Zilliox, 34, was optimistic, focused and brimming with confidence. “I thrive in those kinds of situations,” Zilliox said, remembering a decade back to when his tennis match would determine whether the entire Xavier tennis team would win or lose. That is pressure. This, by comparison, was a lark. Did he choke? Did his hands get clammy? Did his breathing get labored? None of the above. The West Chester resident drained all the shots and because of that, his family’s time on the highway has changed for the good. His 3-year-old daughter, Olivia, loves having a built-in DVD player for her favorite movie, Shrek. Zilliox and his wife, Tammy, appreciate the cutting-edge sound system and how the group Bare Naked Ladies sounds on it. Their take, after paying $4,000 in taxes for the “gift,” is $12,000 “Really, I never thought about winning,” Zilliox said. “I just wanted to do better than the guy who went before me.” One onlooker, Ron Joseph, president of event sponsor Montgomery Chevrolet, watched with keen interest, knowing Zilliox’s good fortune would bring attention to the dealership. Joseph had the presence of mind to take out a $1,100 insurance policy so that his dealership would not be out the expense of the lease on the $47,000 Tahoe. When Zilliox made the shot, it turned that insurance premium into gold. “The marketing value of the event was so much greater when you have people talking about the guy who made the basket,” Joseph said. But the workplace lesson, aside from Joseph’s smart marketing strategy, is what Zilliox brought to the competition. Performing under pressure, finding focus in a chaotic situation, wooing a little Lady Luck – that’s what most workers and executives want every day from their job, according to John F. Murray, a Palm Beach, Fla.-based performance psychologist who advises professional athletes and others on achievement under stress. He reviewed a video of Zilliox’s shots and offered up some observations. “He was smiling, relaxed, steady, playful, calm, poised, fluid in his movements and confident,” Murray said. “He looked like he was having fun. And that is the essence of great focus.” (Shaded Box) Perfomance pressure and a hoops ‘zone’ Grace under pressure is almost always about focus, says performance psychologist John F. Murray. Murray reviewed a video of West Chester’s Mike Villiox recently making four shots in a row – a lay-up, foul shot, three-pointer and half-court shot – and concluded: The background music helped. “The last shot was made at the same time the music was reaching a climax – good instincts on his part,” Murray said. The crowd helped thanks to a phenomenon called social facilitation. “And he is the kind of guy who thrives in situations others might perceive as pressure,” Murray said. Villiox had luck on his side. “That ball will not fall more than 30 percent of the time even if shot by an NBA player,” Murray said, “so he was, indeed, fortunate.” Villiox managed, too, to get himself in a hoop zone. “The basket seemed like it was as wide as a swimming pool,” Murray said. Villiox said: “I wanted to remain cool.” Dr. John F. Murray is a sports psychologist and clinical psychologist providing sports psychology and counseling services based in Palm Beach, Florida. 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The Importance of Confidence in Sports, Business, and Life NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla., June 3, 2024 – Updated by Dr. John F. Murray – When sports psychologist John F. Murray decided to auction the idea of “Confidence” on eBay he had no idea how much interest this auction would draw. Top athletes and film stars use mental coaches and sports psychology, but he didn’t know whether the general public would pay for what might be called nothing more than an idea. Bidding opened at $10 and after fifteen bids this idea sold for $250, representing perhaps the first time an “idea” has been sold in an auction. The winner was a recreational tennis player in New York. She received one hour of mental coaching by Dr. Murray. “I had a hunch this would draw some attention since so many are beginning to recognize the value of confidence and mental training. The auction testified to broad-based interest,” said Dr. Murray, who has coached some of the top athletes in the world. “The public response justified my hunch.” The auction was started to demonstrate public and professional interest in training the brain. “We’ve gone almost as far as we can go physically, but mental training is a territory with unlimited potential for improvement in business, sports, or life,” said Murray, who has spoken on this topic on numerous talk shows. Many pro athletes, teams, businesses, and organizations receive the benefits of mental coaching, but most people are still often surprised to know that these services even exist as there are few legitimate performance psychologists or other professionals