Top 5 Athletes-Complete

ZODIAC SIGN : Capricorn Muhammad Ali is considered one of the greatest athletes in boxing history, winning both the coveted Golden Gloves title and an Olympic gold medal, among several other honors. Boxer, philanthropist and social activist Muhammad Ali was born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942 in Louisville, Kentucky. Ali became a Golden Gloves champion in 1959, and became an Olympic gold medalist the following year. Ali won all of his bouts in the 1960s, the majority of them by knockout. Since his retirement, Ali has devoted much of his time to philanthropy. He considered as one of the greatest athletes in boxing history, Ali showed at an early age that he wasn't afraid of any boutinside or outside of the ring. Growing up in the segregated South, Ali experienced racial prejudice and discrimination firsthand, which likely contributed to his early passion for boxing. At the age of 12, Ali discovered his talent for boxing through an odd twist of fate. His bike was stolen, and Ali told a police officer, Joe Martin, that he wanted to beat up the thief. "Well, you better learn how to fight before you start challenging people," Martin reportedly told him at the time. In addition to being a police officer, Martin also trained young boxers at a local gym. Ali started working with Martin to learn how to box, and soon began his boxing career. In his first amateur bout in 1954, he won the fight by split decision. Ali went on to win the 1956 Golden Gloves tournament for novices in the light heavyweight class. Three years later, he won the National Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, as well as the Amateur Athletic Union's national title for the light-heavyweight division. Olympic Gold: In 1960, Ali won a spot on the U.S. Olympic boxing team. He traveled to Rome, Italy, to compete. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Ali was an imposing figure in the ring. He was known for his footwork, and for possessing a powerful jab. After winning his first three bouts, Ali then defeated Zbigniew Pietrzkowski from Poland to win the gold medal. After his Olympic victory, Ali was heralded as an American hero. He soon turned professional with the backing of the Louisville Sponsoring Group. During the 1960s Ali seemed unstoppable, winning all of his bouts with majority of them being by knockouts. He took out British heavyweight champion Henry Cooper in 1963 and then knocked out Sonny Liston in 1964 to become the heavyweight champion of the world. Often referring to himself as "the greatest," Ali was not afraid to sing his own praises. He was known for boasting about his skills before a fight and for his colorful descriptions and phrases. In one of his more famously quoted descriptions, Ali told reporters that he could "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" in the boxing ring. Conversion to Islam: This bold public persona belied what was happening in Ali's personal life,

NAME OCCUPATION BIRTH DATE EDUCATION PLACE OF BIRTH ORIGINALLY

: Muhammad Ali : Boxer, Philanthropist : January 17, 1942 : Louisville Central High School : Louisville, Kentucky : Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.

however. He was doing some spiritual searching and decided to join the black Muslim group, the Nation of Islam, in 1964. At first, he called himself "Cassius X," eventually settling on the name Muhammad Ali. Two years later, Ali started a different kind of fight when he refused to acknowledge his military service after being drafted. He said that he was a practicing Muslim minister, and that his religious beliefs prevented him from fighting in the Vietnam War. In 1967, Ali put his personal values ahead of his career. The U.S. Department of Justice pursued a legal case against Ali, denying his claim for conscientious objector status. He was found guilty of refusing to be inducted into the military, but Ali later cleared his name after a lengthy court battle. Professionally, however, Ali did not fare as well. The boxing association took away his title and suspended him from the sport for three and a half years. Boxing Comeback: Returning to the ring in 1970, Ali won his first bout after his forced hiatus. He knocked out Jerry Quarry in October in Atlanta. The following year, Ali took on Joe Frazier in what has been called the "Fight of the Century." Frazier and Ali went for 15 rounds before Frazier briefly dropped Ali to the ground, before beating Ali by decision. Ali later beat Frazier in a 1974 rematch. Another legendary Ali fight took place in 1974. Billed as the "Rumble in the Jungle," the bout was organized by promoter Don King and held in Kinshasa, Zaire. Ali fought the reigning heavyweight champion George Foreman. For once, Ali was seen as the underdog to his younger, powerful opponent. Ali silenced his critics by defeating Foreman and once again becoming the heavyweight champion of the world. Perhaps one of his toughest bouts took place in 1975 when he battled longtime rival Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila" fight. Held in Quezon City, Philippines, the match lasted for more than 14 rounds with each fighter giving it their all. Ali emerged victorious in the end. By the late 1970s, Ali's career had started to decline. He was defeated by Leon Spinks in 1978 and was knocked out by Larry Holmes in 1980. In 1981, Ali fought his last bout, losing his heavyweight title to Trevor Berbick. He announced his retirement from boxing the next day. Philanthropy and Legacy: In his retirement, Ali has devoted much of his time to philanthropy. He announced that he has Parkinson's disease in 1984, a degenerative neurological condition, and has been involved in raising funds for the Muhammad Ali Parkinson Center in Phoenix, Arizona. Over the years, Ali has also supported the Special Olympics and the Make a Wish Foundation among other organizations. Muhammad Ali has traveled to numerous countries, including Mexico and Morocco, to help out those in need. In 1998, he was chosen to be a United Nations Messenger of Peace because of his work in developing countries. In 2005, Ali received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President George W. Bush. He also opened the Muhammad Ali Center in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky, that same year. "I am an ordinary man who worked hard to develop the talent I was given," he said. "I believed in myself and I believe in the goodness of others," said Ali. "Many fans wanted to build a museum to acknowledge my achievements. I wanted more than a building to house my memorabilia. I wanted a place that would inspire people to be the best that they could be at whatever they chose to do, and to encourage them to be respectful of one another." Despite the progression of his disease, Ali remains active in public life. He embodies the true meaning of a champion with his tireless dedication to the causes he believes in. He was on hand to celebrate the inauguration of the first African-American president in January 2009 when Barack Obama was sworn-in. Soon after the inauguration, Ali received the President's Award from the NAACP for his public service efforts. As he has done every year since its inception, Ali hosted the 15th Annual Celebrity Fight Night Awards in Phoenix in March 2009. The event benefited the Celebrity Fight Night Foundation and the Muhammad Ali

Parkinson Center. Ali has been married to his fourth wife, Yolanda, since 1986. The couple has one son, Asaad, and Ali has several children from previous relationships, including daughter Laila who followed in his footsteps for a time as a professional boxer. http://www.biography.com/people/muhammad-ali-9181165 NAME : Roger Federer

ZODIAC SIGN : Leo Tennis pro Roger Federer was the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam title. In 2012, he became a seven-time Wimbledon champion, tying with Pete Sampras for the world No. 1 ranking record of 286 weeks. Born on August 8, 1981, Roger Federer was among the Top 3 junior tennis players in Switzerland by the age of 11. He turned pro in 1998, and knocked out reigning champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round at Wimbledon 2001. Federer became the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam title, when he won the Wimbledon 2003 singles. In 2004, he won the Australian Open, the U.S. Open and the ATP Masters, and retained the Wimbledon singles title. He also moved from the No. 2. spot to No. 1. In 2006, he won the Australian Open, his fourth successive Wimbledon singles title and his third successive U.S. Open. Federer held the No. 1 ranking from 2004 to 2008, regaining it in 2009and several times thereafter, after frequent pushes by such rivals as Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic. In 2012, Federer defeated Djokovic in the Wimbledon semifinals, and beat Andy Murray to become the Wimbledon 2012 championFederer's seventh Wimbledon win. The victory helped Federer regain the No. 1 spot, and tie the world No. 1 ranking record of 286 weeks (set by Pete Sampras). Early Life: Tennis star Roger Federer was born on August 8, 1981 in Basel, Switzerland, to Swiss father Robert Federer and South-African mother Lynette Du Rand. Federer's parents met while on a business trip for a pharmaceutical company, where they both worked. Federer took an interest in sports at an early age, playing tennis and soccer at the age of 8. The young athlete excelled at athletics, and by age 11, he was among the Top 3 junior tennis players in Switzerland. At the age of 12, he decided to quit other sports and focus all his efforts on tennis, which he felt he excelled at more naturally. By the age of 14, he was fully immersed in the game, playing 2-3 tournaments per month, and practicing six hours of the game a week, along with up to three hours of conditioning. To perfect his technique, he often imitated his idols, Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg. At age 14, Federer became the national junior champion in Switzerland, and was chosen to train at the Swiss National Tennis Center in Ecublens, and had his his first sponsorship by the age of 16. He joined the International Tennis Federation junior tennis circuit in July 1996. In 1998, shortly before he turned pro, Federer won the junior Wimbledon title and the Orange Bowl. He was recognized as the ITF World Junior Tennis champion of the year. Tennis Star: Federer won the Wimbledon boys' singles and doubles titles in 1998, and turned professional later that year. At Wimbledon 2001, he caused a sensation by knocking out reigning singles champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round. In 2003, following a successful season on grass, Federer became the first Swiss man to win a Grand Slam title when he became a Wimbledon singles champion. At the beginning of 2004, Federer had a world ranking of No. 2, and that same year, he won the Australian Open, the U.S. Open, the ATP Masters and retained the Wimbledon singles title. He was ranked No. 1 at the start of 2005, and his

OCCUPATION BIRTH DATE PLACE OF BIRTH

: Tennis Player, Philanthropist : August 08, 1981 (Age: 31) : Basel, Switzerland

successes that year include the Wimbledon singles title (for a third successive year) and the U.S. Open. Federer held on to his No. 1 ranking from 2004 to 2008. In 2006, he won the Australian Open, his fourth successive Wimbledon singles title and his third successive U.S. Open. Continuing to dominate the sport, the right-handed champion won the singles title at Wimbledon and the U.S. Open again as well as the Australian Open in 2007. While ranked No. 1 on the ATP Tour, Federer was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year Award three times, in 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2008, Federer beat Scottish player Andy Murray at the U.S. Openhis fifth U.S. Open win. However, that year proved to be a difficult time in Federer's career: he lost to longtime rival Rafael Nadal at both the French Open and Wimbledon, and lost to another rival, tennis star Novak Djokovic, at the 2008 Australian Open. His ranking also slid to No. 2. Federer was in the finals for a sixth U.S. Open win in 2009, and with the option of victory came the possibility of breaking several records, but lost to Juan Martin del Potro. After regaining the No. 1 ranking in 2009, Rafael Nadal took over as No. 1 in 2010this back-and-forth ranking designation between the two rivals has spanned the better part of a decade, and, in recent years, such tennis stars as Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have been thrown into the top-ranking mix. Later in 2010, Federer lost to Djokovic in the U.S. Open semifinal. He then finished the year with a win, against Nadal, at the ATP World Tour year-end championships. In 2011, Federer won his 18th Masters Series tournament, and won his first Paris Masters, with a vicotry against French tennis pro Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. That same year, he beat 2009 U.S. Open champion Juan Martin del Potro, and went on to defeat Andy Murray at the Dubai Open. Federer's career escalated once again in 2012, when he defeated defending champion Novak Djokovic in the Wimbledon semifinals, and went on to beat Andy Murray in the Wimbledon finalsFederer's seventh Wimbledon victory. The Wimbledon 2012 win helped the 30-year-old tennis star regain the No. 1 spot, and tie the world No. 1 ranking record of 286 weeks (set by Pete Sampras). That September, however, Federer made a disappointing showing at the U.S. Open. He lost to Tomas Berdych in the quarterfinals. According to his website, Federer failed to find his groove during the match. "So many moments, I thought, Man, its just not happening for me.'" Despite not making the semifinals at the U.S. Open for the first time since 2003, Federer was able to hold on to his number-one ranking. Personal Life: In 2009, Federer married Mirka Vavrinec, a former professional tennis player. That July, the couple became the parents of identical twin girls, Myla and Charlene. Federer lives with his family in Oberwil, Switzerland. In 2003, Federer established the Roger Federer Foundation, which helps provide grants to poor countries that have child mortality rates of more than 15 percent, for education- and sports-related projects, among others. http://www.biography.com/people/roger-federer-13612203

