Bradford Strand, NDSU professor of health, nutrition and exercise sciences, recently published the book, “Optimal Sports Performance: Practice Smarter, Think Faster, Play Better.”
“My desire is that this book helps readers better understand some of the intricacies of sports performance and what it takes to perform more successfully. I hope readers find the stories and examples relatable as they attempt to understand the content and continue to strive to find the often elusive optimal performance,” Strand said.
In the book, Strand lays out a model for helping athletes of all ages understand and learn how to reach optimal performance. Throughout the book, he uses Action Triggers to assist readers in better understanding the challenges of sport and includes preloaded responses which help eliminate decision paralysis in challenging situations.
Strand said identifying preloaded responses frees up mental bandwidth and makes an athlete’s response reflexive and automatic allowing a person to focus on other aspects of a game or contest.
According to the book, optimal performance in sport occurs when athletes can focus their attention on relevant information, processes, and behaviors; while, at the same time, blocking out distracting or irrelevant cues.
Strand has conducted hundreds of presentations, workshops and demonstrations and is the lead author of four books. He has published numerous professional articles and abstracts on physical education, fitness education, youth sport, ethics and fairness in sport, leadership, and technology in physical education and secured more than $1.15 million in grants and contracts.
He has served on 18 national boards and received many professional honors, including Distinguished Administrator Award from the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education; Scholar of the Year Award for the Central District of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; and alumni honor awards from both Mayville State University and the University of New Mexico. He has been awarded Fellow Status in the National Academy of Kinesiology and the National Association for Kinesiology in Higher Education. Strand has served as President of the National Association of Physical Education and Sport and the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (now knows as SHAPE America).
Strand earned his bachelor’s degree at Mayville State University, master’s degree in physical education from NDSU and his doctorate at the University of New Mexico.
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