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Cowboys lose to the packers

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FanNation Dallas Cowboys News, Analysis and More

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ARLINGTON - The Dallas Cowboys picked the worst possible time to lose their first home game in almost two full seasons, and they didn't just lose, they were outright slaughtered.

In one of the most embarrassing games in franchise history, the Cowboys were completely outmatched in Sunday's 48-32 playoff loss to the Green Bay Packers, and honestly, the fact it was even that close is deceiving.

Dallas' defense, led by popular coaching candidate Dan Quinn, had a meltdown in this game. How so? Well, the Packers found the end zone on every drive except for one (before garbage time), and did so while averaging 7.7 yards per play.

Perhaps the epitome of Dallas' defensive "performance" came when Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love found tight end Luke Musgrave without a single defender in his zip code for a 38-yard touchdown late in the third quarter.

Make no mistake, the Cowboys' offense wasn't much better, if at all. Brian Schottenheimer's unit couldn't get going until it was far too late, as the Cowboys didn't get on the scoreboard until they were already down 27-0. Quarterback Dak Prescott also threw two costly interceptions in the first half, with one leading to a touchdown and the second being a pick six.

The special teams unit struggled as well, with a bad penalty on a punt, KaVontae Turpin returning a kickoff to just the 14-yard line and Brandon Aubrey missing an extra point.

All around, this game was simply a disaster for the Cowboys.

Prescott completed 41 of 60 passes for 403 yards, three touchdowns, all to tight end Jake Ferguson, and two picks. CeeDee Lamb had nine receptions for 110 yards, while Tony Pollard rushed 15 times for 56 yards and a touchdown.

On the other hand, Love completely dominated in his playoff debut, completing 16 of 21 passes for 272 yards and three touchdowns. Romeo Doubs caught six passes for 151 yards and a touchdown, and Musgrave and Dontayvion Wicks each added a touchdown of their own. Aaron Jones also ran all over the Cowboys' defense to the tune of 21 carries for 118 yards and three touchdowns.

After yet another playoff disappointment, the Cowboys now head into a very interesting offseason with far more questions than answers.

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Worst Playoff Loss Ever? Cowboys' Season Ends

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Worst Playoff Loss Ever? Dallas Cowboys' Season Ends In Green Bay Packers' 48-32 Blowout

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The mentality of one Conor McGregor
From Mike Tyson's infamous meltdown during the press conference of his fight with Lennox Lewis to Novak Djokovic's freak-out during the recent Tokyo Olympics, sports has had plenty of their fair share of emotional calamities. MMA is no different.

With the events at ending in total disappointment for some MMA fans, various damning clips had emerged of "The Notorious" Conor McGregor. After snapping his leg, the Irishman was understandably adrenaline-filled and said some very distasteful things to his opponent, Dustin "The Diamond" Poirier.

Those comments have left an unpleasant taste in the mouths of many people, including myself. One could say that this was just "typical Conor" behavior, but many think that this time, it's different. Something seems to have changed in the man, and not for the better. Most of us can see that clear as day, but I decided to do something slightly different with this situation.

The method to this madness

Using my educational background in psychology and the tools that I had learned, I decided to look into this deeper. It made the most sense that I tackled this project using a retrospective qualitative approach-meaning, in the most basic terms, I looked through past published material, made notes, and came to conclusions.

So, I scoured the internet, going through countless videos published over the past eight years on "The Notorious" Conor McGregor.

For this, I decided to revolve around two main issues: overconfidence and failure. I then found a couple of research papers related to those issues-more on why later. Once I was satisfied that I had all the necessary material, I got down to it.

First, I gave myself a "baseline"-starting with McGregor's debut in UFC. I started with his debut in the UFC rather than in Cage Warriors because I believe there is much more to be seen within the last eight years. I moved through the years, his rise within the UFC up until today. From nothing to Featherweight champ to gaining the first "Champ-Champ" status, from the emergence of "Nice Conor" all the way to the mess that was UFC 264.

Throughout the process, I paid attention to the words he used, his posture, the way he acted around different people. Then, I cross-referenced those behaviors with the research papers I found to try and draw conclusions.