NAME OCCUPATION BIRTH DATE

: Michael Jordan : Basketball Player : February 17, 1963 (Age: 49)

EDUCATION : Emsley A. Laney High School, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill PLACE OF BIRTH : Brooklyn, New York ZODIAC SIGN : Aquarius

Former professional basketball player Michael Jordan led the Bulls to six national championships and earned the NBA Most Valuable Player Award five times. Professional basketball player Michael Jordan was born February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn. Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he helped the team make it to the playoffs. For his efforts there, he received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. With five regular-season MVPs and three All-Star MVPs, Jordan became the most decorated player in the NBA. Early Life: Professional basketball player, Olympic athlete, businessperson, actor. Born on February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn, New York. Considered one of the best basketball players ever, Michael Jordan dominated the sport from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s. He led the Chicago Bulls to six national championships as well as earned the National Basketball Association's (NBA) Most Valuable Player Award five times. Growing up in Wilmington, North Carolina, Jordan developed a competitive edge at an early age. He wanted to win every game he played. As his father James later noted, "What he does have is a competition problem. He was born with that...The person he tries to outdo most of the time is himself." Jordan enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1981 and soon became an important member of the school's basketball team. His team won the NCAA Division I championships in 1982 with Jordan scoring the final basket needed to defeat Georgetown University. He was also singled out as the NCAA College Player of the Year in 1983 and in 1984. During the summer of 1984, Jordan made his first appearance in the Olympics as a member of the U.S. basketball team, which won the gold at the games held in Los Angeles. Later Jordan helped the United States bring home the gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain. NBA Superstar: Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he soon proved himself on the court. He helped the team make it to the playoffs and scored an average of 28.2 points per game that season. For his efforts, Jordan received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award and was selected for the All-Star Game. In 1985, he finished his bachelors degree in geography and continued to play basketball professionally. While his second season was marred by injury, Jordan was breaking new ground on the court during the 1986-1987 season. He became the first player since Wilt Chamberlin to score more than 3,000 points in a single season. The following season, Jordan received his first Most Valuable Player Award from NBAan honor he would earn four more times in 1991, 1992, 1996, and 1998. By the late 1980s, the Chicago Bulls was quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with, and Jordan was an instrumental part of the teams success. The Bulls made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 1990 and won their first NBA championship the following year by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers. A rising NBA superstar, Jordan became known for his power and agility on the court as well as for his leadership abilities. He eventually landed several endorsement deals with such companies as Nike, which further pushed him into the spotlight. In 1992, the Chicago Bulls beat the Portland Trail Blazers to win their second NBA championship title. The team took their third championship the following year, dominating in the basketball world. Jordan, however, had other things on his mind. He lost his father, James, to an act of violence after the end of the 19921993 season. Two teenagers shot James Jordan during an apparent robbery and were later convicted of the crime. In a move that shocked many, Michael Jordan decided to retire from basketball to pursue baseball. He played for a minor league team, the

Birmingham Barons, as an outfielder for a year. Back on the Court: In March 1995, however, Jordan returned to the basketball court. He rejoined the Chicago Bulls and eventually helped them win the championship against the Seattle Sonics in the 1995-1996 season. That same year, Jordan made a big splash in another arenafilmas the star of Space Jam (1996). The film mixed live action and animation and paired Jordan with cartoon legends Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck on screen. Thefollowing season Jordan came back even stronger, averaging 30.4 points per game. Starting all 82 games that season, he helped the team finish the regular season with 72 wins and clinch a win in the NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. The two teams faced each other again for the championships in 1998, and Jordan helped the Bulls beat them for the second year in a row. Retiring after the 19971998 season, Jordan did not stray from the sport for too long. He joined the Washington Wizards as a part owner and as president of basketball operations. In the fall of 2001, Jordan relinquished these roles to return the court once more. He played for the Wizards for two seasons before hanging up his jersey for good in 2003. Personal Life and Legacy: In 2006, Jordan bought a share of the Charlotte Bobcats and joined the team's executive ranks as its managing member of basketball operations. He experienced some personal changes that same year, ending his 17-year marriage to his wife Juanita. The couple divorced in December 2006. They had three children together during the course of their marriageJeffrey, Marcus, and Jasmine. The following year, Michael Jordan made newsthis time as the father of an upand-coming college basketball player. His eldest son, Jeffrey Jordan, made the team at the University of Illinois. Both Michael Jordan and his ex-wife Juanita have supported their son and tried to help him deal with playing in the shadow of a NBA legend. "He wants to be a basketball player, but he wants to do it on his own terms...The thing that we have tried to tell Jeff is that you set your own expectations. By no means in this world can you ever live up someone else's expectations of who you are," Michael Jordan said during an appearance on the Today show. In April 2009, Jordan received one of basketball's greatest honors: He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Attending the induction ceremony was a bittersweet affair for Jordan because being at the event meant "your basketball career is completely over," he explained. While he may not be playing on the court, Jordan remains active in his sport. He became the majority owner of the Charlotte Bobcats in 2010 and serves as the team's chairman. And improving the team's less-than-stellar record seems to be Jordan's number one priority these days. He told ESPN in November 2012 that "I don't anticipate getting out of this business. My competitive nature is I want to succeed. It's always been said that when I can't find a way to do anything, I will find a way to do it." Outside of his work with the Charlotte Bobcats, Jordan is involved in a number of business ventures, including several restaurants. He also does a lot for charity, including hosting the annual golf event known as the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational. He is engaged to model Yvette Priesto. http://www.biography.com/people/michael-jordan-9358066?page=1 NAME : Michael Phelps

ZODIAC SIGN : Cancer Swimmer Michael Phelps has set the record for winning the most medals, 22, of

OCCUPATION BIRTH DATE PLACE OF BIRTH

: Professional Swimmer : June 30, 1985 : Baltimore, Maryland

any Olympic athlete in history. Born on June 30, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland, Michael Phelps competed in his first Olympics at the age of 15 as part of the U.S. mens swim team. He went on to compete in the summer games for Athens, Beijing and London, and accumulated a total of 22 medals18 gold, two silver and two bronzesetting the record for the most medal wins of any Olympic athlete. He announced his retirement in 2012. Early Life: Michael Fred Phelps was born on June 30, 1985 in Baltimore, Maryland, to Fred and Debbie Phelps. The youngest of three children, Michael Phelps and his sisters grew up in the neighborhood of Rodgers Forge. His father, Fred, an all-around athlete, was a state trooper; mother Debbie was a middle-school principal. When Phelps's parents divorced in 1994, he and his siblings went to live with their mother, with whom Michael grew very close. Phelps began swimming when his two older sisters, Whitney (born in 1978) and Hilary (born in 1980), joined a local swim team. Whitney tried out for the U.S. Olympic team in 1996, at the age of 15, but injuries derailed her career. At age 7, Phelps was still "a little scared" to put his head under water, so his instructors allowed him to float around on his back. Not surprisingly, the first stroke he mastered was the backstroke. After he saw swimmers Tom Malchow and Tom Dolan compete at the 1996 Summer Games in Atlanta, Phelps began to dream of becoming a champion. He launched his swimming career at the Loyola High School pool. He met his coach, Bob Bowman, when he started training at the North Baltimore Aquatic Club at the Meadowbrook Aquatic and Fitness Center. The coach immediately recognized Phelps's talents and fierce sense of competition and began an intense training regime together. By 1999, Phelps had made the U.S. National B Team. At the age of 15, Phelps became the youngest American male swimmer at an Olympic Games in 68 years. While he didn't win a medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, he would soon become a major force in competitive swimming. World-Renowned Olympic Medalist: In the spring of 2001, Phelps set the world record in the 200-meter butterfly, becoming the youngest male swimmer in history (at 15 years and 9 months) to ever set a world swimming record. He then broke his own record at the 2001 World Championships in Fukuoka, Japan, with a time of 1:54:58, earning his first international medal. Phelps continued to set new marks at the 2002 U.S. Summer Nationals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, establishing a new world record for the 400-meter individual medley, and U.S. records in the 100-meter butterfly and the 200-meter individual medley. The following year, at the same event, he broke his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley with a time of 4:09.09. Shortly after graduating from Towson in 2003, a 17-year-old Phelps set five world records, including the 200-meter individual medley at the World Championships in Barcelona, Spain, with a time of 1:56:04. Then during the U.S. trials for the 2004 Summer Olympics, he broke his own world again in the 400 meter individual medley, with a time of 4:08:41. Phelps became a superstar at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, winning eight medals (including six gold), tying with Soviet gymnast Aleksandr Dityatin (1980) for the most medals in a single Olympic Games. Phelps scored the first of six gold medals on August 14, when he broke his own world record in the 400-meter individual medley, shaving 0.15 seconds of his previous mark. He also won gold in the 100-meter butterfly, 200-meter butterfly, 200-meter individual medley, 4-by-200-meter freestyle relay and 4-by-100-meter medley relay). The two events in Athens, in which Phelps took bronze medals, were 200meter freestyle and the 4-by-100-meter freestyle relay. Just weeks following his triumph in Athens, Phelps was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol in Salisbury, Maryland, after cruising through a stop sign.

He pleaded guilty to driving while impaired, was sentenced to 18 months probation, fined $250, ordered to speak against drinking and driving to high school students, and ordered to attend a Mothers Against Drunk Driving meeting. Michael called it an "isolated incident," but admitted to letting himself and his family down. Phelps soon followed coach Bowman to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, studying sports marketing and management. Bowman coached the Wolverines' swim team and guided Club Wolverine, of which Phelps was once a member. Phelps continued to establish world records at the 2006 Pan Pacific Championships in Victoria, British Columbia, and the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, Phelps won gold in the 4-by-100-meter individual relay, 4-by-100-meter freestyle relay, 200-meter freestyle, 200-meter butterfly, 4-by-200-meter freestyle relay, 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter butterfly. Every gold medal performance set a new world record, except the 100-meter butterfly, which set an Olympic record. Phelps also set the all-time single Olympics gold-medal record, surpassing swimmer Mark Spitz's 1972 record of seven golds; he had won his 14th career gold medal, the most gold won by any Olympian. In 2012, Phelps's Olympic medal increased to 22 and he set a new record for most Olympic medals, beating gymnast Larisa Latynina's prior record of 18. At the 2012 Olympic Games, held in London, he won four gold medals, in the 4-by-200meter freestyle relay, 200-meter individual medley, 100-meter butterfly and 4-by100-meter medley relay; and two silver medals, in the 4-by-100-meter freestyle relay and 200-meter butterfly. Phelps also holds the record for the most gold medals won in a single Olympics (eight gold medals at Beijing in 2008). Other Projects: In addition to his successful swim career, Phelps has written two books. His second book, No Limits: The Will to Succeed, hit bookstores on December 9, 2008. Phelps also co-founded the nonprofit organization Swim with the Stars, which holds camps for swimmers of all ages. http://www.biography.com/people/michael-phelps-345192

NAME OCCUPATION BIRTH DATE EDUCATION University PLACE OF BIRTH ORIGINALLY

: Tiger Woods : Golfer : December 30, 1975 (Age: 36) : Western High School, Stanford : Cypress, California : Eldrick Tont Woods

ZODIAC SIGN : Capricorn Professional golf player Tiger Woods was the youngest man (at the age of 21) and the first African-American to win the U.S. Masters. Professor golf player Tiger Woods was born in Cyprus, California on December 30, 1975. Woods won the U.S. Masters at Augusta in 1997 with a record score at the age of 21. He was the youngest man and first African American to earn the title. In 2009, Woods took a hiatus from golf, returning in 2010, but as his personal life took a turn for the worse, the golfer was not at the top of his game. In 2012, Woods won the AT&T National, becoming the secondleading golfer for PGA winsbeating Jack Nicklaus's long-held record for the spot. Golf Prodigy: Athlete. Born Eldrick Tont Woods on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California, as the only child of an African-American Army officer father and a Thai mother.

