Ahead in the Game | Sport psychology | Mental performance | Tara Costello-Ledwell BA MA CSPA

Reaching for the Zone

Through our programs, Ahead in the Game is dedicated to targeting and addressing the unique needs of individuals and teams.

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Ahead in the Game is dedicated to helping athletes, coaches and teams achieve best performances through mental performance coaching.

Thanks so much for helping me out this year! I know you’re a huge reason why my podium dreams came true! You’re the best! – Emily Gray, Lead with Canadian Jr. Olympic Curling Team; Bronze Medal Winner, Youth Olympic Games

We provide a proven process with practical tools to help each individual optimize his or her mental approach to performance. Don’t leave your peak performance to chance. Make mental training a part of your performance formula.

Tara Costello, M.A., C.S.P.A.

Peak Performance = physical fitness + technical skills + team function + mental fitness.

Ahead in the Game looks forward to talking to you about your sport experience!

A pre-assessment is offered, without fee, to determine areas where mental coaching can enhance your performance. Please contact Tara Costello at (902) 393-3220 or email your contact information to Ahead in the Game at tara@aheadinthegame.ca .

Acquire the knowledge and skills for better performance

“Human excellence is accomplished through mindful reflection and thoughtful action”*

Every team, group and individual has a story to tell about their journey of achievement. Most will attest that peak performance in key moments is attained through a dedicated learning process of assessment, skill building and reflection.

By increasing self-awareness and exploring new cognitive strategies as part of four phases in the Ahead in the Game Performance Development Cycle, you acquire the knowledge and skills for better performance.

How you say it, is proven more important than what you say….

Posted by tara on Feb 28, 2012 in Business | 0 comments

Psychologists have shown that only ten percent of human communication is verbal, the other 90% of a person’s message is communicated through non-verbals. Non-verbals includes such things body language/position, hand gestures, tone of voice, eye contact and overall attentiveness or presence. In a study of management approaches two supervisors were coached on giving employee feedback with clear instructions for communicating positively or negatively with non-verbal behaviors. One group received positive feedback on their performance by a...

Turn Common Goal-setting Problems Into Effective Motivation

Posted by tara on Feb 28, 2012 in Business | 0 comments

Goal-setting is a very effective motivational tool, when done well. However, there are some common mistakes that can lessen its effectiveness. One of the most common goal-setting problems is setting too many goals. Individuals setting too many goals cannot keep track and lose interest. Especially for those beginning a goal-setting program, working on a smaller number of goals is better. One of the desired psychological benefits of goal-setting is to strengthen feelings of control and confidence. Athletes want to see and feel areas of...

Feedback from athletes, coaches & teams

“Thanks so much for helping me out this year! I know you’re a huge reason why my podium dreams came true! You’re the best!” - Emily Gray, Lead with Canadian Jr. Olympic Curling Team; Bronze Medal Winner, Youth Olympic Games

“Tara brought the concept of mental preparation to our team in a manner which was professional and adaptive to the needs of our team. With Tara’s help, both the athletes and coaches advanced in this aspect of our game.” Richard St. John, Coach PEI Special Olympic Curling Team, Gold Medalist 2012 Special Olympic National Games

“My experience with Tara was fantastic. I believe the success that I experienced personally at my nationals wouldn’t have been possible without her help. I truly felt I had a mental edge which enabled me to play with confidence. It is amazing how relaxed and focused you are when you aren’t scared to make mistakes.” Chris Craig, Charlottetown Fawcett’s, 2010 All-Star & Silver Medalist Canadian Men’s Fast Pitch Tournament

“A lot of athletes are afraid to ask for help with their mental game. I’m really glad I asked Tara for her help. She has really helped me handle so many different situations and has taken my game to another level!”
– Drew MacIntyre, Goalie, signed with Atlanta Thrashers in 2009-2010