And, in the end, what I discovered was quite fascinating, albeit maybe not too surprising. At least maybe to those who have been paying attention.

"The Notorious" Throughout the Years

From the get-go, "The Notorious" Conor McGregor has always enjoyed his fair share of pre-fight trash-talking. It's clear that he enjoyed every minute of it, too, except for his fight against Max Holloway, where he played none of it. To McGregor, it's all part of the game, and he mentioned several times that he's never carried any ill-will against his opponents, to the point where he's surprised that they dislike him.

"I had no ill feelings towards Dustin. It was weird to me that he was like 'I've never hated a guy as much as I hate this guy in my life'... To me that's weird. I cannot hate a man that has the same dreams as me."
- at UFC 178 Post-Fight Press Conference

And you can't deny that those tactics don't work against his opponents. "The Diamond" has even admitted to Conor's mind games affecting him.

Though, if there's another consistency seen throughout the career of "The Notorious", it's that he seemed to always be humble in win or defeat, for the most part. He praises Dustin Poirier after winning at UFC 178, Nick Diaz both after his loss in UFC 196 and after winning at 202.

Another thing that was crystal clear to me was McGregor's motivations. Money was at the forefront of his mind from the moment he stepped into the Octagon. After his debut KO at UFC on FUEL TV9 in April of 2013, you can see how happy he is to finally find his way out of welfare. "You got to go through the circus to get to the bank," Conor said in an interview with Caroline Pierce in 2014, before UFC's return to Dublin.

Throughout most of his UFC career, "The Notorious" kept his eye on the increasing digits on his fight cheques. "We are rewarded for finishes," he said, shoulders slumped, during the Post-Fight Press Conference at Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen, despite winning, "and that's what I'm looking for." It's hard to believe that his motivations lay elsewhere when he has been seen distraught after a win (against Holloway) simply because it was by decision and, therefore, lacked a finishing bonus.

This attitude and mindset with money would remain up until UFC 229 in January 2020. Then, there's no mention of money-whether wanting it or otherwise. Though he's never been shy about flaunting his wealth, even now. But his motivations today aren't so clear.

"Come on, now. How much money is enough money? How much money is enough money, for fuck's sake?"

- UFC 246 Post-Fight Press Conference

Finally, McGregor has never handled critique or any slight 'disrespect' aimed towards him. Here is where we tend to see the worst in the Irishman.

I should bring attention to the fact that McGregor has mentioned family in his trash-talking before. Once before-UFC 205. And during the lead-up to his championship bout against Eddie Alvarez, "The Notorious" was very violent with his words. He had told Alvarez that he'd "rip [him] up so badly," and then there's this nugget of a quote:

"Your kids, after this fight, are going to beg you - 'Daddy, Daddy, please don't go again' ..."
- UFC 205 Live Media Conference Call

Hearing that back then when there wouldn't have been any background issues against Alvarez, honestly, shouldn't make one surprised that he's said similar things to Poirier. Back then, all the former champion had done was serve McGregor his own level of mental games. His attitude was the same towards Khabib Nurmagomedov during the run-up to UFC 229, saying that Khabib will be "fucking dead," and he even spoke about "ending [Khabib's] life". There is a distinct similarity between the three situations, though-all of them occurred after a supposed occurrence of "disrespect" towards McGregor. It couldn't be seen as anything else.

So, with introductions out of the way (or reintroductions, rather), let's get into the meat of this project-just what the heck is going on with Conor McGregor?

The State of Conor McGregor

Earlier I had mentioned that I'd only be focusing on two topics-overconfidence and failure. Why only those two? At least, when it comes to the Irishman himself, that seems to be the two prevalent themes around his entire career. I had also considered that, perhaps, there could be a compounding effect caused by weight-cutting, but I've not found enough studies to verify that line of thought. And, despite what the MMA community believes, I'm avoiding issues of lousy coaching, yes-men, or anything else that involves other parties here and just solely focusing on Conor McGregor.

So, with that said, let's get started.

