Here is just a sample of what outstanding achievements are possible by putting your mind to any task. This is just one example of how Brian McKeever is able to "put his mind" to the task in hand and overcome whatever perceived obstacles may try and prevent him from being successful I feel that Brian's story is even more notable due to the fact that he has competed in both Paralympic and able-bodied races. And he has not won by a small margin either, in his recent races. He certainly is a talent to watch out for in Vancouver in 2010.
You may need to cut and paste this link into your browser to view it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic_games/vancouver_2010/8428841.stm
The question is what is the key to his success? Clearly he is displaying what we Sports Psychologists call mental toughness, and also resilience. That is important to his success, but what has enabled him to get there? What has enabled Brian to cope with the changes in his life? What strategies have been facilitative in helping Brian think about success, despite his ailing eyesight? How has Brian's use of imagery helped him deal with restricted vision. What about the changes in skiing technique, how has the skill development been enhanced and/or impaired by the use of restricted vision. How does he control attention in a race. He must surely have a unique concentration ability to be able to fully focus on the race course and his guide, and block out other thoughts and inputs. How does Brian do this? In the field of applied sports psychology Brian's strategies could prove to be very informative, and potentially useful to both able- and adaptive athletes in their quest to be successful.
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