= 56 - North Shore News — Wednesday, December 15, 1999 GR. SAUL MILLER ON BREATHING “Breathing is a process that integrates mind and body. As we focus on our breath we bring our consciousness more into the here and now. Experiencing a smooth breathing rtythm primes and inte- grates brain function. From a performance perspective. relaxed and rhythmical breathing enhances our image of what we are capable of being; it increases our motivation and supports us in realizing our goals.” — from Sport Psychology for Cyclists Bob Mackin News Reporter A North Vancouver sports psychologist wants to help cyclists put their pedals to the mental. Dr. Sau! Miller, who works with Canada’s national cveling team, has co-written Sport Psvehology for Cyclists (VeloPress) with former American champion cyclist Peggy Maass Hill. Miller said the book grew out of their participation in the national team’s annual fall training camps in Victoria. ' “We were sitting next to each other and chatting at a dinner and she said she’d taken 2 writing course so we started talking about that,” Miller said. “(Hill) interviewed me -before the 96 Olympics for one of the: cycling magazines. I said why don’t we do a back?” Miller and Hill based the book on a series of sessions with national team riders, The 253-page program is - intended ‘for anyone who is serious about their two-wheeled passion, but it also provides useful ideas for weck- vend wheelers. “With a cover price ‘under $30, it’s more economical than @ One-on-one session with Miiler. In the book, Miller and Hill dis- ‘cuss a number of tactics to enhance erformaace, such as. exercises in ~.. breathing and relaxation to regulate “emotions and manage the mind. -Imagery and power thought drills are ‘included to heip overcome fear, pain « and difficulty of competing that can - challenge athletes at ali levels. «,. Biller’s mental - training tech- “niques proved successful for Canada’s team time trial. riders in 1988. They qualified ‘for the Seoul Olympics by riding 100 kilometres in a record one hour, 51 minutes and 16 seconds. ~ . €They had to rake one minute and 10 seconds off the Canadian record — they went out and rook 15 and x half minutes off the Canadian record. They were talented riders with great equipment and well-coached, but a fot had to do with the mental state they got themselves into. They used the pain and the negative thirking to their advantage.” Miller, who has practised sports psychology since 1979, argues the physical aspects of sport are essential, yet overemphasized. Miller began consulting with the national cycling team in 1983. The Montreal native, who has a Ph.D in clinical psychology, studied at McGill University and played on the school’s national championship football team in 1962. Sports psychology piqued his interest while working as a clinical psychoiogist at Mississippi State University when the school’s tennis coach sought help for his team. Baseball and golf coaches were next to knock on his door. He came to Vancouver in 1980 and worked with the Vancouver Canucks, Vancouver Canadians and B.C. Lions before moving to California in 1983. He consulred with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Rams and New York Mets untt] 1989 when he returned to Vancouver and ran a clinic to treat those who suffer from chronic pain until 1995. ; “While } szade significant differ- ences in pevtlss* fives, it was far more enjoyable for me to be working with high level performers and the results we got were very good,” he said. “The exciting thing (about) work- ing with high-level people who are performers in sports, business. and the arts, is that these people want to really be great. They want to express their greatness.” : Miller-continues to work with the Canucks and a host of professional individuals and tcams, but he’s par- ticularly fond of his association with “Canadian Olympians. He has spent ‘almost two decades advising Canada’s men’s field hockey team, which includes four North Shore players and is headed for the 2000 Games in Sydney. Sperts Psychology for Cyclists is his fourth book, and first since 1992's Performing Under Pressure (McGraw-Hill Ryerson). “I think sport is a wonderful ‘ forum that challenges peopic mental- ly and physically to be their best, and to deal with success ‘and disappoint- £.C. MIXED CURLING CHAMPIONSHIP The Giles and the Smileys will be throwing rocks at houses in Enderby this weekend. The North Vancouver Curling Club rink skipped by Jonn Smiley is among eight teams competing for the provincial mixed champicnship. Smiley is joined by third Kathy Smiley, second Brad Giles and lead Donna Giles. The winner advances to the Canadian championship Jan. 8-16 in Lethbridge, Atla. 25 NEWS photo Cindy Gaedrean NORTH Vancouver sports psychologist Dr. Sau! Miller has co- written Sport Psychology fer Cyclists with former American champion Peggy Maese Hil The Sook is for experts and novices. -: ment and come out and be successful again,” be said. “There’s a reality to it, it’s not like an unaccountability you sce in