If one were to describe "The Notorious" Conor McGregor, 'cocky' or 'overconfident' might be among the terms used. And, in all honesty, it's hard to believe otherwise. McGregor carries an air and posture of confidence in each and every single appearance. He is up straight with his shoulders back at every media and press conference, win or lose, sometimes even with his chin up high (except Fight Night: Shogun vs. Sonnen). He has even acknowledged this himself:

"I am cocky in prediction, I am confident in preparation, but I am always humble in victory or defeat."

- UFC 178 Post-Fight Press Conference

In the short-term, "self-enhancement" or overconfidence does seem to have positive effects like good moods, increased motivation, and productivity, as well as providing a sense of control1. Considering Conor's attitude and performance over the first few years of his career, this seems to hold water. If I were to just briefly bring the years "before UFC", "The Notorious" had quite a squeaky clean career from 2011 up until his first loss in the UFC in 2016, which is a reasonably long time not to suffer loss and its effects.

McGregor's constant presence in the "winner's circle" couldn't do anything but bolster his confidence further, and countless studies have found persistent overconfidence isn't good for one's mental well-being 1, 2. Other studies have found that overconfidence can be related to 'poor social skills', leading to displays of behaviors that are harmful to 'positive social interactions' ². Sound familiar? Several occasions come to mind, but the most obvious would be the infamous "Bus Incident" that occurred around UFC 223.

Empathy could be considered a 'good social skill', but, especially during the events leading up to UFC 229, "The Notorious" seemed to lack more and more of it. Regardless of how big their name is, the obligations tied to being a UFC fighter are still obligations. Media scrums and press conferences are within the terms of a fighter's contract, but McGregor has gone so far as to call the UFC 229 Promotion Press Conference "bullshit". As if he'd rather be somewhere else than promoting his own fight. He doesn't apologize for being incredibly late to press conferences and sometimes even goes as far as to attempt to physically assault his opponents on stage (see UFC 196, 202, 205, 264).

But what about failure, then? What is it about failure that can affect a man that possesses such self-confidence as McGregor? Well, it's not so much the failure itself that's the problem-it's the fear of, and inability to cope with, failure.

In the most direct of explanations, the fear of failure tends to cause increased anxiety, perceived loss of control, pessimism, unstable self-esteem, and self-destructive behaviors in people ³. It's difficult to say whether we see these effects post-UFC 257, but it's also hard to say otherwise. During the run-up to UFC 264, Conor was highly aggressive-we all could see that. What's more, studies have found that most athletes are unable or simply do not know how to handle failure and, in general, tend not to be able to deal with their emotions post-loss ⁴.

With the exception of his first UFC loss against Nate Diaz, "The Notorious" doesn't seem to be able to cope with losses very efficiently, although it isn't self-evident. Although we can clearly see that losing to Khabib left a mark on Conor, post-UFC 257 might not have been as clear. During his interview with Megan Olivi, the Irishman is fidgety-he can't seem to sit still. He adjusts his suit frequently and fiddles with the couch's pillow. He also avoids naming "The Diamond" outright on multiple occasions during the lead up to 264-calling Poirier "this enemy", "this opponent", or "that man"-an indication of emotional disturbance towards a person.

"Well, 'cause I do what I want, Ariel. I do what I want. I'm keeping in suspense of terror."

- BT Interview with Ariel Helwani

Fear of failure is sometimes believed to also be a fear of losing one's worth and can include a fear of "non-ego punishment", which includes the loss of material things ³-such as a championship belt. We know that "The Notorious" wants to regain his Lightweight belt, and losing at UFC 264 would fizzle his goals. When an athlete's goals are endangered, the situation is then perceived as a threat ³ which then tends to bring out aggressive behaviors in people. This could be what happened during the fight week of UFC 264.

As with most issues involving human psyches and the field of psychology in general, it is really difficult to pinpoint exactly why these behaviors have such negative effects on us, much less athletes. Some researchers suggest that overconfidence tends to be a defence mechanism for those with low self-esteem1 while others believe it to be part and parcel of narcissistic personalities ².

Failure, on the other hand, is a lot trickier to pin-down. There are many who are of the opinion that failure will lead to loss of even more than just the sporting event. Some athletes fear the fall from grace after loss, some worry that their relationships with their loved ones will change, while some of them fear that loss will mean that their coach will lose faith in them ³.