to provide these services. Confidence is described as an umbrella term reflecting all the thoughts, feelings, actions and sensations reflecting self-belief and expectations of success. Top tennis professional Vincent Spadea spoke on national television about the benefits of mental coaching to reverse the longest losing streak in tennis history and return to top 20 in the world. NBA legend Tracy McGrady (t-mac) spoke about improved confidence after working with Dr. Murray. Same with thousands of other pro and amateur athletes and high performers in many realms. For more information about “mental training” and Dr. Murray go to https://johnfmurray.com. Contact:John F. Murray, PhDTEL: 561-596-9898FAX: 561-805-8662 Dr. John. F. Murray is a Sport and Clinical Psychologist in Palm Beach, FL and helps athletes, and business people build their confidence. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Logged in as Admin. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* More Posts All Posts Blog Sports psychologist: Anxiety often root of performance problems July 10, 2025/No Comments Sports psychologist: Anxiety often root of performance problems NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla., June 3, 2024 – Updated by Dr. John… Read More FOCUS ON TASK, KEEP COOL, AND YOU CAN RIDE IN STYLE July 10, 2025/No Comments FOCUS ON TASK, KEEP COOL, AND YOU CAN RIDE IN STYLE Cincinnati Enquirer – Updated by John F Murray –… Read More 11 Secrets of Sports Psychologists from Mental Floss Magazine July 10, 2025/No Comments 11 Secrets of Sports Psychologists from Mental Floss Magazine June 30, 2019 | By Suzanne Raga – September 1, 2017… Read More
Sports psychologist: Anxiety often root of performance problems NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla., June 3, 2024 – Updated by Dr. John F. Murray – When sports psychologist John F. Murray decided to auction the idea of “Confidence” on eBay he had no idea how much interest this auction would draw. Top athletes and film stars use mental coaches and sports psychology, but he didn’t know whether the general public would pay for what might be called nothing more than an idea. Bidding opened at $10 and after fifteen bids this idea sold for $250, representing perhaps the first time an “idea” has been sold in an auction. The winner was a recreational tennis player in New York. She received one hour of mental coaching by Dr. Murray. “I had a hunch this would draw some attention since so many are beginning to recognize the value of confidence and mental training. The auction testified to broad-based interest,” said Dr. Murray, who has coached some of the top athletes in the world. “The public response justified my hunch.” The auction was started to demonstrate public and professional interest in training the brain. “We’ve gone almost as far as we can go physically, but mental training is a territory with unlimited potential for improvement in business, sports, or life,” said Murray, who has spoken on this topic on numerous talk shows. Many pro athletes, teams, businesses, and organizations receive the benefits of mental coaching, but most people are still often surprised to know that these services even exist as there are few legitimate performance psychologists or other professionals to provide these services. Confidence is described as an umbrella term reflecting all the thoughts, feelings, actions and sensations reflecting self-belief and expectations of success. Top tennis professional Vincent Spadea spoke on national television about the benefits of mental coaching to reverse the longest losing streak in tennis history and return to top 20 in the world. NBA legend Tracy McGrady (t-mac) spoke about improved confidence after working with Dr. Murray. Same with thousands of other pro and amateur athletes and high performers in many realms. For more information about “mental training” and Dr. Murray go to https://johnfmurray.com. Contact:John F. Murray, PhDTEL: 561-596-9898FAX: 561-805-8662 Dr. John. F. Murray is a Sport and Clinical Psychologist in Palm Beach, FL and helps athletes, and business people build their confidence. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Logged in as Admin. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* More Posts All Posts Blog 11 Secrets of Sports Psychologists from Mental Floss Magazine July 10, 2025/No Comments 11 Secrets of Sports Psychologists from Mental Floss Magazine June 30, 2019 | By Suzanne Raga – September 1, 2017… Read More FOCUS ON TASK, KEEP COOL, AND YOU CAN RIDE IN STYLE July 10, 2025/No Comments FOCUS ON TASK, KEEP COOL, AND YOU CAN RIDE IN STYLE Cincinnati Enquirer – Updated by John F Murray –… Read More The Importance of Confidence in Sports, Business, and Life July 10, 2025/No Comments The Importance of Confidence in Sports, Business, and Life NORTH PALM BEACH, Fla., June 3, 2024 – Updated by Dr…. Read More