The concept of control basically refers to an athlete’s understanding of what factors are within his control and what factors are not. Athletes who understand the difference and are able to direct their focus to factors within their ability to control are said to have “focus and concentration.” Without this understanding, athletes spend time and effort thinking about factors outside their ability to control, often referred to as “worry and distraction.”

Goal setting is one of the most effective techniques for enhancing motivation and performance. Goals set direction, tell us what to do, increase effort, persistence and quality of performance. Once set, goals require that us to develop specific techniques for how to achieve those goals.

A few decades ago, the three-sport athlete in high school and college was a common occurrence. Playing a different sport during the fall, winter,...