Whatever the case may be, it doesn't look very good for "The Notorious" Conor McGregor, and his actions after his recent loss could be a sign of that.

The beginning of "Crazy Conor"?

To cut a long story short, the science seems to agree with my earlier hypothesis. What we see now might result from the long-term effects of overconfidence and failure within the psyche of "The Notorious". However, I'm also quite convinced that there is more to what happened around UFC 264 than meets the eye, which has amplified these effects, especially since it elicited such a massive, adverse reaction from McGregor.

But, ultimately, I am not (yet) a professional, board-certified psychologist. Even if I was, there is only so much one can see and determine without actually having a session or two with a person. There could be various factors that led to McGregor's actions and behaviors during the lead-up and aftermath of UFC 264. Still, one can't ever be too sure without actually being there to observe him and those around him- away from the "social media lens" that we're looking through now.

However, it is clear as day that there is a deterioration of something though I'm unfortunately unable to conclude as to what that is. Whether some external pressures, internal struggles cause it, or that he only surrounds himself with "yes-men" (something I don't personally subscribe to) remains to be seen. Or maybe his confident, tough exterior is cracking, and he's struggling to keep the pieces from falling apart-as the science seems to say.

Hopefully, Conor McGregor or someone close to him can see that the man has apparent issues that he needs to sort out. The lack of help can lead to a further demise in his career-and possibly a worsening state of his psychological state. It would be a shame to lose a character like "The Notorious" within the world of MMA. Love him or hate him, it's hard to deny that things just wouldn't be the same without him.

References

1. Robin, R. W & Beer, J. S. (2001). Positive Illusions About the Self: Short-Term Benefits and Long-Term Costs, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 80(2), 340-352. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.80.2.340

2. Colvin, C. R., Block, J., & Funder, D. C. (1995). Overly Positive Self-Evaluations and Personality: Negative Implications for Mental Health, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 68(6), 1152-1162. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.68.6.1152

3. Sagar, S. S., Lavallee, D., & Spray, C. M. (2007). Why young elite athletes fear failure: Consequences of failure, Journal of Sports Sciences, 25(11), 1171-1184. https://doi.org/10.1080/02640410601040093

4. Poczwardowski, A. & Conroy, D. E. (2002). Coping Responses to Failure and Success Among Elite Athletes and Performing Artists, Journal of Applied Sport Psychology, 14(4), 313-329. https://doi.org/10.1080/10413200290103581

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The Fall of A Former Champ-Champ: A Look Into the Psychological State of Conor McGregor

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With the events at UFC 264 ending in total disappointment for some MMA fans, various damning clips had emerged of Conor McGregor.

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In 2023, they won their second-straight German title and also delivered at the international level, taking silver at the Beach Pro Tour Finals and claiming bronze in front of their home fans at the Hamburg Elite16 to establish themselves among the top teams on the planet.

"The last two years have been the best of my career," Tillmann reflected in an exclusive interview with Volleyball World. "Svenja and I took bronze at the World Championships in 2022 and that was certainly the best tournament of our lives. I think that some players may need some more time to develop and that's what happened with me. Now I just want to keep working and going forward."

Between 2012 and 2021, Tillmann had nine different partners, but didn't get to play with any of them for more than eight international events. With Müller, she got to compete in 20 tournaments over the last two years, making it to the podium in five of them and securing top-ten finishes in half of that total.

"Svenja has been able to develop a lot earlier than I did and I'm happy that I found her and that I get to play with her," the German explained. "The first thing that I noticed about her was how well she moved on the court despite her height. Her game was so smooth and she was already hand-setting so well. After two years with her, it still amazes me how quickly she continues to improve."

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Tillmann enjoying the best moment of her career | volleyballworld.com

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After many upsets, the German defender sees the Paris Olympics on the horizon with partner Müller

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Fiery Sandi Morris takes pole vault world title by storm, leads US to 1-2 finish | NBC Sports

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Warriors’ Draymond Green enters counseling after suspension, will miss at least three more weeks, per report

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Green was suspended indefinitely by the NBA last week

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Saudi Arabia wins Overwatch World Cup 2023

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Saudi Arabia wins Overwatch World Cup 2023

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China placed 2nd, Finland 3rd, South Korea 4th.

