Attention Training: Helping Your Athletes Master Focus and Concentration
- RIZE
- Apr 3
- 4 min read
Updated: May 2
(How To Build Unbreakable Attention Skills That Translate to Peak Performance)
Every athlete you coach is chasing the same thing: Consistency. They want to be sharp, reliable, and locked in — whether it’s game day or practice.
But here’s the truth: Attention is a skill. And like any other skill, it needs to be trained.
👉 The better your athletes can focus, the better they’ll perform.
Here’s how to help them get there.
🎯 Why Attention Training Matters
Focus is more than just concentrating on the task at hand. It’s about choosing what to pay attention to, ignoring distractions, and staying locked in — even when things get tough.
📌 Why It Matters:
A lack of focus leads to missed opportunities, poor decisions, and inconsistency.
Effective attention training can improve reaction time, decision-making, and overall performance.
Attention training helps athletes stay calm and composed under pressure.
💡 If your athletes can’t control their attention, they can’t control their game.
🔑 The Building Blocks of Attention Training
Attention training involves three main components:
Focused Attention (Locking In On One Thing).
Sustained Attention (Staying Focused Over Time).
Selective Attention (Blocking Out Distractions).
If your athletes can master these components, they’ll be able to focus with precision and consistency.
🌟 Practical Attention Training Strategies for Coaches
Here’s how to help your athletes develop stronger attention skills that translate to peak performance.
1. Focused Attention Drills (Sharpening Concentration)
Focused attention is the ability to lock in on one task or cue without losing focus.
📌 What To Do:
Short-Burst Focus Training:
Example: Have players focus on a single task (e.g., shooting free throws) while blocking out distractions.
Example: Counting consecutive successful shots or reps to build focus and consistency.
Narrow Focus Drills:
Example: In basketball, have athletes focus only on their opponent’s hips and feet during defensive drills.
Example: In soccer, practicing passes where the focus is only on the receiver’s foot placement.
Breaking Down Skills:
Focus on one specific element of a skill before integrating it with others.
Example: Teaching a tennis player to focus only on their grip before incorporating footwork.
📌 Why It Matters:
Developing focused attention helps athletes become more precise and effective in their actions.
It teaches them to lock in on what matters and filter out unnecessary information.
💬 “The more they focus on one thing, the sharper they’ll become.”
2. Sustained Attention Drills (Building Concentration Over Time)
Sustained attention is the ability to stay focused on a task for an extended period without losing intensity.
📌 What To Do:
Extended Drills:
Example: Practicing endurance-based drills that require consistent focus over long periods (e.g., full-court scrimmages, continuous passing drills).
Example: Setting concentration goals during long training sessions to maintain intensity.
Fatigue Training:
Example: Putting athletes through demanding physical drills and then testing their focus with a skill-based task (e.g., shooting drills after sprints).
Attention Endurance Challenges:
Example: Creating competitions where athletes must maintain focus and precision under time pressure.
📌 Why It Matters:
Sustained attention builds mental endurance and resilience.
It helps athletes stay locked in, even when tired or under pressure.
💬 “Focus isn’t just about sharpness. It’s about staying sharp over time.”
3. Selective Attention Drills (Blocking Out Distractions)
Selective attention is the ability to filter out distractions and stay focused on what matters most.
📌 What To Do:
Distraction Drills:
Example: Practicing free throws or penalty kicks while teammates shout or create noise.
Example: Running defensive drills with added auditory or visual distractions.
Crowd Noise Simulation:
Example: Playing loud crowd noise or artificial sounds during drills to train focus.
Task-Switching Exercises:
Example: Rapidly switching between different tasks to build the ability to refocus quickly.
📌 Why It Matters:
Selective attention training helps athletes stay locked in, even in chaotic environments.
It teaches them to filter out what’s irrelevant and respond only to what matters.
💬 “Focus isn’t just about locking in. It’s about ignoring everything else.”
4. Present-Moment Awareness Training (Staying Here And Now)
Present-moment awareness is about being fully engaged in the task at hand, without distractions from the past or future.
📌 What To Do:
Mindfulness Training:
Example: Teaching athletes to use breathing techniques to stay present during high-pressure moments.
Example: Practicing body scans to increase awareness and relaxation.
Self-Talk Awareness:
Example: Helping athletes identify negative thoughts and redirect them to constructive cues.
Visualization:
Example: Having athletes mentally rehearse their performances before competition, focusing on clarity and precision.
📌 Why It Matters:
Present-moment awareness helps athletes react quickly and effectively.
It reduces overthinking and helps them stay composed under pressure.
💬 “The present moment is where peak performance happens.”
📌 What To Do Today
Break down attention training into three components: Focused, Sustained, and Selective.
Design drills that emphasize each type of attention.
Incorporate mindfulness and present-moment awareness training into your sessions.
Help your athletes recognize when their attention slips — and how to bring it back.
💡 Attention is a skill. And skills can be trained.
🧠 Take These With You:
❤️ “The best players aren’t just physically sharp — they’re mentally sharp.”
❤️ “Attention is a skill. Train it like any other.”
❤️ “You can’t control everything, but you can control where your focus goes.”
❤️ “Focus is a muscle. Build it.”
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