His father began calling Woods by the nickname "Tiger" in honor of a fellow soldier and friend who had the same moniker. Woods learned to play golf as a child. His father, Earl, served as his teacher and mentor. Around the age of eight, Woods had become extremely proficient at the game, showing off his skills on such television shows as Good Morning America. He studied at Stanford University, and won a number of amateur U.S. golf titles before turning professional in 1996. Woods shot to fame after winning the U.S. Masters at Augusta in 1997with a record score of 270at the age of 21. Woods was the youngest man to earn the title, and the first African-American to accomplish this feat. In his first appearance at the British Open later that year, Woods tied the course record of 64. The next few years brought even more successes, including four US PGA titles, three U.S. Open wins, three Open Championship wins, and three U.S. Masters wins. In 2003, among Woods' five wins were the Buick Invitational and the Western Open. The next year, Woods won only one official PGA Tour championship. While he may have had some challenges on the course, his personal life was running smoothly. Woods married his longtime girlfriend Elin Nordegren, a Swedish model, in October of 2004. Returning to dominate the sport, he won six championships in 2005 and was voted the PGA Tour Player of Year for the seventh time in nine years. Personal Life: Woods experienced a great personal loss in 2006. His father died in May after battling prostate cancer. Woods remarked on his website at the time, "My dad was my best friend and greatest role model, and I will miss him deeply." Despite his grief, Woods returned to golf and won several events, including the PGA championship and the British Open. The next season was marked by many wins personally and professionally. His wife gave birth to the couple's first child, Sam Alexis Woods, on June 18, 2007. After taking some time off to welcome his daughter, he won the World Golf Championship and US PGA Championship in August 2007. The next month, Woods' winning ways continued, garnering the top spot at the BMW Championship and The Tour Championship. He was named Player of the Year by the other participants in the PGA Tour and won his eighth Arnold Palmer Award for being the lead money earner on the tour. Woods won the U.S. Open on June 16, 2008, in a 19-hole playoff, overcoming sporadic pain in his left knee from arthroscopic surgery performed on April 15. Woods shot a par four on the first and only hole of sudden death while American Rocco Mediate, 45, settled for a bogey. The sudden death duel at Torrey Pines in San Diego followed an 18-hole playoff, which saw the two finish at par. In that playoff, Woods led Mediate by three shots after the first ten holes. Mediate then birdied three of the next five holes and took the lead. But on the final hole, Woods birdied while Mediate shot par, forcing the sudden death playoff."I think this is probably the best ever," Woods said. "All things considered, I don't know how I ended up in this position, to be honest with you." The victory gave Woods his third U.S. Open championship and 14th major title. He's now just four behind the all-time record held by Jack Nicklaus. Inury and Comeback: Two days later, Woods announced he would miss the rest of the season because his left knee requires more reconstructive surgery. He also revealed he suffered a double stress fracture in his left tibia two weeks before the U.S. Open tournament, ignoring doctors' advice to take six weeks off to let it heal. Woods and his wife announced September 2, 2008, that they were expecting their second child in late winter. "Elin is feeling great and we are both thrilled," Woods said on his Web site. "While my injury has been disappointing and frustrating, it has allowed me to spend a lot of time watching Sam grow. I can't begin to tell you

how rewarding it is being a dad and spending time with her and Elin." The couple welcomed baby boy Charlie Axel Woods on February 8, 2009. Several weeks later, on February 25, 2009, Woods returned to the green in the Accenture Match Play Championship in Tucson, Arizona. Woods played against South African golfer Tim Clark, losing 4 to 2 in his first tournament since his injury. In June of 2009, Woods competed again in the U.S. Open. After putting a four-over-par in the first round, Woods quickly fell out of contention for the win. Although Woods' comeback had not been as auspicious as he'd hoped, he remained No. 1 in the Official World Golf Rankings, and continued to be the leader in top 10 finishes overall. But after losing the PGA title to Yang Yong-eun, Woods finished the year without a single major winthe first time he had done so since 2004. Marriage Under the Spotlight: While his life on the green seemed lackluster, his personal life was in an even more serious tailspin. In late November, reports surfaced about a tryst between Woods and nightclub manager Rachel Uchitel. Both parties denied a relationship, despite photographic evidence that seemed to indicate otherwise. On November 27, as the story gained traction, media outlets announced that Woods had collided into a fire hydrant outside his home at 2:30 in the morning. Reports said that Woods' wife had broken the back window of the golfer's SUV with a golf club in order to get him out of the locked car. The golfer's injuries were not serious, and he was quickly released. The accident aroused suspicions with fans and the media, who instantly pushed for a statement from Woods. But the golfer remained silent on the matter, and mysteriously dropped out of his charity golf tournament, the Chevron World Challenge. He then announced that he would not be attending any other tournaments in 2009. As the silence grew, so did reports of other Woods mistresses. On December 2, 2009, Woods offered an apology to his fans and family, expressing regret for unnamed "transgressions." But as the mistress count rose to more than a dozen women, with phone evidence to back many claims, Woods was unable to suppress media inquiries into his life. Woods was said to have offered his wife a renegotiation of their prenuptial agreement in order to compel her to stick by him, but reports soon surfaced that Nordgren had purchased a home in Sweden with her sister. Photographers then spotted the former model without her wedding ring. Comeback: On December 11, 2009, Woods apologized again to fansthis time, admitting to infidelity. He then announced that he would be taking a hiatus from golf in order to tend to his family. Several days later, he lost his endorsement deal with management company, Accenture, and was suspended from his Gilette endorsement. Other companies, including Nike, Tag Heuer and EA Sports, continue to stand by Woods. Woods made a return to golf in April of 2010, but the golfer was not quite at the top of his game. His first competition at the 2010 Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia, ended in a fourth place spot for Woods. On May 9, after not making the cut for the Quail Hollow Championship, Woods withdrew from The Players Championship during the fourth round due to a neck injury. Woods made his return to golf four weeks later at The Memorial Tournament, making his worst finish in the tournament since 2002. At the 2010 U.S. Open, Woods finished the tournament in a tie for fourth place. Woods' personal life also seemed to be taking a turn for the worse, as news of a possible divorce settlement hit media outlets. The rumored $750 million settlement allegedly included properties in Sweden, and the family home in California for Nordegren, in exchange for his wife's permanent silence on Woods' philandering. Reports also said Nordegren retained full physical custody of their 3-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son, and Woods agreed not to introduce his children to a new woman unless he married her. If the divorce settlement is

finalized, it will be one of the largest settlements in history. In the summer of 2012, Woods won the AT&T National, becoming the secondleading golfer for PGA wins. He beat Jack Nicklaus's long-held record for the spot. http://www.biography.com/people/tiger-woods-9536492 ONE SUCCESS FACTOR THAT IS COMMON AMONG THEM: Roger Federe: Muhammad Ali, Pele, Tiger Woods, Michael Schumacher and Michael Jordan are arguably the greatest proponents of their respective sports, Roger Federer made a compelling case for joining that pantheon of greats after securing a record-equaling seventh Wimbledon title. http://edition.cnn.com/2012/07/09/sport/tennis/wimbledon-federer-greatesttennis/index.html Success Factors Tiger Woods: Few athletes in any sport have captured our imagination like Tiger Woods. His endless supply of highlight-reel shots and consistent domination of professional golf leave many of us wondering how he does it. Natural talent and a healthy killer instinct are merely the tip of the iceberg for what makes the world's greatest athlete tick. Tiger's unique personality attributes and competitive disposition set him apart from the pack. He is committed to something beyond merely winning; he's committed to the pursuit of personal excellence, and he loves all aspects of it. To truly appreciate and benefit from Tiger's example, look beyond the towering drives and fist-pumping clutch putts: How Tiger Does It goes deeper than any other volume on Tiger to unearth his personality and behavior attributes, showing you how to apply them to your own life. After reading this book, you will be able to Adopt a relaxed, fearless approach to competition so you can enter the zone at will Achieve peak performance and avoid choking in pressure-filled competitive situations Create life circumstances that promote complete focus, efficient time management, and optimum stress/rest balance Make work feel like play to realize the highest expression of your talents Achieve physical, mental, and emotional balance, maintaining a healthy perspective and positive attitude--win or lose You'll learn to model Tiger through three success factors-- focus, a work-play ethic, and a balanced approach--in the process banishing self-limiting beliefs, balancing killer instinct with a fearless competitive disposition, and objectively evaluating your own performance, regardless of your chosen endeavor. Golfers and nongolfers alike will enjoy an entertaining blend of Tiger anecdotes from his peers on the PGA Tour and respected observers in the media, pointed insights from a rare author who brings a world-class athletic background to his prose, and instructions on putting everything together to create your own success plan. http://www.mcgrawhill.ca/professional/products/9780071545648/how+tiger+does +it/ Michael Jordan: Michael Jordan have been an NBA basketball fan since young. In the midst of the NBA legends, Michael Jordan is probably the only timeless superstar who inspire awe, admiration and respect for people around the world. Over the last twenty years, no single basketball player has achieved the kind of cult status like Michael Jordan. His ability to turn around critical situation in a