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(Gray News) - Saudi Arabia was crowned the Overwatch World Cup Champions at the Overwatch World Cup this past Saturday. After a hard-fought Grand Final against China, Saudi Arabia took home the first-place prize of $125,000 out of the $365,000 total prize pool. The Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California, hosted the event.

The Overwatch World Cup is unique in that professional Overwatch players get the opportunity to represent their home country in the competition. Sixteen nations participated in the event, with five teams from each region. The three regions were the Americas, Europe and the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific. China received the final invite to round out the sixteen.

The tournament started by dividing the sixteen nations into four groups of four teams. The teams then competed in a round-robin within their group. After each team in a group had played the other three, the two teams with the best record would move on to the playoffs.

In Group A, South Korea and Finland took the top two spots. Group B saw the United Kingdom and Canada move on. China and Spain bested the rest in Group C, and Saudi Arabia and the United States made it out of Group D. Saudi Arabia, China, and the United Kingdom all were flawless through the group stage, not dropping a match or a map to their opponents.

Saudi Arabia continued to be perfect through the Quarterfinals of the Playoffs, where they played Spain. Not only did they go 3-0 in the match, but they also failed to relinquish a single objective point on any map. However, in the Semifinals, Finland proved they weren't a pushover. Having come off a 3-0 sweep against the United Kingdom, Finland was ready to take on Saudi Arabia.

The match started in favor of Saudi Arabia, who quickly went up 2-0 despite a close map two Hybrid on Blizzard World. Finland clawed back in the following two maps, tying the series at 2-2. In map five Escort, a game mode that requires players to escort a payload through checkpoints to a final destination, Saudi Arabia scrounged up a 4-3 map win to secure a place in the Grand Final.

China, who had knocked out South Korea in a close 3-2 Semifinal match, was waiting for Saudi Arabia in the Grand Finals. China had also eliminated the United States from the tournament with a 3-0 sweep in the Quarterfinals. Both Grand Finals teams looked strong and had earned their opportunity to fight for the title of Overwatch World Cup Champion.

For the first time in the tournament, Saudi Arabia started on the back foot. China won the first two maps of the match decisively. Saudi Arabia needed to muster every last bit of grit they could if they wanted to stay in the competition. Map three, Flashpoint on Survasa, is when Saudi Arabia returned to a winning rhythm. They followed it up with another win on the map four Push on Esperança. The final map of the Overwatch World Cup was Route 66, where one last Escort would decide the winner. China battled hard, but Saudi Arabia pulled off a 4-3 final map score and completed the reverse sweep to defeat China and win the tournament.

Saudi Arabia is the Overwatch World Cup champion, with China taking second. Finland beat South Korea 3-2 in the third-place match to round out the podium. The tournament is available for rewatching on the official Play Overwatch YouTube and Twitch channels.
Gray Television is an investor in OpTic Gaming.

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Saudi Arabia is the 2023 Overwatch World Cup Champion

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Saudi Arabia was crowned the Overwatch World Cup Champions at the Overwatch World Cup this past Saturday.

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Fighting Hawks fall 5-4 in overtime to the Mavericks

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The Angels are in a tough spot after going for broke at the deadline but missing the playoffs, and now they are losing a superstar.

Nine times out of ten a team is in the spotlight because of how well they're doing, but the Los Angeles Angels are an unfortunate exception. The franchise's struggles on and off the field followed them into the 2023 season, and the question marks have increased. Will they resign SP/DH Shohei Ohtani? What happens to OF Mike Trout if Ohtani departs? Will owner Arte Moreno revisit selling the team? What is their approach to this offseason, rebuild or keep buying? General Manager Pery Minasian has publicly shot down the persistent Trout trade rumors several times. He also vocalized avoiding a rebuild and that they plan to be aggressive.

The baseball world was on its toes for Ohtani's decision, and the market is currently at a standstill as a result. What the Angels plan hinges on where Ohtani signs. Now that he has joined the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Angels must pivot their strategy.

