Inner Strength: The Mental Dynamics of Athletic Performance

Inner Strength is for sport psychology professionals, coaches, and especially athletes who desire to enhance athletic performance through mental skills training.

Developing your Inner Strength requires sincere and earnest participation with the Mental Keys to Success training concepts and Peak Performance Exercises throughout the book. The book is based on solid research and basic common sense. It presents a realistic performance model which focuses first and always on consistently delivering effective performances. "Peak Performances" are just that, spikes in the course of effective performances."

Key topics to fuel athletic performances include: Establishing Foundational Beliefs • Dreaming Your Athletic Destiny • Fueling Your Dream • Understanding Your Own Motivations • The Power of Visualization • A Goal Attainment Plan • Quality Practice • Coverage of personal excellence, commitment, and quality of life.

Ralph Vernacchia is one of the true leaders in sport psychology today, leading the charge of translating the massive body of empirical work done in the field into straight forward advice that can be used by the serious athlete.

Ralph A. Vernacchia directs the undergraduate and graduate programs in sport psychology at Western Washington University, as well as WWU's Center for Performance Excellence. He is a fellow and certified consultant of the Association for the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP). He is also co-chair of the USA Track and Field (USATF) Sport Psychology Sub-Committee and has traveled as a performance consultant with several USA track and field teams,including the 2000 USA Olympic Track and Field Teams. He has been selected as a 2003–2004 Distinguished Visiting Professor in Physical Education at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York.