game is simply mesmerizing. His superman image has created profound inspiration for millions of fans. Michael Jordan epitomizes the character strength of tenacity and determination, which has had tremendous influence on the personality development of countless teenager fans since his time. Despite his quiet demeanor, Michael Jordan has an immense internal drive that never allow himself to be defeated. Deep inside, he was not one to challenge. His ability to rise up and strike down an opponent was simply awe-inspiring, to which he said: "Unless I'm challenged you don't see the mean streak in me." The indomitable competitive spirit in Michael Jordan has made him the most feared and respected opponent for other NBA players. In the lyrics of "Don't Mess Around With Jim", Jim Crose described Michael Jordan most aptly: "You don't tug on superman's cape, you don't spit into the wind, and you never pick against Michael Jordan." After losing to The Bulls in 1998, New Jersey Nets coach John Calipari said: "Playing against Michael is like playing blackjack against the dealer. He ain't losing." When Madonna was asked about her favorite player when she was at the Bulls game, she said:"M.J. is an amazing human. A god. If I could coma back as another person, it'd be as him." It is interesting to know what had attributed to Michael Jordan's enormous drive to win. One argument has it that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team, and the devastating trauma of the event had given birth to an extremely competitive spirit that refuses to be beaten. This mentality has made him one of the world's greatest athletes ever. In psychology terms, "drive" is synonymous to "arousal". It is an emotionally charged state that results from a competitive nature. The degree of arousal or drive, up to a certain level, is the key determinant of the quality of performance whether in sports or business. Beyond that optimal level of arousal, any extra drive will only cause performance to decline. This state of optimal performance only last for a short time, during which the mind, body and emotional system are closely aligned. It is a transcendental state where one is optimally situated between euphoria and depression, boredom and excitement, and relaxation and anxiety. In sports, athletes who are in such optimal state are known to be "in the zone". It is the state of "flow" that Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi talked about in his book: "Flow". He said: "Flow is a highly focused state of relaxation concentration that obliterates all else out of consciousness. It is the state of self-actualization or transcendental behavior that is euphoric." Michael Jordan's success lies not just in his extreme competitiveness, but also in his ability to swiftly and frequently enter the flow state, or to be "in the zone". When he is "in the zone", he can jump with amazing ease, float through the air in gravity-defying grace, and never miss a shot. It is the state of euphoria that is addictive. He knows it when he is there. When in the flow state, he simply becomes unstoppable. This is the same experience you probably may have had in the past when you find yourself doing everything with amazing ease, as if aided by some divine forces. It is indeed the divine force that is within you when you are in that optimal state of mind, body and emotional alignment. How can we enter into such flow state? Being competitive is important but it alone does not help, because competitive drive can only induce anxiety. Anxiety up to a certain level is key to achieving flow state, but any excess of it will not lead to optimal performance. There is a very fine line that exists between under-stressed and over-stressed. The secret of optimal performance is found somewhere in the middle. According to psychologist, a maximum potential for achievement is reached when a subject performs under moderately stressful situation. In sports, optimal performance is seen when two opponents are closely matched. Any significant gap in the proficiency of opponent will not bring out the best in the other. To the elite sportsman, their closest rival has a special place in their

personal pursuit of excellence. Their closest rival is that unique person who has the ability to push them to perform their best. The key success factors of Michael Jordan provide valuable insights on what we all can do to create success in our life: - Find something that you are truly passionate about; - Committed to massive amount of hard work to perfect the core skill sets, and enjoying it in the process; - Strengthen your mind power with determination and resilience; - Learn to harness the state of relaxed but intense concentration by regular practice of meditation and creative visualization, which improves the alignment of your mind, body and emotion, and enhance your ability to enter the flow state. If you can experience flow state regularly in the activities that you pursue, winning in itself is no longer important, although you will inevitably be performing at your best. It is the euphoria state of being in the flow that brings immense joy and fulfillment to life, in its moment-to-moment experience. This is the essence of successful living. http://www.articlesbase.com/self-improvement-articles/the-success-secrets-ofmichael-jordan-410324.html Roger Federer: Roger Federer says that talent, training, and the mental game are his three drivers of success. http://www.peaksportsnetwork.com/public/181.cfm Sometimes you just need to work harder in order to reach your goals. Its as simple as that. In Roger Federers case, perhaps that was enough to propel him to an incredible 7th Wimbledon title. But, a bit of luck didnt hurt either, and may have been the other factor that led to his success, helping him end a 2.5 year drought of Grand Slam tennis championships and regain the rank of best male tennis player in the world. The mens Wimbledon final demonstrates the life lesson of how hard work plus luck leads to success. As the first century Roman philosopher Seneca, and my junior tennis coach Arthur Carrington used to say, luck is when opportunity meets preparation. One could argue that Roger Federer prepared well for the opportunity the luck that presented itself at Wimbledon 2012. Roger Federer is an incredibly talented athlete. The shots hes able to make on the tennis court are astounding at times. And, he makes it all look so easy, moving with such fluidity, balance and grace. Former tennis champion Jimmy Connors described Federers ability to do it all by saying, In an era of specialists, youre either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialistor youre Roger Federer. Not too long ago, everybody in the tennis world was saying things like, the greatest that ever played the game, when referring to Federer. Then, along came Rafael Nadal, who slowly, but surely demonstrated that he could dominate Roger in the big matches. All of a sudden, there was hushed talk about possibly moving the moniker of best ever over to the Spaniard, noting that if he kept on pace, it was just a matter of time before he accumulated as many titles. At this time, Roger was still playing great, but just not number-1-in-the-world-level great. Then, if Rogers troubles werent enough, along comes the rise of Novak Djokovic, from a player who held out so much promise at the start of his career, to somebody who was finally living up to his full potential. By the time the French Open started this past May 2012, Djokovic had won 3 grand slam tournaments in a row Wimbledon and the US Open in 2011, followed by the Australian Open at the start of 2012! This amazing feat made him the new it-guy on the mens tour rolling into the French. Now, it was looking like Roger would have to get through both Nadal and the Serbian master, both of whom were younger and stronger, in order to claim another grand slam championship. Things were not looking good for Roger Federer, and many started wondering if he could ever win another slam, with

these two other contenders in the mix, along with a 30-year old body that was no longer at its peak. Roger hadnt given up, though. He was very determined to do something different to turn his game around. During a post-match interview, he explained how he took time away from his family this past year to work on his game more. He had better results in many smaller events leading up to Wimbledon than he has had in the past. When he met Andy Murray in the Wimbledon final this past July 8, 2012, he looked like he was at the top of his game, playing as well as he has ever played. Not too shabby for a thirty year old J. So, working harder on his game paid off. But, it could also be argued that having a little luck certainly didnt hurt his chances either. There were three key opportunities that arose for Federer during Wimbledon 2012 that benefitted him. First, one major obstacle, former three-time Wimbledon champ Nadal, went out of the tournament shockingly early. Nadals loss may be at least partly attributed to how hard it is to come back from a highly emotional victory, as he had just won a record setting 7 th title at the French Open just a month earlier. Having Nadal out early meant that Federer wouldnt have to beat him something he had struggled to do in recent grand slams. The second opportunity that arose for Federer was when he met a not-100% Djokovic in the semifinals. Novak simply was not at his best. He played well, but wasnt as sharp or energized as he usually is. That was enough to give Roger the edge he needed for victory. The third opportunity for Federer came when the Wimbledon finals match was tied at one set each and they closed the roof. At the time, his opponent Andy Murray was playing the best tennis Andy Murray can play. Now, many might think that a closed roof doesnt mean much, but to a player like Roger Federer, it does. He is somebody who relies on much precision and touch. He can make incredible shots anytime, but when the factors like the sun and wind arent there, it just means that its that much easier for his precision game to roll. Had the roof not closed, the variable outdoor elements may have neutralized Federers strengths a bit more. A good life lesson indeed: work harder and be prepared for the luck that is, the opportunity that presents itself. http://www.karunaweb.com/life-lesson-of-hard-work-%E2%80%9Cluck %E2%80%9D-success-roger-federer-takes-his-7th-title-at-wimbledon/ Muhammad Ali : Ali either overvalues or undervalues his possessions and assets. He can also go to extremes in dealing with bodily needs and desires, being either hedonistic or ascetic. Muhammad Ali may deny himself sensual pleasure and enjoyment of the fruits of his labors. He may also be stingy and unable to give freely. Many times Muhammad Ali feels that he does not have "enough" to make him feel secure, regardless of how much (money, insurance, etc.) he has! He is very conscientious, responsible, and concerned with his duty, his public image and reputation, and becoming a person of stature in the world. Muhammad Ali understands the need for hard work and careful planning in order to accomplish anything substantial and he is capable of much self-discipline and patience once he sets his sights on a goal. But Muhammad Ali is very judgmental and hard on himself if he fails to attain success, and he can become dry, bitter, or cynical if the world does not recognize his efforts. He is serious and sincere about his interests, does not accept superficial answers and is not easily placated. Muhammad wants his inspirations to become reality and he does not mind upsetting a few apple carts in the process. Muhammad Ali becomes impatient with others for being hesitant to implement new ideas and take action, and his occasional outbreaks of brusque, insensitive behavior often do more harm than good. Because of his inner reserve and basic shyness, Muhammad Ali appears to lack

adaptability and is a bit inhibited in dealing with other people. His approach is somewhat serious and it is difficult for Muhammad to face the public. Muhammad Ali has a sense of duty and responsibility, but may find it difficult to make up his mind and come to a decision. Ali is somewhat slow to act, and his need to be fully prepared inclines him to let good opportunities slip away at times. Now we will discuss patterns of behavior which Muhammad Ali instinctively and habitually reverts to when under stress - a mostly subconscious process that he is apt to over indulge in because it is so familiar and hence easy for him. The direction Muhammad Ali needs to follow in order to develop balance, greater awareness, and wholeness is also described. His natural instinct, especially when under stress, is to passively go along with whatever is easiest, refrain from clearly analyzing or assessing his situation and perhaps even try to escape from seeing his situation clearly by indulging in fantasies, intoxicants, and the like. Dreaminess and impracticality, being unfocused and undefined (at least in certain areas) are ways Muhammad Ali copes with stress. Muhammad Ali also has trouble setting limits and saying no. His development path lies in cultivating discrimination and clarity, becoming more precise, and developing technical and practical skills that will enable Muhammad Ali to function more efficiently in the world. Finding a way to be of practical service is also important. It is in his dealings with money, financial security, tangible assets and possessions that he is most likely to wrestle with these issues. The qualities described above are ones Muhammad Ali needs to integrate in tangible ways: how he makes a living, building assets and a secure material base, what he does with the resources he has. Muhammad Ali should try to avoid over involvement or entanglements with other people's money matters, legal business, and personal affairs. He is a born leader and has the ability to persuade members of a group or association he belongs to. Ali always promotes the cultivation of good fellowship and teamwork, insuring success in any plans or joint undertakings he may pursue. http://famous-relationships.topsynergy.com/Muhammad_Ali/Challenges.asp Michael Phelps : When we saw Michael Phelps in the news and watched him perform at the Beijing Olympics, we saw a successful athelete. We heard about how he trained and even what he eats for breakfast. What we didn't hear much about were Michael's childhood experiences. Michael's experiences in elementary school will sound familiar to many parents of gifted children. According to Michael Winerip in his New York Times article "ADHD didnt keep Phelps from finding his focus on the gold," teachers, starting in preschool, complained about Michael, saying he "couldnt stay quiet at quiet time, ...wouldnt sit at circle time, ...didnt keep his hands to himself, [and] was giggling and laughing and nudging kids for attention." Michael's mother told one teacher that Michael might be bored and was told in response that Michael wasn't gifted. Another teacher told Ms. Phelps, "Your son will never be able to focus on anything." That clearly wasn't true, not today and not even then. Like many gifted children, Michael could focus on things he enjoyed. According to his mother, "Michael excelled in things he loved gym and hands-on lessons, like science experiments." Ms. Phelps used Michael's interest in sports to encourage his reading. She said he didn't like to read so she gave him the sports pages of their local newspaper. Even if he read nothing more than captions under the pictures, he was reading. That is an excellent strategy and one I often recommend to parents of reluctant readers. When Michael was nine, he was diagnosed with ADHD and put on Ritalin. His mother says she thought it helped a little, but Michael still did the minimum amount of school work required. After two years, Michael asked to be taken off Ritalin and his mother agreed. The success story here is not simply one about Michael's record-breaking performance at the Olympics, although that is definitely a major success. It is also

