Drey Ricks | On Court Body Language & What it Means For Athletes
Drey Ricks Sports Performance Analyst, “…body language is vital in athletics. Body language doesn’t talk, it screams definitely to our opponents. We all have a mind-body relationship. Yes, our thoughts dictate how we feel, but the opposite is also true. Our body language can dictate our thoughts and our feelings. Simply put, mental toughness requires good body language.”
Drey Ricks “Our personality often dictates our body language. Some people show little
emotion, they are even-keeled, and others cannot really tell how they are actually feeling. On the
opposite end, some athletes are incredibly energetic and visibly show their emotions. A display of
positive emotion after a successful play can intimidate an opponent, but body language often
becomes more important when we are not performing well.”

Drey Ricks “No one can read our thoughts; they can only see
our body language. We can be good teammates and leaders through our body language. It is easy to
deal with others and be a good teammate when we are competing well. Yet mental
toughness demands that we are good teammates and relentless competitors even when we are
struggling.”