FAIRMONT– A new program for student athletes will soon be offered in Fairmont. Mental performance training will be led by Crystal Hanson and Ian Bents over the winter months beginning Jan. 24.

Hanson explained that both she and Bents have recently been certified as Mental Performance Mastery (MPM) coaches.

Bents and Hanson were classmates while students at Fairmont High School and have both been involved in coaching– Hanson for track and field and Bents for hockey and baseball.

“What we’re trying to do is teach student athletes how to develop an elite mindset. That’s to help them have the best chance of reaching whatever goals they’ve set regardless of what sports or events they’re in,” Hanson said.

She went on to say an elite mindset is about having an elite perspective and to do that, mental obstacles need to be removed.

“We want to teach kids how to remove those roadblocks and when they can do that they’ll be more focused, more resilient and– what I think we all want for our kids– to be more confident,” Hanson said.

The six week program will cover a variety of topics including motivation and commitment, focus and awareness and control and self-discipline.

Hanson pointed out that there’s a strong mental component to performance and depending on what you read or who you follow, it accounts for anywhere from 50 to 90 percent of what an athlete is capable of achieving.

“What Ian and I want to do is carve out some time to focus on that aspect because the benefits to gain from this are huge,” Hanson said.

She stressed that she and Bents aren’t sports psychologists or trying to be, but that they’re passionate and experienced coaches who want to share what they’ve learned with students who are interested.

She also noted that coaches may be covering some of this, as well as teachers, but that this program will serve as a supplement to what students are currently working on and let them devote some dedicated time to another aspect of performance.

“The reality is, the way we think our event or game is going to go, the chances that it will go the way we imagine will happen less than 1 percent of the time. We want to help students prepare for that,” Hanson said.

While the initial program is geared toward varsity athletes, Hanson pointed out that can include a range of ages. She said after they’re through with the pilot program they may open it up to more grades or offer a program specifically for those in performing arts.

The six week program kicks off Jan. 24. It will be held weekly from 8 to 8:45 p.m. on Wednesdays at Profinium Bank in Fairmont. The cost to register is $75. Interested people can contact Hanson at cnhansonfmt@gmail.com

According to Hanson, this is a great opportunity for student athletes to step out their comfort zone, challenge themselves and show some vulnerability.

“The goal is that in six weeks they can walk away with some new strategies to help with their mental game,” she said.