the story of the success that can be achieved when adults look at a gifted child, particularly one with ADHD, and see what that child can do, not what the child can't do. This is true whether the adults involved are teachers, coaches, or parents. http://giftedkids.about.com/b/2008/08/20/wordless-wednesday-seeing-shapes-inthe-clouds.htm "When I'm focused, there is not one single thing, person, anything that can stand in the way of my doing something. There is not. If I want something bad enough, I feel I'm gonna get there." Michael Phelps is one of the greatest competitors the world has ever seen. From teen sensation in Sydney to bona fide phenom in Athens, he is now -- after the Beijing Games -- a living Olympic legend. With an unprecedented eight gold medals and world-record times in seven events, his performance at the 2008 Games set a new standard for success. He ranks among the most elite athletes in the world, and is both an inspiration and a role model to millions. The incredible focus he exhibits in practice and during competition propels him forward to his unrivaled excellence. In No Limits, Michael Phelps reveals the secrets to his remarkable success, from his training regimen to his mental preparation and, finally, to his performance in the pool. Behind Phelps's tally of Olympic gold medals lies a consistent approach to competition, a determination to win, and a straightforward passion for his sport. Like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, he has learned to filter out distractions and deliver stellar performance under pressure. The road has not always been easy; from the very beginning, Phelps had to overcome physical setbacks and emotional trials. When he was younger, he was diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder; other kids bullied him; even a teacher said he would never be successful. Later, he had to work through injuries that jeopardized his career. In this book, Phelps talks for the first time about how he has overcome these and other challenges - about how to develop the mental attitude needed to persevere, not just in athletic competition but in life. His success is imbued with the perspective of overcoming the obstacles that come your way and believing in yourself no matter the odds. No Limits explores the hard work, commitment, and sacrifice that go into reaching any goal. Whether it is on the starting block during an Olympic swim meet or in the weight room on a typical day, Phelps's dedication has led him to unparalleled excellence. Filled with anecdotes from family members, friends, teammates, and his coach, No Limits gives a behind-the-scenes look at the makings of a real champion. One of Phelps's mottos is "Performance Is Reality," and it typifies his attitude toward achieving his goals. It's easy to get bogged down by doubt or to lose focus when a challenge seems out of reach, but Phelps believes that you can accomplish anything if you fully commit yourself to it. Using the eight final swims of the Beijing Olympics as a model, No Limits is a step-by-step guide to realizing one's dream. http://books.google.co.in/books/about/No_Limits.html? id=Th71H3sIlbkC&redir_esc=y Is it their Physical Strength or Mental/Emotional Strength Tiger Woods: Golf is a sport and athletes need to be strong. Many had heard that line before, but few believed it to be a determining factor until Tiger Woods changed the lifestyle of golf professionals who wanted to keep up with him. He was a frail 158-pound rookie five years ago but he seriously worked out to get his present-day form. One golf pro trainer even claims, "Tiger Woods is the strongest athlete, pound for pound, at Stanford." Recently, Golf magazine asked 100 top US golf trainers to specify Tiger Woods strengths and weaknesses.

Majority focused on his awesome physical strength, balanced with mental and emotional power. In a CNN report, they classified the PGA 2000 tour as a survival of the strongest. When they asked Tiger how important training was, he answered, "It difficult to compete against players who are so much stronger than you are. In any other sport, if you not stronger, you either going to get your butt kicked, run over, someone is going to hit more home runs than you. You just need to be stronger to keep up. Butch Harmon, coach to Tiger Woods and Greg Norman, emphasizes, "The golf swing is a great combination of power and athletic precision." Strong and flexible muscles are required to generate power and club head speed. Stamina and endurance are necessary to maintain focus for 18 holes. Good posture is important to achieve a proper ball address position and prevent injury. "To produce a good golf swing, these physical characteristics of posture, balance, flexibility, strength, power, timing and endurance must all work together in harmony. Of course, natural golf skill and technique are also important. But to get maximum results from your swing, and take full advantage of lessons and equipment, your body must be conditioned to meet the specific physical requirements of the game of golf,". http://www.philstar.com/health-and-family/85954/putting-more-swing-your-golf Roger Federer: I certainly think these guys at the top, they have very large teams they work with, said Jim Courier. They have become very scientific about their sweat loss and replacing the minerals very specifically with whats coming out of their bodies. And I think theyve really taken the science on the legal side up to the next level, which is interesting. I think they also have gotten much better at recovery. The important of the tennis performance specialist who is trained appropriately to work with tennis athletes and who understands how to get the most of the training aspects is paramount to success on the tennis court at any level. The one major area of improvement over the next decade is the area of recovery. Most players train less than 8 hours per day (tennis, physical etc), but have 16 hours or more to focus on recovery. This recovery is mental, physical, nutritional, emotional and requires the right environment with the correct recovery modalities from sleep, to nutrition, to massage, manipulations, adjustments, hot and/or cold treatments, acupuncture, laser and many other modalities that may help speed recovery. One of the best points in the article came from one of the best coaches over the last two decades Paul Annacone. Coach Annacone was the coach of Pete Sampras and now Roger Federer. He emphasized the point that Rafa is going to train totally different than Roger, and Roger will train totally different than Tsonga. This statement cannot be overemphasized for the tennis athlete at any level junior, collegiate, professional, adult league or senior. The training program for each athlete needs to be developed based around the strengths and weakness of the individual athlete, and some athletes need more tennis-specific endurance work, other athletes need more speed and power work, some need extra strength work, many athletes need flexibility work, while all younger athletes needs work on general athletic skills as a foundation to build upon as they age. The importance of having an individualized tennis-specific program for improving on-court performance and reducing injuries is now a requirement at the

highest levels of the game. This same professionalism of training is also being seen at the collegiate and junior levels. Over the next decade this trend is only going to continue, and the need for qualified and highly skilled professionals to work in this environment is only increasing. Check out the International Tennis Performance Association: your resources for the most current evidence-based information from the leading minds in the field of tennis-specific training and the leader in education and certification of professionals who work with tennis athletes at any level. http://www.itpa-tennis.org/1/archives/05-2012/1.html Michael Jordan: Why was Michael so mentally tough? Four things truly set Michael apart from his competition: 1. Committed - Michael made a commitment from early on that he was going to push himself to be the best. He was self-motivated enough to put in all the long hours it would take to perfect his game - whether or not a coach was watching him. Over his career, he continually developed new aspects of his game as well as took care of his body in the weight room. "I had locked in, committed to my goals. I've always believed that if you put in the work, the results will come. I don't do things halfheartedly." 2. Competitive - Michael is probably one of the most competitive people who ever lived. Whether it was basketball, business, or golf, Jordan had an intense desire to win. Opponents quickly learned not to challenge Michael with trash talk because he would take his game to another level and embarrass them. Competitiveness really encompasses two things - a strong desire to win as well as hating to lose. "I always had the ultimate goal of being the best. I feel that if I am considered one of the best players in the game, then I have to prove there is a reason for that." 3. Confident - Michael had supreme confidence in himself and his abilities. Even when he might have had an off night, he still wanted the ball at crunch time. Jordan's confidence was earned by all the hard work he put into his game. Michael was also confident because he focused more on the positive things he wanted to achieve instead of fearing failure. "I never looked at the consequences of missing a big shot. If I'm jumping into any situation, I'm thinking I'm going to be successful." 4. Leader - Michael Jordan was the undeniable leader of the Bulls. He held his teammates to a higher standard and made sure he walked his talk. If any of his teammates dared to slack off or disrupt the team such as Dennis Rodman, Michael quickly and effectively addressed the issue, often before coach Phil Jackson had to. Michael earned the respect of his teammates because of his commitment, competitiveness, and confidence. "The second I let down, particularly if I'm perceived as the leader of my team, I give others an opening to let down as well. If the person out front takes a day off or doesn't play hard, why should anyone else?" http://www.teamarete.com/ificouldbe.html Muhammad Ali: I know we just moved out of ski season, but skiing has so much to teach us about mental strength, confidence and confidenceathletic performance. So, Im going to begin this post with a reference to skiing. There you are in Lake Tahoe, Park City or perhaps Mammoth Mt. Youre standing at the top of black diamond run trying to no avail to convince yourself that you can ski a clean run. You keep telling yourself be confident and I can do it but it doesnt seem to help your confidence or your performance. Instead, the voice in your head is telling you, You havent had a clean run all day so why should this run be different? Typically, you get about halfway through the moguls when you start to tighten up because you just know youre going to miss a turn and either take a spill or have to stop. You want to be confident, since you know this is critical to your athletic performance, but you dont know what to do to build your confidence. So you stop, head off to the lodge and grab a hot

drink and sit by the fireplace. As an athlete in any sport this situation probably rings true for you, except perhaps the fireplace. It might show up each time you are challenging yourself to successfully complete a more demanding task, try a new maneuver, or to push through whatever is holding you back. To do so successfully requires that you believe you can do it. But, how can you be confident when its something you havent tried before or havent successfully accomplished? In this post, Ill address the difficult mental strength topic of confidence and give some ideas about how you can begin to build and control your confidence immediately! What is Confidence? To better understand confidence, Id like to make reference to a quote from a newspaper article from several years ago. Michael Jordan had started a specific basketball game going 0 for 9. The reporter asked MJ after the game, why he kept asking for the ball instead of ditching it to a player who had a hotter hand since he was honestly having an off night. Michaels comment was simple, he said he is not and never has been a 0 for 10 shooterso the next shot had to go in! What confidence in the face of seeming failure. Whereas most asked athletes would be hesitant taking more shots, Michael didnt allow this failure to affect his next shot; he maintained his belief in his ability to make a basket on his next shot. Simply put, confidence is your belief in your ability to succeed. While you probably already know that confidence is critical to performance, further support of this belief is found through research on lite athletes; high confidence is a skill that consistently characterizes lite athletes. However, being confident doesnt mean that you never doubt yourself. In fact, highly confident lite athletes report negative thoughts and concerns about performance. Being confident relates to performing well despite such concerns and negative thoughts. Keep this in mind the next time youre apprehensive about attempting a new skill or one that youve been having difficulty with, your apprehension doesnt mean you cant be successful. Unfortunately, confidence can be a difficult concept to get ones head around; it is a state that often times seems elusive and fleeting. One dropped pass, one missed shot or one bad run and your confidence can drop faster than the Hindenburg. Because of this, athletes and especially coaches often perceive that confidence is something you either have or you dont have. The reality is that confidence, just like other physical or mental strength skill, can be learned, built upon and control. Sure its simple to understand, but its not an easy task to accomplish. We understand and know how confidence relates directly to personal success and athletic performance and we also know it is a mental strength skill that you can learn. The question youre probably thinking is what can I do to bolster and build my confidence and have some control over? Mental Strength Strategies to Build Confidence Much of the understanding of how to build and support confidence can be credited to Albert Bandura. He conducted research on self-efficacy (selfconfidence) a concept that is closely related to confidence, and identified primary sources of self-efficacy. That is, he looked at the primary means by which people develop a belief in their abilities in given situations. Its from this research, as well as extensive interaction with athletes and coaches, that many of the following suggestions were developed. Keep in mind that these strategies will be relatively easy to implement when you performing well. Its when youre fumbling around, missing shots and generally performing poorly that its going to be quite a challenge to carry out these confidence building and confidence rescue strategies. However, it is exactly during these difficult times when you need keep and build the confidence in yourself. So be persistent and consistent in the implementation of these strategies and youll find your confidence will always be there for you.