The Additions and Month-by-Month Record

The Angels had a solid offseason on paper going into 2023. SP Tyler Anderson, 3B Gio Urshela, and INF Brandon Drury were the notable additions, all coming off good seasons. They also traded for the power-hitting OF Hunter Renfroe. RPs Matt Moore and Carlos Estevez were big gets in free agency. The Angels got off to a 15-14 start at the end of April. May and June were mirror images to the first month, and a 12-11 record in July was similar. After going all in at the deadline, the Angels collapsed in August with an 8-19 record. They posted an identically poor record in September, leaving them with a season record of 73-89.

Another Ohtani MVP Season and Other Positives

If the Angels had any positives in 2023, the team had nothing to do with it. Individual players, including some young guys getting their feet wet, where the highlights. Obviously, the biggest standout was two-way star Shohei Ohtani. He followed up 2022 with a stellar 2023. Ohtani hit 45 home runs, drove in 95, stole 20 bags, hit at a .304 clip, and posted a 1.066 OPS. Before undergoing elbow surgery in September, Ohtani was a staple in the rotation. He wrapped up his season on the mound with a 10-5 record, a 3.14 ERA, and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings across 23 starts. He won the AL MVP award in unanimous fashion.

Brandon Drury excelled in his first season in Anaheim. Despite missing time, he played solid defense at first, second, and third. Drury also hit .262 with 26 home runs and 83 RBIs in 125 games. SP Griffin Canning returned from a lower back stress fracture in 2021 to make 22 starts. He could be a formidable back-end starter for the Halos going forward. In a similar vein, SP Chase Silseth looked like he arrived for good after bouncing between AAA and the Majors. Silseth made eight starts and also entered eight times in relief. He also earned a hard-fought win against the Atlanta Braves in late July.

Experience for the Youngsters

OF Mickey Moniak had several big home runs and hot stretches to flash his great potential. The former first overall pick figures to be a key member of the Angels in the future, but he needs to significantly improve against lefties to be an everyday player. Rookies C Logan O'Hoppe and SS Zach Neto both showcased what's in store for the Angels despite spending time on the injured list. 2023 first rounder 1B Nolan Schanuel is another product of the Angels aggressively promoting their draft picks. Nolan showed a keen eye and good bat-to-ball skills in 29 games.

RPs Ben Joyce, Jose Soriano, and Sam Bachman all showed big stuff this year as they aim to work for significant roles in 2024. Youngsters getting reps in the Majors will never be bad, as the team must see what they have.

The Ugly

Freak injuries, common injuries, underperformance, and bad baseball were all part of the 2023 season in Anaheim. The potential sale last offseason hamstrung a possible managerial search, and sticking with Phil Nevin was not the wisest decision. The Angels had a worse run under Nevin than they did with Joe Maddon when they endured a 14-game losing streak that led to Maddon's firing. After going all in at the deadline, the Halos followed that up with an ugly collapse under Nevin in August. September was equally awful, but they were well out of the race by that point.

The Angels were 24th in team defensive rankings. They "boasted" a .983 fielding percentage and committed 95 errors. The pitching staff was also a problem in 2023. In 2022, the pitching was a strength with a 3.77 ERA with a .230 opponent batting average. But regression hit hard as the staff posted a 4.64 ERA. Anderson, SP Reid Detmers, and SP Patrick Sandoval all struggled under pitching coach Matt Wise. 3B Anthony Rendon being injured and bat was part of why the offense suffered. Injuries to Trout, Urshela, and OF Taylor Ward as well as a tough season from Renfroe did not help matters. The Angels hit just .236 with runners in scoring position, and they finished in the top five for strikeouts.

2024 Outlook

Phil Nevin and most of his coaching staff were all let go following the season. The Angels concluded their search and tabbed the well-respected Ron Washington to be the next skipper. The revamped staff will feature Eric Young, Sr. at third base, Bo Porter at first, Barry Enfield in charge of pitching, Johnny Washington running hitting, Tim Laker as Offensive Coordinator, Ryan Goins leading the infield, and Jerry Narron guiding the catchers. Ray Montgomery survived all the turnover and will serve as Bench Coach.

