For Athletes Mental Edge (FAME) is a membership site geared to help athletes overcome obstacles of self-doubt, nervousness, lapses of concentration and anxiety during competition. What For FAME does do is help athletes develop the mental edge to focus, concentrate, break bad habits, trust themselves, develop gamesmanship and awareness of the moment they are in. Many times just watching sports, you hear a commentator say, ‘He/She is so mentally tough.’ Believe me this does not just happen overnight for an athlete. It is something that is built over time. An athlete that displays this ‘Mental Toughness’ has at some point decided to prepare their mind just as hard and vigorous as they have prepared their body for competition. They have learned that being unprepared mentally will only lead to a breakdown physically.

FAME has noticed there is something missing in today’s athletes. They have technological advantages like never before. They include year-round training programs. Gyms that offer speed, agility and quickness programs to improve athleticism. Personal coaches/skill trainers are populating virtually every sport. Awesome medical advances to recover from injury faster. Yet, there still seems to be a missing link in peak performance. We look to fill this void by assisting accomplished, elite, professional, recreational and youth athletes in the development of the mental edge of mastering the moment they are in and performing at their peak

So, you must be asking, ‘How is this mental toughness/edge going to be developed?’ Simply, we focus on concepts like goal setting, relaxation, mental imagery and motivational phrases. We feel these concepts are the basis for strong mental preparation. We subscribe to the 75/25 rule. Winning is 75% mental and 25% physical. Others have this rule even more disproportionate for the mental side. If that is the case, why do we concentrate so much time training the body with little regard to mental training.

Pole Vaulting is a tough sport and even a harder one to coach, as you can only coach after they screw up and it takes a lot of energy for each fault. The athlete’s form in pole vaulting is paramount; as if you screw it up you end up 15 feet in air against a stanchion and no where but down to go. Unfortunately there usually is not very good mat protection there to break you fall to prevent breaking your leg, arm or collarbone.

With today’s high tech materials the poles are getting stronger and do not break as often as the pole-vaulter goes for maximum flex to insure the desired height. It takes countless hours to train to be a proficient pole-vaulter and a coach to stand around and critique your form and give you pointers is not always available. Although for safety reasons pole vaulting is not something you want to do alone, as you need someone to call the paramedics if you screw up real bad; it stands to reason that you will always need someone to explain to you what you are doing wrong or what you are doing right.

It is for this reason that I propose using high-tech Holographic Technologies, which are getting closer to becoming reality. I propose that as the athlete runs down the runway, that the second he passes a certain predetermined place that he triggers a laser sensor which starts the holographic image ahead of him, with the perfect form needed to get over the bar. As the athlete jams the pole into the box the holographic image begins its full motion 3D video. The pole-vaulter will of course match his form to the image as he travels up and over the bar.