Create and/or Look For Success: Through years of research it has been found that the best way to build confidence is through successful past performances. More simply put, success breeds confidence. No big shocker here, right? For most athletes and coaches, the surprise comes in understanding that successful performances doesnt just relate competition, which is often what is assumed. Athletes seem to think they need to win to build confidence. In reality, success can be found all areas of performancein the little things you do on a daily basis. Success can come from achieving a training goal you set for yourself or going for your morning one run when you really want to stay in bed. Success can be the two additional repetitions you crank out in gym or simple as maintaining a positive attitude throughout training. Success can also be executing correct technique through a difficult part a performance in practice. Your goal here is to find and/or create a daily success journal that will help you build confidence. Model Other Successful Athletes: Another effective means of developing confidence is through the process of modeling (the success of others). You can experience success vicariously by watching someone else successfully execute a skill or accomplish a task that you are learning or want to perfect. Watching a teammate successfully execute a specific maneuver or skill will diminish your apprehension and provide you with a sense of confidence that you can execute that skill.what one can do, any can do. Using this strategy, you might videotape another athlete performing the skill, challenge or run or event, i.e. skiing a difficult slop, in track and field video a 110 hurled race. Then you can use visualization to see yourself executing the same run/performance with the results you want. Imagine the boost to your confidences having seen someone else do something and then seeing yourself experiencing success. Act As If: Im sure youve heard the saying, fake it until you make it, havent you? Well, theres a lot of truth behind this axiom. Your thoughts, feelings and behaviors are always linked. If you behave as if you have no confidence, this will unquestionably influence your thoughts and feelings related to your confidence. Conversely, if you act confident, this will help trigger a confident mindset. So, how does a confident person behaving act? Well find one and model themever hear of Muhammad Ali? In addition, some typical responses might include; head held high, shoulders back, a slight bounce or strut in one step, control of precompetition anxiety, wanting to be challenged and even seeking out challenges, and a focus on oneself. Begin acting the part of a confident athlete and you will be a confident athlete. Take Your Ps With You: Ps? No that that PPs as in Positives. Confidence can be built and enhanced by keeping your positives and successes in the forefront. When confidence is shaky, there is a tendency to fall back to the negatives, to mistakes and deficiencies i.e. I missed again, Why cant I do this? Thoughts and focus need to be purposely directed to your positives. Before starting a practice or event, instead of focusing on what you missed, remind yourself of the things you did right, that you could do again. Focus on Achievable Goals: Setting realistic daily goals is especially valuable strategy when things are going poorly, when you are struggling with your performance and in your confidence. You need to experience success and quickly. The best way to do this is to identify daily goals that are challenging but do-able to set yourself up for success.Unfortunately, when struggling, athletes often compare themselves to their best performances, i.e. I used to do this run under one minute and now Im not even close, Last month I lifted 25 lbs. Stop thinking about what you used

to and focus on what you WANT to do and accomplish (today). Be Aware of Your Self-Talk: We all know the importance of talking positively to help build confidence. But, simply saying to yourself, be confident is not enough and most likely will not really have an effective. A better approach is to program yourself, through your self talk, to be confident. That is, you can tell yourself what specifically you need to do, i.e., catch the pass, youre your line, stay tucked. You can also tell yourself why you can and will be successful, i.e. youve trained hard or youve done this in practice a dozen times. Remember, this is not an easy task. It is one thing to say it and quite another to say it with conviction.There ya goby implementing these mental strength strategies for building confidence youre on your way to controlling, managing and programming your confidence. Be patient, as this wont happen overnight unless you want it to. And with commitment and discipline you can learn these skills of confidence and achieve peak performanceIn the words of Chuck Knox (NFL coach) One of the most important qualities for young athletes is the ability to believe in oneself. If you have confidence in yourself, in your teammates and in your coach, you will succeed. http://www.warriormindcoach.com/blog/2011/05/12/mental-strength-confidenceand-athletic-performance/ Micheal Phelps: The whole world saw Micheal Phelps win his eighth gold medal last night. The whole world knows that it was history in the making. But heres what the world doesnt know The races were probably the easiest thing Phelps has done. Let me put it this way, Michael Phelps works out every day. He works out HARD every day. Its painful. Do you think that he ever feels like NOT working out? Im sure that many times he doesnt feel like it, but does it anyway. He doesnt let himself negotiate with himself not to train. Thats what winners do. Im sure that many people now want to become the next Michael Phelps. Developing the physical skills of Phelps will take a long time, but you can instantly become just as great as him by having the same mental toughness and attitude that he has. http://edtseng.com/2008/08/message-384-what-you-dont-know-about-michaelphelps

"Success is a process, quality of the mind and how attitudes, affirmation of life out "- Alex Noble Studies low overhead shows how great the power The subconscious mind is built through affirmations positive sentences in achieving one's dreams. One of the great people who apply is Muhammad Ali. That one is critical success factor examples Before he step into the ring and fight with his opponent, in a television interview, Ali admitted he always doing affirmations. "I'm a great boxer. Whatever happens, I remain boxer terrific. I am the best boxer in the world "so she thought.

When reporters asked why, Ali replied, "That line gave self-confidence, strengthen wishes and round concentration on the target you want I am tired. If ultimately I failed, I'm going to learn from failures and practice even harder to succeed. " Ali also added, "The mind is very effect, the mind may be the cause of the failure and can also a supporter of success. The mind is the source of confidence. " Ali was a world boxing champion Legendary all-time. Confidence is a big influence for career success and life. Therefore, cultivate great confidence in themselves. If you want to succeed and success in any case. http://critical-factors.blogspot.in/2012/10/self-confidence-is-big-influencefor.html Most people are familiar with world-famous boxer Muhammad Ali, and his renowned trainer Angelo Dundee. What most people dont know is that just before every boxing match; Dundee would write a number on a small slip of paper and place it inside Alis glove. That may sound like a strange thing to give a boxer right before a fight, but Dundee had a reason for what he did. The number that Dundee wrote on the slip of paper was the round in which he predicted Ali would knock out his opponent. Dundee was so confident in Alis ability that he didnt just guess whether or not Ali would win, but when he would win and Ali knew it. I love that story because it shows the confidence Alis trainer had in him, and it shows the positive effect it had on Ali. I believe confidence played a tremendous part in the champs amazing success as one of the greatest boxers who ever lived. Dundee was certain of Alis success, and the confidence that he instilled in his friend helped give Ali a champions mentality. In the same way, the One who created you is certain of your ability to succeed. After all, He placed it there. Even when youre not certain of the outcome, God has confidence in you. Let that sink down into your heart today the God who holds the universe in the palm of His hand has faith in you. When you really embrace that truth, it will cause you to have a champions mentality a champions confidence. Do you think Muhammad Ali was ever afraid? Do you think that fear was ever a factor before he entered the ring to trade blows with the likes of Sonny Liston, Joe Frazier, or George Foreman? My guess would be yes. But I am certain that when he felt that little piece of paper in his glove, he knew without a doubt that the man who knew him best believed in him. That is when he pushed past his fear and marched towards his destiny. The little piece of paper Angelo Dundee planted inside Alis glove may have done more to make Ali the legend he is today than most people will ever know. Youre likely not a professional boxer and neither am I, but if you look deep inside of yourself you will find that something has been placed in you by the One who knows you best. God knew you even before you were ever born. He knows your abilities better than anyone else, and He believes in you. When He created you, He planted inside of you His seeds of greatness. Everything you need in order to be successful in your relationships, on your job, and in every area of life is inside of you.

The fact is, if Muhammad Ali didnt know that little piece of paper was in his glove, it would have had no effect. Likewise, it is important that you recognize and understand what God has placed inside of you seeds of strength, joy, peace, and His vision for your life. Once you understand this, you will be able to push past your fears and uncertainties with confidence and move into your destiny. When you think about it, the little note that Angelo Dundee placed in Alis glove was really just a piece of paper with a number on it. It did nothing until it became a part of Alis thinking. In much the same way, the seeds that God placed inside of you can lie dormant until they are planted in the soil of your mind. I encourage you to open your mind and heat and ask God to bring your seeds to fruition. When fear comes against you, His seed will spring to life and give you the confidence you need to push past that fear and into your destiny. http://www.albertaspeakers.com/Articles/Living%20with%20Confidence.pdf Roger Federer When Paul Annacone joined the Federer team about two years ago, one of the first remarks he made about the Swiss maestro was his attitude. He marveled at just how insanely positive Roger was and remained. At the time, he was #3 in the rankings, with immense pressure from the media and press about his career. They were saying he was done, on his way out. He may never win another slam, let alone reclaim world #1. They were wrong. After perhaps the most painful loss of his career, he would end the season with a 17-0 streak. He won titles in Basel, Paris, and for the fifth time, he went undefeated at the season ending World Tour Finals. It would wrap up his 2011, with a record breaking sixth title at the year end event. Then the perseverance was shown in 2012. Titles have piled up. Rotterdam, Dubai, Indian Wells, Madrid, Wimbledon, Cincinnati. The Swiss maestro has won three masters 1000 titles and six titles overall, compared to four titles for Nadal (all on clay), and three each for Djokovic and Murray. Staggering numbers, mountain high records. 17 grand slams, 75 career titles, 21 masters 1000 titles (tied with Nadal), nearly 300 weeks at world #1, and counting. When Novak Djokovic reached the US Open semifinals, he tied Ivan Lendl for 10 consecutive grand slam semifinals. It would be record breaking, but Federer has made 23 consecutive grand slam semifinals, along with 10 straight grand slam finals. Who owns the second longest streak? Federer again, with another 8 straight. While he makes it look so easy, he has dominated the sport gracefully like no other. Now at 31, he is once again world #1. His level of motivation and desire intimidates many. Roger Federer is one of a kind. Age is irrelevant. Blessed with a genuine and loving wife, a family and team of coaches and trainers who form his small circle, the Swiss maestro is real. Tennis has risen in popularity. Todays generation has realized the factors of value which Federer has for over a decade perfected. Djokovic, Nadal, and Murray all have long time girlfriends, bringing a peaceful balance to their personal lives. Their families, coaches and trainers (sans Murray; working with Lendl since 2012) have all been part of their team for years and their relationships have been through the ups and downs together. Nobody gave up. Fall down seven times. Stand up eight. With 2012 drawing to a close, 2013 on the horizon and years yet to come, the Swiss maestro will play on. He will continue to give press conferences and interviews in four languages, meet and greet fans in his natural, genuine manner. More records. More titles. More trophies. More amazing shot-making. http://federerfan07.com/2012/09/20/roger-federer-greatness-in-value/ My mind went back to US Open 2009 where Roger Federer was a set up and 5-4

