On the Inside Edge

Implement tactics used by Stanley Cup champions to train mental skills.

Achieving excellence on the ice is a culmination of countless hours of physical training, but the importance of mental preparation cannot be overstated. On the Inside Edge: Mastering Hockey's Mental Game explores the most important psychologicalaspects of the game, offering guidance based on the latest research in sport science as well as behind-the-scenes insights and observations.

Author Ryan Hamilton, an experienced sport psychology consultant, has helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win two (and counting) Stanley Cups during his tenure and now shares his knowledge of various psychological themes with hockey players of all levels. Activities for training mental skills, with instructions, are provided to help players and coaches apply the content to their own training and development. Key psychological domains covered in the book include these:

• Grit
• Confidence
• Resilience
• Dealing with adversity
• Competitiveness

The author's experience in high-level sports helps him illustrate psychological concepts with stories about issues he has helped athletes address, personal and professional hurdles he has encountered, interviews he has conducted with pro hockey players, and more. Real-world applications bring hockey psychology into clear focus for readers. Examples of how things work in the NHL, in international competitions, and in junior hockey give players and coaches the tools to implement mental skills training the way professionals do.

Readers from all levels of the game will come away from On the Inside Edge with a host of on-ice and off-ice mental strategies to enhance their performance and feel more prepared for the next steps in their hockey career.

Ryan Hamilton, PhD, has been the mental performance consultant with the National Hockey League's Tampa Bay Lightning organization for more than 10 years, experiencing with them three Stanley Cup Finals runs, including two championships. He also serves as a mental performance consultant for Hockey Canada, working with a variety of Canadian national teams (World Juniors, Olympics, and Four Nations Face-Offs) and supports clients in professional tennis, golf, and ultrarunning. He is also an associate professor of psychology at the University of New Brunswick.

Hamilton's exceptional work at the top tier of the professional level has provided him with opportunities to successfully implement mental skills training while at the same time allowing him to learn from the best of the best about the psychological components of elite performance. Finally, Ryan is a dedicated husband and father who in his limited free time also competes in ultramarathons lasting up to 24 hours and covering over 100K. Yes, he endeavors to practice what he preaches.