The Ohtani decision no longer remains in the balance, but the Angels do. It is no secret that change is needed at the top, starting with Arte Moreno, and throughout the organization. Success in 2024 rests with development on the farm and improvement in Anaheim.

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The Struggles Continue for the Angels, So Now What?

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The Angels are in a tough spot after going for broke at the deadline but missing the playoffs, and now they are losing a superstar. Nine times out of ten a team is in the spotlight because of how well they're doing, but the Los Angeles Angels are an unfortunate exception.

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We hear over and over again that many skiers struggle with confidence on the slopes. Confidence is a funny thing. Sometimes we 'gain it', sometimes we puzzle over why we lose it. But if you want to build confidence skiing, here are a few confidence hacks that can help. How you approach your skiing, how you can improve, and how you can avoid your confidence getting knocked.

How to Build Confidence Skiing

1. Differentiate between comfortable slopes and ones you just 'get down'

There are pistes and levels of difficulty that most skiers feel comfortable on. There are also runs and levels of difficulty that skiers can 'get down'. However, these two points can be miles apart. Your true level is probably somewhere between the two.

If you spend most of your time 'getting down' tricky pistes that you never feel comfortable on, then you'll be hard wiring this feeling of struggle into your brain. And this is what your brain will associate with skiing in general. It's much better to ski more of the runs you feel comfortable on and gain confidence and autonomy in your skiing.

Then, wisely choose your next challenge.

2. Do a harder run twice

To do this you need to be motivated to improve - but it works! The first time on a slope is always the hardest physically and psychologically. Do a run that challenges you, breathe sigh of relief at the bottom and then go straight back up and nail it again. The feelings and sensations will already be more familiar, and the edge that was there the first time is always less prominent the second time around.

3. Look for short hard sections

Grading pistes is not an exact science and their difficulty rating is often to do with their overall difficulty. However, commonly blue runs will have short sections of red-like terrain in them and often red runs will have sections of blue. This variation is good for getting better and can help build confidence. Search out the little hard bits in a blue run.

Instead of just getting down the short steeper bits of the run, try and conquer them with panache! Find and practice the 40m of red-like terrain. If it was 240m long it would be a red, but as it is short it is only a few tougher turns on a blue. This gives you the opportunity to feel what a tougher run feels like but only for a few turns.

4. Take into account changing conditions

Conditions in the mountains change. This means that from day to day, any given piste can be completely different in terms of surface and difficulty.

Confidence is often knocked when pistes turn icy, visibility drops, or when the weather heats up and the snow turns heavy and slushy. We often hear skiers say, 'I could do that run yesterday and then today I just couldn't do it'. They fail to take into account the fact that the conditions were completely different. If it snows, or the temperature changes dramatically, then the same piste can seem very different. At certain times of the year, even the time of day can make a massive difference.
Being clever about when you ski and when you tackle challenging runs can avoid knocks to your confidence.
For instance, in the first half of the winter, first thing in the morning is when the pistes are groomed and in their best condition so a good time to go for a challenge (after a little warm up of course). At Easter and late in the season, you may have to be careful about first or last thing in the day to avoid the ice in the morning and the slush of late in the day so aim for the 10-2 slot - this will ensure the most pleasurable skiing.

5. Choose the right ski partners

Lastly but not least importantly, choose your skiing companions wisely. Confidence is lost if you always feel last or if you always feel like you're just hanging in there. If you always feel you are having to ski a bit faster than is comfortable to keep up, it won't be a fun experience.

Who you ski with can have a massive positive or negative effect on your confidence. So choose wisely! If your family ski at different speeds divide up the week or think of a timetable when the keenest skiers maybe go out early and hit the slopes and then meet up for a mid-morning ski together.

Often gaining confidence or not losing confidence is a lot to do with thinking around the day's challenges. Being able to 'control' when to challenge yourself and when to avoid tricky situations is key, and so being methodical can play a massive part in your confidence levels.

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We know many skiers struggle with confidence. Confidence in skiing can make or break your week. Here are some confidence hacks to help.

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A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at. - Bruce Lee