other areas where pcople pass the buck. You're either making the play or you're not, it’s pretty clear. And if you're not, is chere something we can do to help you to make ie?” Miller and Hill are planning a two-hour seminar to promote the book at Vancouver's St. Andrew's Wesley Church on jan. 23 at 6:30 p-m. ot WV boarder wins WEST Vancouver’s of fresh snow overnight and| Coutribsting Writer WITH winter break about to hit the soccer schedule, it’s time for some teams to re-group. “: Bour North Shore teams are having 2 rough time weather- ing the storm in the Vancouver * , Metro Soccer League’s Preinier * | divided in two a Division, a 14-team league oups of seven with some interlocking play. Norvan SC and the Decp Cove Royals sit at the bottom _ of their group, while Pegasus SC’and the West Van Trollers are clese to the basement in their half. ; :Norvan SC seems ‘to be the Doe near een ts ~ Soccer teams heed break - Colin Thomas most optimistic and is steadily improving in year three of a re- building campaign. The club has a solid talent base spread aver three teams which might translate into future success for Norvan, which had two nation- al championships in the carly “90s. ; Premier team = — coach Gunther Frey says it’s a matter of time before the next genera- tion of Norvan comes of age. “We have so many good players playing on the Saints (Norvan’s “B” team) and under-21 team, it’s looking like things should come together for us,” Frey says. Norvan began the scason with an emphatic 5-0 win over Burnaby Dy. Canadians but has ~ : since struggled to find wins. “We have so many ties (five) and that’s going to hurt you in the standings,” says Frey, Farmer Vancouver Eighty- Sixer Scott Macey suits up for Norvan this year along with Simon Fraser University’s All- American — keeper London. Pegasus SC still arguably plays the best soccer on the North Shore but is struggling, to get results despite having formidable talent to choose from. “Peg” has three wins in 12 games which is disastrous for a team whose trophy shelf’ has been the most busy in recent years. Pegasus finds itself Steve — See Down next page ~ se eee Maetle Ricker won two gold medals in two days at a World Cup snowboarding meet in Whistler. Ricker won the snow- board cross Saturday and had her first gold medal in the halfpipe on Sunday. The halfpipe was the cli- max of the 10-day HSBC Whistler WinterStart Festival which included five World Cup skiing and snowboard- ing events. She competed among a field of 39 women, 15 of whom were Canadian. Conditions were soft in ‘the'pipe with 25 centimetres er a ar a oe a another 15 cm falling during}. the day, making for excellent powder skiing, bue difficult pipe conditions, “Lam excited to win two} days in a row, but I was also happy just to make it down,” Ricker said. “Today was definitely i case of survival of the fittest.” Ricker said the harsh con- ditions on the halfpipe course tested her confidence. “I was feeling a little tired from yesterday, because the snowboard cross course was, a ceal leg burner, but I was still feeling pretty good. I had no major aches or pains.” ; Ce es ~- Bab Mackin Resolve towalk =. the walk _ “CHILDREN have nei- ther a past nor a future.” They live in the present, something which rarefy. happens to us.” , So said French moralist’ and author Jean de La- Bruvere when discussing the _ emotional plight of most adults in the society he lived _ in. oa ‘The interesting elernent is...’ that he coined the quote f around 1668, and the truly - 0: disturbing fact is that our own culture doesn’t seem to have “made much progress in the ~~ last 300 years or so. en We seem hell bent on tor-" turing others or ourselves for. © . the mistakes that have been. * made and are always planning how everything will be all “=. > _ fight down the road. All this’ . without giving ourselves any - real chance to focus on and’ enjoy the pleasures and chal “lenges of today. ¢ media, advertisers and anyone else who thinks we: mught listen have beer: bom-: barding us ali year about the< new “millennium” and what 2°. wonderful opportunity it’s. going to be for us (Y2K -; aside). But if history is any” thing to go by, most will wake ’ up with a list of res::futions -* that by the end of January - have whittled away to listle © nore than vague memories.’ Nowhere is this more overt © than when it comes down to’ taking charge of your physical” and emotional well being. Obesity and all the won- derfully popular and largely preventable discace's it offers . will continue to floutish because so many people don’t scem to have che mental disci- line to organize and build a” ifestyle where physical health is at least as important as fiscal wealth. At an intellectual level Canadians know the imper- - tance of being physically fit, but if you watch our behav- iour and general apathy it . © appears we can talk the talk, but can’t walk the walk, Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Who you are speaks so foudly I can’t hear what you’re saying.” He =~ - could casily have been talking: