Do you have any inspirtational quotes that you use in your coaching sessions with young people?

I first got involved with serious sport when I was 12 years old when I wanted to be an Olympic swimmer and they told me that I was too old to start a swimming career by then... So I took up fencing and this has been the sport of my life every since.

What I do remember was the very different way in which we were trained in those days - much more discipline and control. "Do it our way or the highway!"

In those early years I cannot recall ever hearing any inspirational quotes or saying to help me though any tough times. Fencing is a sport of trained reactions so I do remember a great many drills and rules that we had to learn but the psychology of sport was still not a big thing then.

Once I started getting into competitions then I can recall some quotes from various people that resonated then and still resonate now that I bring them back into my mind and now that I have just returned to the sport after a 15 year break.

"Winning is 90% confidence" was an early one for me and it instilled into me the attitude that I still have today: everytime I step up against an opponent I have no doubt at all that I am going to win the bout! This is not arrogance or false pride but just quiet confidence in myself. And if I do lose the bout then I walk away absolutely sure that I am going to beat that person next time.

Of course, I analyse and work at training on those things that have caused the loss and sometimes I do beat the person next time....

"one point at a time" is something we hear from every football coach, trainer or elite athlete and it was never truer. There is no doubt that you should be aware of the whole game but you must focus on the particular moves, passes or players that are going to get you the next point/score/etc... And the other side of that is to forget the point you have just lost and concentrate on the next one. How many times have you watched a tennis match and seen a player lose several points after arguing about one point being in or out?

"don't sweat the little things" is one I translate into don't worry about the stuff about which you can do absolutely nothing. You cannot stop the sun reflecting off the roof of the stand; you can't stop the rain; you can't get back the point you thought you lost unfairly; you can't yell at the 'soccer mum/dad' of your opponent - so focus and get on with what you can control. Your own game.

One of my favourite things is to "celebrate the little wins along the way". If one player executes a particularly good move (even if it did not come off) then give him/her praise. Even if you lose then pick out the positives and celebrate them. Players will put more effort into making those moves again if they think they were noticed and that with a little more effort or luck they will come off for them the next time. "if at first you don't succeed, try, try again" because if it didn't work it might not be because it was wrong, just not quite right at that moment.

In Fencing we work a lot on trained reactions so we practice moves over and over again so that when in a bout situation it is second nature to react to certain things that happen. This can be good but it can also be bad if your opponent knows what you are likely to do... So "learn to read the play and react to what is happening - not what you think you would like to do" is handy.

And everything is a process of building, strength, skill, knowledge, experience but it is always good to reflect occasionaly so my last and favourite quote is:

"You never know how far you have gone until you look behind and see where you have come from"

No matter how you go about motivating young people at sport remember that it is supposed to be fun. No matter what age and what level if you are not having fun then you should not be doing it. So how about getting the kids themselves to come up with some sayings that work for them?

You may be suprised and you will certainly have a few laughs together doing it and there is nothing like them owning their own motivation.