in the second set and still ended up losing the match. That was still alright but come 2011, he lost the French Open Final once again to his friend/rival Rafael Nadal. To add misery to his year, he lost the QF of his favorite GS -Wimbledon after being 2 sets up. Then came all the talks about his being turning 30 and how his era seems to be on the decline. If this was not enough, he had a shocking and humiliating defeat by the hands of the player of the year-Novak Djokovic at US Open (after having 2 Match points in his bag) What can be more disappointing than the feeling that one day-you are the indisputable king of the world and the other day, you have been failed by your own standards and the entire world doubting your abilities! You are bound to give up in lifewont you? But then thats not who Roger Federer is. He didnt give up or grieve about his loss, took a break of 6 weeks and came back stronger than ever: Wimbledon, World No. 1, Olympic Silver Medal and now Cincinnati Open. No one predicted this kind of comeback from this champion after his loss in Australian Open and French Open this year. While everyone was writing off his chances, he was busy preparing himself for his goals in life. The Reason for his success: He Never Ever Gave Up. He is an experienced person who knows what he is capable of and what he can achieve. Even during those tough moments, he didnt stop believing in himself . Its very easy for all of us in life to blame our failures on destiny and not work hard enough to find out where the real problem lies. In Federers own words: I went through some tough moments as well where I was frustrated and I didn't like it as much. But, I don't know. I always stay positive. I'm a very positive person During the 6 week break after US Open 2011, Mirka (his wife) told him: Its O.K. to lose one or two matches very closely, but you cant start losing more and more and more. Then maybe somethings wrong in your corner. So you just have to question yourself and check with the entire team, see what everybody thinks. Isnt this true for all of us too that something might be wrong in our corner. If we havent been able to achieve our goals, then there is something still to be improved upon by ourselves. So next time, when you think of quitting, remember that quitting for sure will not make you reach the goals but trying hard enough in a smart way can definitely help you inch closer toward the goal post. Life is all about preparing, competing, dealing with tough situations and seeing how you are doing. You never know what can happen and thats what makes it so thrilling. So always have faith, never ever give up and go for your goals. "There maybe tough moments maybe for, you know, an hour or a couple of days potentially, but life goes on and you get a second chance. Everyday push yourself and strive for trying to be better than the day you were before because everything else won't do your job. Being manage to able to do all those things can create really extra ordinary things that you thought was never possible" - Roger Federer http://healthnsports4u.blogspot.in/2012/02/roger-federer-his-secret-ofsuccess.html

Michael Jordan "I think one of the coolest things that I loved about him was it didn't matter what he had going on off the court or if he was sick or this, that. He never used an excuse," explains the man who has twice tied the record with eight medals of any type at a single Olympics. "He came out every single night on the court and did what he had to do to get his job done. That's what champions do. It doesn't matter what else is going on when you walk in to your arena, whatever you excel at, youre there to take care of the job that you have to do." http://piersmorgan.blogs.cnn.com/2012/07/27/michael-phelps-on-michael-jordanhe-came-out-every-single-night-on-the-court-and-did-what-he-had-to-do-to-gethis-job-done-thats-what-champions-do/ As I set down my cup of pure Columbian-brewed coffee, I suddenly realized that when we demand more from ourselves, even gravity has to relent. The sweat on Michael Jordan's forehead was achieved by his single-minded dedication to excellence. No one could deny Michael Jordan graciously gave us every drop of sweat he had. But it was during my own pursuit for the answer to those miniscule droplets dangling on his forehead, that I had unwittingly stumbled across something else-- I realized what every drop of sweat could mean. All of us know about Michael's leaping ability, but not everyone is aware that Michael Jordan exhibited super-powers of a sort throughout his career. At times, if Jordan decided to, he could suspend himself in mid-air, floating above the net. It's not that he jumped higher than anyone else. He just stayed up there longer. How was that possible? How can a man defy gravity? Apparently gravity had little effect on his desire for excellence and determination to reach a higher level. We can each reach this new level of achievement by drawing on the strength of our experience. For the time being, the realm of flight might remain Jordan's, but sooner or later we can all get there. Where a high level of achievement is expected, a new level of excellence will be experienced. True to form, Michael is still hanging in the air as to whether or not he will come down and become a team owner. Regardless of what he decides to do, gravity will be waiting. http://www.motivateus.com/stories/a-passion-to-succeed.htm "I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." Michael Jordan. http://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/blog/michael-jordan-on-success Dont Be affraid to try, the worst thing that can happen is that it doesnt plan out the way you envisioned it. But at least you know that by giving it a shot You miss every shot you dont take Failure gave me strenght, my pain was my motivation I havent had any dissapointments, Its how you perceive those things (..) Ive looked at every experience I ever had negative or positive and taken that as a positive, when I look back I cant say I have any bad things that happend to me, sure you dont want bad things to happen but you deal with bad things, you cant have good without bad! I failed over and over and over again in my life, and thats why I succeed All I thought about was doing what I was good at, and let that open up a lot of opportunnities for me If you put out effort, good things will happen to you http://www.livingggood.com/motivation/inspiration-success-michael-jordan/ When watching Michael Jordan playing, people dont only see a man who gives a

new definition to team sports achievement these days, but also a formidable apponent to anyone who see each game as a competition of determination. Now recognized as a surprising winning record scorer, it was failure which spurred Michael to strive for the best. I know that fear is an obstacle for some people, but for me it is just an illusion.. Failure always makes me try harder on the next apportunit. Michael got his competitive spirit from a natural cause. As one of five brothers in a family with discipline and spirit of progress, he was brought up with high standard and great expectation. Once when he deliberately didnt go to school, Michaels mother took him to her office and made him sit in the car doing his school lessons watched by his mother from her office window. His family felt that Michael was not only good at school but also in extracurricular activities. The little league team became aware that he had talent for team sports. They noticed how good he was in ball throw. But to be a prominent basket for playing in the real game. But he loved basket ball very much, his spirit and desire to be able to play in competition events was driven even more by the rivalry with his brother Larry. Everyday both competed in one on one intense match in the back yard, and usually Larry dominated his younger brother. In fact, Larry was considered a true athlete of the family by his brother and the High School coach. They speculated Michael would be known as Larrys brother when Larry grew taller than 170 cm. Michael didnt like to be defeated, either by his brothers or others. Friends and families recalled how he kept challenging them to play Horse game until he won. He admitted he was indebted to his elder brother: When you see me play, you see Larry play. The High School coach come to know Michael through Larry and invited Michael to the basket ball summer camping prior to his enrollment to High School. He, together with a close friend of him, were asked to try to qualify for the university team group. Everyone in the camp admired Michaels speed and skill, but the coach was discouraged by the possibility that Michael would not reach the minimum height required. The coach thought it might be good for Michael to play in the university junior team group for a year to get more training time. So when the list of names of the university team was announced, Michaels mates-all of them were 198 cm in height-were in the list, but Michael was not. It was the very moment so deeply imprinted on Michaels life. He stared at the alphabetically arranged list of names, read and reread the J list several times, feeling sure his coach had mistakenly left his name out. Later he admitted that when he got home that day, so disappointed and ashamed, he wept. Fortunately his mother came to his side and gave him some important advices. She said that the best thing I could do is to prove to the coach that he had made a mistake, recalled Michael. And, leaving my disappointment behind, I started to improve my performance. Michael reluctantly rejoined the junior university team squadron. But while he was recognized as a dedicated player, he changed his training intensity. Michaels sport instructor, Ruby Sutton, was the first to notice that change: Usually I arrive at school between 07.00 am and 07.30 am. Michael was there before me. Each time I came in and opened the door, I heard the sound of ball bounching, in autumn, in winter, in summer. Almost every morning I had to ask him to leave the court. Knowing that his lack of height made him unqualified for the university team, he often tried to get taller by daughing on horizontal bar. Although his height was under 183 cm, Michael quickly made himself a favourite player in the university junior team. His speed and skill were no match for his

team mates. Soon, the university team players started to come earlier to the games just to watch how Michael led JV (university junior team), scoring 25 points and sometimes up to 40 points in one game. JV developed to a true team through Michael demanding from his team mates the same intensity he did to himself, and persuading the coach to urge the team to work harder under his critisms. At the end of the day, the coach-assistant, Fred Lynch said that Michael was A resentful looser.that keeps insisting everyone to play as hard as he does. At the beginning of the first year, Michaels height increased by 10 cm. his large hands gave him the advantage of catching and holding ball better and now he was able to do slam dunks. His coach was delighted with Michaels height and now they just could no longer ignore his talent. When eventually he was admitted into the university team, he brought something that would inspire every coach, team mates and fans during his career: You can achieve incomparable level of skill through incomparable spirit and commitment. Behind his competence and spirit, lies the secret: to always appreciate failure and take advantage of it for some goodness. Through the following years Michael used to motivate himself by reflecting on his failure: Whenever I achieve some success but feel so tired, I often come to think to give up and leave everything. But then I close my eyes and see again that list that didnt include my name. usually by doing that my spirit is revived. He is a man who becomes the most famous player acknowledged in the history of basket ball game-winning NBA Championship 6 times, MPV trophy 5 times, a dozen of All-Star games, NCAA titles and two Olympic gold medals. And as he is, he is convinced that he achieved his success through his willingness to fail. I am ready to accept failure. Everyone may fail. But I dont want to see that I dont try." http://www.bestinspirationalquotes4u.com/people/michaeljordan.html Michael Phelps Michaels brain chemistry is such that he almost has to have that competitive environment, Bowman said. When he has it in his brain, its like unshakeable. ... Part of it is a supreme confidence. Part of it is, he thinks hes better than everyone else. And he is. There is no doubt Phelps is one of the most physically gifted athletes in history. But his performance in Rome, the eight gold medals he claimed in eight races under immense pressure in Beijing, and various other successes throughout his professional career suggest that his most valuable attribute is actually his mind. Bowman called Phelps the strongest-willed, most unflappable competitor hes observed in any walk of life. He just has this confidence in his ability to get the job done whether hes prepared for it or not, Bowman said. For most athletes in Olympic sports, any hope of meaningful success, financial rewards and public accolades will come down to an ability to perform in a narrow competitive window, sometimes as small as a minute or two. Because of the inherent high pressure and enormous stakes, athletes who demonstrate mental weakness will not win medals at this summers Olympics in London regardless of their talent or physical skills, U.S. Olympic Committee Sport Psychologist Sean McCann said. The pressure at the Olympic Games is really, really, really overwhelming, even if you are incredibly experienced, said Natalie Coughlin, a two-time Olympian who has won 11 Olympic medals. The feeling of walking onto the pool deck, standing behind the blocks knowing the race that youve prepared for the last four years, or the past decade, [that] everything is going to culminate in that 58 seconds or so, its quite stressful. McCann said mental tools to deal with pressure and nervousness can be learned

and developed, but mental strength just like muscular strength or other attributes is a trait some athletes naturally possess in abundance, and others forever struggle to attain. http://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/olympics/michael-phelps-has-masteredthe-psychology-of-speed/2012/06/13/gJQAHiQuZV_story.html Phelps told Morgan his own sporting idol is Michael Jordan. On and off the court, the guy made basketball what it is,' he said. I think one of the coolest things that I loved about him was it didn't matter what he had going on off the court or if he was sick or this, that, Phelps added. He never used an excuse. He came out every single night on the court and did what he had to do to get his job done. That's what champions do. It doesn't matter what else is going on when you walk in to your arena, whatever you excel at, you're there to take care of the job that you have to do. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2181726/Michael-Phelps-ISgreatest-Olympian-Baltimore-Bullet-wins-record-19th-medal-gold-mensrelay.html#ixzz2DzbpbkDK

