Dolphins employ psychologists to help Dolphins win mind games

[Daytona Fin]

Stephen Ross has directed his organization to find non-traditional ways to improve the team’s performance, and mental health — once a taboo subject around the league — is part of the initiative.

The Dolphins have contracted the work out to Mastery Technologies, an Oklahoma-based outfit led by Curt Cronin, a former Navy Seal, and Dr. Jay Ferraro — a partnership packaged as “the Coach and the Shrink.”

Several times a week, representatives from the firm fly to South Florida to counsel Dolphins players and coaches, both on an individual basis and in groups.

In Dolphins headquarters, the mental health professionals are called “peak performance coaches.” Sports psychology is a part of what they do, but the counseling goes well beyond sitting a player down on the couch after a bad loss.

“I think those guys are good for our football team,” Pouncey said. “They keep everything whole, especially when there’s problems. Guys have real issues outside of football sometimes, so it’s good to have someone to talk to that’s on-base.”

As a captain, Pouncey has a weekly meeting with teammates, interim coach Dan Campbell and members of Mastery Technologies’ staff.

Leadership building is a big part of what they do. So is helping along the maturation process for Miami’s rookies.

But the details of exactly how it all works is a bit of a mystery — probably by design.

“It’s not foreign for professional athletes to seek professional, psychological help,” said Dolphins long snapper John Denney, who has met with members of Cronin’s staff. “There are sports psychologists all over the place. The Dolphins facilitated that process. Instead of having to go out and find your own, they offer it for everyone.”

In addition to one-on-one counseling, Mastery Technologies holds seminars intended to help players sharpen their mental edge, as well as recognize their bodies’ strengths and weaknesses.

The firm’s best-known initiative — they had the Dolphins cancel the last day of spring minicamps and instead train with Navy Seals — was panned privately by at least one prominent player.

Furthermore, veterans Olivier Vernon and Lamar Miller both said that they have never met with the counselors; Vernon added with a grin: “I haven’t spoken to the sports shrink.”

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/sports/nfl/miami-dolphins/article42749475.html#storylink=cpy

 

[gofins60]

"Stephen Ross has directed his organization to find non-traditional ways to improve the team’s performance, and mental health — once a taboo subject around the league — is part of the initiative."


Ross is the one who kept Ireland when he fired Sparano. Ross is the one who believed that Philbin was the guy to take this team to the Super Bowl. Ross hired Tannenbaum and made him VP of Football Operations. Ross OK'd a huge contract for an average-at-best QB. Maybe Ross should be seeing the shrink!

 

[Philbin's Polo]

What a load of ****. That's all.

 

[So Be]

As Lombardi turns over in his grave.

 

[RobertHorry]

Good. Everyone has issues and its good to communicate and talk to someone about them.

Its the worst and plain stupid when people think seeing a therapist is stupid or weird. Is seeing a dentist or surgeon stupid as well?

 

[Bob512]

Good. Everyone has issues and its good to communicate and talk to someone about them.

Its the worst and plain stupid when people think seeing a therapist is stupid or weird. Is seeing a dentist or surgeon stupid as well?

You making the decision to see a therapist if you feel you need one is an excellent course of action and nobody should take issue with that. This however is not that.....

Having someone decide for you that you need to see a therapist I would view much differently.

As a fan, I don't care who they see as long as they play better.

 

[bigbry]

Several times a week, representatives from the firm fly to South Florida to counsel Dolphins players and coaches, both on an individual basis and in groups.

Any word when Dolphin fans can join in?

 

[Hayden Fox]

This is actually very common in sports. The Fins are doing this right by employing someone with the team. Every major league baseball team has a sports psychologist on staff. Ken Rivizza and Brian Cain are cutting edge men in baseball. Some athletes are into it while others it does not work for…that is fine too. I bet you though if OV and Miller bought into it, they'd play better.

