Dr. Wayne Halliwell, sports psychologist for three Olympic medallists at the 2010 Winter Olympics, provided motivational training last weekend at the Granville Arts Club on Granville Island.
Halliwell worked with Alexandre Bilodeau, winner of Canada’s first gold medal (moguls), Jenn Heil (silver in skiing) and Joannie Rochette (bronze in figure skating).
Halliwell is a professor at the University of Montreal and past-president of the Canadian Association for Sports Psychologists.
In attendance were Olympian Gina Grain from Vancouver (2008 track cycling), Karen Ross (Healthy for Life trainer) from Hornby Island, and Jennifer Bird (physiotherapist and Healthy for Life trainer) from Courtenay.
Halliwell teaches various emotional and mental techniques to help people achieve optimal performances. Mental preparation exercises help the performer to “Be in the moment….stay in the moment….and own the moment,” says Halliwell whereas emotional preparation helps the performer “enjoy the moment….embrace the moment….relish/savour the moment.”
Halliwell contends that while physical, mental and emotional components are each important, attention to the emotional component at the performance time is the key to succeeding at the highest levels. The performers need to “pay attention to details [mental and physical components] while letting the spirit prevail [emotional component]” concludes Halliwell.
Bird, who has a Masters Degree in Physical Education specializing in the Art and Science of Coaching and has worked for Canada’s head Olympic swim team coach for six years, wholeheartedly agrees.
“Without the emotional component there is no peak performance … a robust emotional component is not only critical to high-end achievement, it is what brings joy to life, regardless of the endeavour being pursued,” Bird said.
Ross and Bird will be teaching some of the mental and emotional techniques to participants of the Healthy for Life/Safe Weight Loss clinics they will be putting on at the Lewis Park Centre Fridays from 12:15 to 1 p.m.
Admission is by donation (optional) with proceeds going to the World Children’s Hunger Fund.
For more information contact Bird at the Koster Wellness Centre, 290 England Ave. 250-897-0010 or Ross at 250-335-1455.