His success is imbued with the perspective of overcoming the obstacles that come your way and believing in yourself no matter the odds. "No Limits" explores the hard work, commitment, and sacrifice that go into reaching any goal. Whether it is on the starting block during an Olympic swim meet or in the weight room on a typical day, Phelps's dedication has led him to unparalleled excellence. Filled with anecdotes from family members, friends, teammates, and his coach, "No Limits" gives a behind-the-scenes look at the makings of a real champion. One of Phelps's mottos is "Performance Is Reality," and it typifies his attitude toward achieving his goals. It's easy to get bogged down by doubt or to lose focus when a challenge seems out of reach, but Phelps believes that you can accomplish anything if you fully commit yourself to it. Using the eight final swims of the Beijing Olympics as a model, "No Limits" is a step-by-step guide to realizing one's dream http://books.google.co.in/books/about/No_Limits.html? id=9HZ9PwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y Tiger Woods Well, hes back! In case you have been living on another planet and havent heard the news, Tiger Woods returns to play on the PGA Tour today after missing the last 8 months due to ACL knee surgery. Why is that important? Actually, the fact that he recovered so quickly is the biggest news. You see it usually takes longer than 8 months to return from ACL reconstruction on the knee. When Tiger was asked about what he did to return in such a short time frame he simply answered I just did my due diligence everyday. Basically that means that he did the work that was required for him to return to his job as quickly as possible. In this case his job is a professional sport that demands a lot of him physically. So Tiger spent the last 8 months doing his rehab and getting stronger, more fit, better. Eight months, not 2 weeks! He worked his tail off for the last 8 months and he wasnt looking to get the results he needed in some unrealistic time frame. And he was CONSISTENT! You can learn a great deal from someone like Tiger. First and foremost he had realistic expectations for when he might return because he understood that it would require a lot not a little, a lot of work! Secondly, the man stuck to a plan and worked that plan on a consistent basis. The same goes for your health and fitness goals. You must have realistic expectations or goals. You have to have a plan of action. You have to work that plan, and you absolutely must be consistent at doing it in order to see the results that you want. Do YOUR due diligence! Set some realistic goals, make a plan, take action, and stay the course. Reaching your goal is that simple! http://bestjacksonpersonaltrainer.com/due-diligencethe-key-to-success-tigerathlete. It is well established by now that there are numerous psychological factors which effect & improve sports performance like, individual differences among the athletes, personality, intelligence, attitude, motivating, aggression, mental imagery, group dynamics etc. All these factors may affect the sports performance in both, positive and negative way. In this article an attempt is made on some realistic suggestion of the sports psychology which could help the coaches, athletes and physical educationist to produce some exceptional performances on field. The secrets of sport psychology to help athletes achieve personal bests in sport and life. Sport psychology specific education and training and has helped athletes at all

woods-proclaims/ Tiger Woods has had his ups and downs in 2012, but a failure to have a successful Ryder Cup will detract from his success this year. Woods did have his moments, notching three wins at PGA Tour events, finishing third in the FedEx Cup standings and climbing up to No. 2 in the world ranking. While he certainly did not reestablish himself as the dominant force he was before injuries and scandal derailed his career, this has undoubtedly been the most success he has enjoyed since his lifeboth on and off the golf coursetook a turbulent turn. But looking back on this Ryder Cup, Woods will only be able to hang his head. He did not play all that poorly, but the bottom line is that the only contribution he made throughout the tournament was entirely meaningless, as Martin Kaymers win on the 18th hole made Woods half-point on Sunday irrelevant, as noted by the PGA Tour via Twitter. As a team, the Americans fell victim to the most spectacular collapse in Ryder Cup history. The United States were up 10-6 heading into singles play on the final day of the tournament. This tied the margin covered by the 1999 American teams incredible comeback, as noted by the Associated Press' Nancy Armour (via MSNBC), but that tournament was played in the United States. The Europeans completed their comeback on foreign soil at Medinah by winning eight of the singles matches, losing three and having one halved, as reported by PGATour.com's Brian Wacker. Leading up to the catastrophic final day, Woods played with Steve Stricker in the four-ball and foursomes rounds, losing all three of their matches. During Saturday afternoons four-ball, the pair made a valiant effort to erase a poor showing on the front nine, but it wasnt enough and they were edged out by Luke Donald and Sergio Garcia. Stricker ended up losing the decisive match to Kaymer that completed the monumental comeback. As the only two Americans not to earn a point in the first two days of play, and the final two players to finish, they were at the center of attention during this meltdown. While it may be unfair, Woods and Stricker are going to receive a significant amount of blame. They simply did not do enough throughout the tournament to help their team win. Woods will have plenty of positives from 2012 to build on as he continues his climb back to the top of the golf world, but his Ryder Cup performance will not be one of them. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1353429-tiger-woods-lackluster-ryder-cup-astain-on-successful-2012-season

""When I'm focused, there is not one single thing, person, anything that can stand in the way of my doing something. There is not. If I want something bad enough, I feel I'm gonna get there."" Michael Phelps is one of the greatest competitors the world has ever seen. From teen sensation in Sydney to bona fide phenom in Athens, he is now -- after the Beijing Games -- a living Olympic legend. With an unprecedented eight gold medals and world-record times in seven events, his performance at the 2008 Games set a new standard for success. He ranks among the most elite athletes in the world, and is both an inspiration and a role model to millions. The incredible focus he exhibits in practice and during competition propels him forward to his unrivaled excellence. In "No Limits," Michael Phelps reveals the secrets to his remarkable success, from his training regimen to his mental preparation and, finally, to his performance in the pool. Behind Phelps's tally of Olympic gold medals lies a consistent approach to competition, a determination to win, and a straightforward passion for his sport. Like Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods, he has learned to filter out distractions and deliver stellar performance under pressure. The road has not always been easy; from the very beginning, Phelps had to overcome physical setbacks and emotional trials. When he was younger, he was diagnosed with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder; other kids bullied him; even a teacher said he would never be successful. Later, he had to work through injuries that jeopardized his career. In this book, Phelps talks for the first time about how he has overcome these and other challenges - about how to develop the mentalattitude needed to persevere, not just in athletic competition but in life. Modern competitive sports of today demands more emphasis on the training of psychological aspects of sports. The high level performance seen in competitive sports is nothing but a perfect optimum harmonious relationship between one's psychological preparedness and technical preparation. It is believed that superior athletic performance has been fitted, from knowledge about the psychology and bio-mechanics of human motor activity. However many coaches and psychologists throughout the world believe that future records will be broken primarily because of increased attention to psychological parameters of human personality. Performance in sports is no longer dependent on physiological well being of the

competitive levels learn the mental skills necessary for peak performance. Athletes seek sport psychology for many reasons some of the more common including: confidence, reducing anxiety/nervousness, mental toughness, to improve motivation, to learn effective goal setting, to improve focus, to assist in their recovery from injury, to develop and learn effective imagery and visualization skills, to sort out and understand teammate or coaching issues, to gain control of their temper and reduce anger outbursts, to help during a transition to a new higher level of competitive play (high school to college, college to professional), with career transition. CORE SKILLS OF SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY: Confidence Mental toughness and intensity

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Focus Emotional management Consistency of performance Goal setting HERE ARE THE SOME SUGGESTIONS FOR THE PRACTICAL WAY OF THE SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY: All Causation Is Mental: How You Use Your Mind Determines Your Success. Improve the Quality of your Thinking and You Improve the Quality of Your performance. For the better performance we have to begin from out head. We need to think some creative and productive thoughts. Need to develop ability to create positive thought skills which eliminates unnecessary worry and distraction. Controlled thought keeps the athlete in the present which equals focused energy and a strong performance. The Law of Expectations: Whatever you expect with Confidence (positive or negative) becomes your Reality. Expect to Succeed and you Will. Apply Talents and Abilities to Opportunities. We need to apply all our skill to win the situations and opportunities. For better expectation from our self we need to grow your confidence, eliminate self-doubt, increase mental toughness and elevate your intensity. The Law of Attraction: You are a living Magnet. Your Emotionalized thoughts create a force field. Energy that radiates out from you. Energy that attracts people and circumstances. The coaches / teachers need to understand the law of attraction for the better communication and relationship with the trainees. The Parable of the Talents: Fill the Mind with Thoughts, Pictures and the Consciousness of performance, for better and better results. We can use the some tools to rich thoughts. Accumulate Knowledge Books, Magazines, Audio, Video and Seminars Begin now to perform better than the last Use your accumulated Experience Everything that you do Counts Everything you do should move you towards your Goals The Law of Accumulation: Everything accumulates over Time. The sum total of many, many tiny efforts. Planting and reaping a harvest from a grain of corn. It is like the snow ball rolling forward. The all your experiences in the field will help you to get better and better. If it is not working, at the end it will be lesson for you. Will Power: Confidence, Conviction, Faith in the Ability to Triumph, Repetitions. The will power to work hard and harder is essential ingredient of success in sports. But will to prepare for the win is more important than the will to resulting better. How we can improve our will power, Reading Biographies, Working on Goals, Tapes, Books. Etc. Success is Rear: Positive Knowing of the result and the performance. We know there is only one Gold medal in sports. Although winning may be the ultimate goal for high performance athletes, it may also contribute to their biggest stumbling block for their future success. There are number of athletes who have won the big one, never to have won again. But no Matter What, You Know You Will Succeed, Get Active and know What is your Aim, work on the way to reach the aim. Self Mastery is Essential For Success: Control over Your thoughts and Emotions is The Key. Emotional management is the third core skill of sport psychology. The ability to deal with mistakes, setbacks, and unexpected events is critical for peak performance. Mistakes are part of sport; they are a statistical reality and are going to

happen. The athlete who loses emotional control has lost the game. Talk and think only on the things you desire. Master and Control your Actions. If you are hard on yourself (practice), performance will be easy on you. Fill The Mind with thoughts that are Consistent with your Desires. Set a Specific Goal: Goal setting is the most widely used and most effective sport psychology technique. Goal setting works because it moves an athlete from wishing or worrying about performing well to a focused, directed and precise plan of improvement. It increase motivation and improve skills. Achievement, Write it down, Set a Deadline, Set a detailed Plan for its Achievement, and Set a plan to increase performance. Begin, Act, And Get Going. Raise the goal as you get closer to completion. Be Clear about the Goal. Be Flexible about the Process. Positive Self Talk: Talk to yourself positively all the time, I Can Do It, I'm The Best. A continuous positive inner dialogue that is consistent with goals will help to deal with the some unwanted performances on the pitch. Performing at peak levels requires an athlete to be consistent during the game and between games. And the positive talks will help to consistency in performance. Associate only with Success: Oriented Positive People, Get around Winners, Fly with the Eagles, Seek out Positive People. It will motivate you to put your best and focus on the goal. Learn from them how to convert the problems in the opportunity. Reflect on Goals Daily: 30 60 Minutes in Morning, The Golden Hour (The Rudder Of The Day) by Yourself, Review Plans for Accomplishing Goals, Think of Better ways to Accomplish Goals, Reflect on the valuable Lessons learning, Visualize goal as a reality, Rewrite major goals in present tense as if already reality Sports psychology develops the mental and emotional skills that athletes need for successful competition. The physical and mental skills of sport are intertwined. The connection between your physical ability, your thoughts and your emotions is crucial to perform your best. When the mental/emotional component of your game is out of balance with your physical skills your performance suffers. Most athletes know how to work long and hard on their physical skills; however many athletes fall short when it comes to quality mental preparation. Sports psychology help athletes to become a focused, motivated, balanced, confident and consistently performing athlete. http://www.isrj.net/publishArticles/1408.pdf

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