Those that that think this is BS or shows signs of softness are so out of touch of what is happening in athletics today. In fact, I would have guessed something like this was already in place.

Good stuff nonetheless.

 

[zdawg]

Ross is the one who kept Ireland when he fired Sparano. Ross is the one who believed that Philbin was the guy to take this team to the Super Bowl. Ross hired Tannenbaum and made him VP of Football Operations. Ross OK'd a huge contract for an average-at-best QB. Maybe Ross should be seeing the shrink!

Ross, who went to Michigan, said Henne has the potential to be the greatest quarterback in franchise history, according to the Palm Beach Post.

The man obviously just likes trolling Dolphin fans

 

[dolpns13]

This is pretty embarrassing. They have no answers for on the field production so they employ a bunch of bunch of shrinks to diagnose something a coach should be correcting

---------- Post added at 08:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------

Good. Everyone has issues and its good to communicate and talk to someone about them.

Its the worst and plain stupid when people think seeing a therapist is stupid or weird. Is seeing a dentist or surgeon stupid as well?

Incorrect assessment. Forcing people to see a shrink, who may not need a shrink, could cause problems that weren't there otherwise. Yes it is good to communicate but not everyone needs a shrink to do so.

Also there is Doctor patient confidentiality so it's not like the team can do anything at all with any diagnoses the psychologists find, from an individual standpoint.

 

[FSU Truth]

Years ago I worked in strength and conditioning for IMG (where Tannehill trains in the off-season with Weinke) and they had an entire mental conditioning (sport psychology) department that would work with players on handling the pressures of competing week in and week out and having their livelihood dependent on that performance. They also worked with players on mental preparation not only for games, but also training. They did a number other things with the players...I spoke with with a few of the guys who worked in that area...pretty fascinating overall.

 

[Hayden Fox]

Mental training takes time and over time players that truly work with these techniques will get better on the field. There is no question about it.

I recommend reading Mind Gym by Gary Mack (he worked for the Cardinals way back when Gene Stallings was there), The Psychology of Winning by Denis Waitley or for you baseball people out there, Heads Up Baseball by Ken Ravizza. All great books that are easy reads. I bet they'd help anyone in everyday life as well if tailored to what you do.

 

[dolpns13]

Years ago I worked in strength and conditioning for IMG (where Tannehill trains in the off-season with Weinke) and they had an entire mental conditioning (sport psychology) department that would work with players on handling the pressures of competing week in and week out and having their livelihood dependent on that performance. They also worked with players on mental preparation not only for games, but also training. They did a number other things with the players...I spoke with with a few of the guys who worked in that area...pretty fascinating overall.

What you are explaining is much different than the interpretation on this board thus far. If what you say is what Miami is doing then it could be productive.. If it's what most are defining as true psychology then I'm not sure what the value to the team is

 

[Daytona Fin]

This is pretty embarrassing. They have no answers for on the field production so they employ a bunch of bunch of shrinks to diagnose something a coach should be correcting

---------- Post added at 08:53 PM ---------- Previous post was at 08:52 PM ----------



Incorrect assessment. Forcing people to see a shrink, who may not need a shrink, could cause problems that weren't there otherwise. Yes it is good to communicate but not everyone needs a shrink to do so.

Also there is Doctor patient confidentiality so it's not like the team can do anything at all with any diagnoses the psychologists find, from an individual standpoint.

I think you are reading way too far into it.

 

[Hayden Fox]

Years ago I worked in strength and conditioning for IMG (where Tannehill trains in the off-season with Weinke) and they had an entire mental conditioning (sport psychology) department that would work with players on handling the pressures of competing week in and week out and having their livelihood dependent on that performance. They also worked with players on mental preparation not only for games, but also training. They did a number other things with the players...I spoke with with a few of the guys who worked in that area...pretty fascinating overall.

That is awesome stuff. IMG is cutting edge.

Again, I am kind of surprised the Fins were doing stuff like this earlier.