New mental approach key to Tamyra Mensah-Stock’s improved game going into Final X in Lincoln
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by Gary Abbott, USA Wrestling
Ask around women’s wrestling about Tamyra Mensah-Stock. Although relatively new on the world circuit, Mensah-Stock has already made a name for herself, with her tremendous athletic and technical abilities.
She has also had her share of disappointment. After winning the 2016 Olympic Trials, she had two shots at qualifying her weight class for the Rio Games and was not able to meet the standard. The next year, she made her first USA World Team in Paris, France, and did not reach the medal rounds after a 1-1 record.
Mensah-Stock has beaten many of the best wrestlers in the world at times. However, she has also dropped some key matches when she was leading early on. She has not yet developed the kind of consistency that she and her coaches are aiming for. She hopes to show a little bit different game at tonight’s Final X.
“A few parts that are working well, which I have been working on since the Worlds, is my mental game. I have worked on that consistently. I feel like it has been changing dramatically, and I am enjoying seeing those changes. It is helping me build,” Mensah-Stock said during the pre-event Final X press conference.
When pressed for details on what she is doing, Mensah-Stock explained that she has been getting some help.
“You want to know my secrets?,” she asked, flashing her famous smile.
“I am seeing a therapist. I didn’t want to elaborate on that. A sports psych, yeah. I am seeing a sports psychologist. I am also talking with my coaches a whole lot more about my mental game, and they are giving me techniques to use everytime I go to competitions. One of them is distracting myself. Singing a song to myself and not paying attention to what is going on out on the mat. I am now just working on what I am bringing into the arena,” she said.
She is starting to see some positive results from her new approach, including a big win during the Beat the Streets Gala event in May, when she stopped Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria, 2-1.
“I learned that I am more powerful than I believe myself to be. This whole mental game that I have been working on is still a work in progress. Beat the Streets definitely inspired me. She was as two-time Olympian. Yes, she was a weight class lower than me, but that doesn’t discredit any of her talent. I am starting to believe in myself a little bit more, and that is helping me,” she said
Mensah-Stock has not been able to look back at past performances, be honest with herself, and work on improvement moving forward.
“I had a lack of experience at that level. I am getting into the groove of things. I am still in my prime, even though I am 25 years old. Getting that experience and the mental aspect under my belt is a game changer for me. I am really excited, if and when I make the World Team, how that will play out for me,” she added.
Oh, and please call her Mensah-Stock now. She burst onto the world scene with her maiden name Mensah, then after getting married to Jacob Stock, she switched to her married name. But going into Final X, she is asking people to use the hyphen and call her Tamyra Mensah-Stock.”
“On my singlet for Titan Mercury, it says Mensah-Stock. For Beat the Streets, they put Mensah-Stock on my singlet and I was extremely happy. I was ecstatic. I said, ‘can we do this more often.”
Tonight’s task is to defeat Randi Beltz in Final X in Lincoln at 68 kg. She stopped Beltz by a large margin in the finals of the 2018 U.S. Open, but expects tonight’s three-match series to be very competitive.
“She is strong. It is something I have been preparing for. I think I am ready. I am excited. I just want to wrestle. I am so hungry now. We will see how we are going to match up. I am going to give the crowd a taste of it. Randi will be a good opponent. We will see,” she said.
And her mental approach to this task?
“Never under-estimate anybody. Wrestle out there like I am in the World Championships. Go big or go home. I am going big,” she said.
Part of her self-confidence this year is believing in her training and preparation, something that has developed as she has moved forward with her career.
“I am super ready. I have been ready since the U.S. Open. The training has been good. It has been really intense. I have a chance to wrestle with really good athletes at the Olympic Training Center. They have been beating me up,” she said.
Mensah-Stock has been having some fun since qualifying for the event, doing what she can to bring some excitement and personality to the competition.
“I like it. I am ready to get it over with. The build up has been intense. You should see my social media. You all have said, if you get a chance to put in Final X, do it. I am Final X ready. Final X this and Final X that. I have Final X on the back of my head. I do. I actually have an X on the back of my head, thank you very much Maya Nelson. It is the first time it has ever been done. I thought I could help out by snazzing it up a little bit,” she said.
Once again, she lit up the room with her smile and enthusiasm. Having fun has never been a problem for Mensah-Stock, and remains a big part of game.
She has also had her share of disappointment. After winning the 2016 Olympic Trials, she had two shots at qualifying her weight class for the Rio Games and was not able to meet the standard. The next year, she made her first USA World Team in Paris, France, and did not reach the medal rounds after a 1-1 record.
Mensah-Stock has beaten many of the best wrestlers in the world at times. However, she has also dropped some key matches when she was leading early on. She has not yet developed the kind of consistency that she and her coaches are aiming for. She hopes to show a little bit different game at tonight’s Final X.
“A few parts that are working well, which I have been working on since the Worlds, is my mental game. I have worked on that consistently. I feel like it has been changing dramatically, and I am enjoying seeing those changes. It is helping me build,” Mensah-Stock said during the pre-event Final X press conference.
When pressed for details on what she is doing, Mensah-Stock explained that she has been getting some help.
“You want to know my secrets?,” she asked, flashing her famous smile.
“I am seeing a therapist. I didn’t want to elaborate on that. A sports psych, yeah. I am seeing a sports psychologist. I am also talking with my coaches a whole lot more about my mental game, and they are giving me techniques to use everytime I go to competitions. One of them is distracting myself. Singing a song to myself and not paying attention to what is going on out on the mat. I am now just working on what I am bringing into the arena,” she said.
She is starting to see some positive results from her new approach, including a big win during the Beat the Streets Gala event in May, when she stopped Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria, 2-1.
“I learned that I am more powerful than I believe myself to be. This whole mental game that I have been working on is still a work in progress. Beat the Streets definitely inspired me. She was as two-time Olympian. Yes, she was a weight class lower than me, but that doesn’t discredit any of her talent. I am starting to believe in myself a little bit more, and that is helping me,” she said
Mensah-Stock has not been able to look back at past performances, be honest with herself, and work on improvement moving forward.
“I had a lack of experience at that level. I am getting into the groove of things. I am still in my prime, even though I am 25 years old. Getting that experience and the mental aspect under my belt is a game changer for me. I am really excited, if and when I make the World Team, how that will play out for me,” she added.
Oh, and please call her Mensah-Stock now. She burst onto the world scene with her maiden name Mensah, then after getting married to Jacob Stock, she switched to her married name. But going into Final X, she is asking people to use the hyphen and call her Tamyra Mensah-Stock.”
“On my singlet for Titan Mercury, it says Mensah-Stock. For Beat the Streets, they put Mensah-Stock on my singlet and I was extremely happy. I was ecstatic. I said, ‘can we do this more often.”
Tonight’s task is to defeat Randi Beltz in Final X in Lincoln at 68 kg. She stopped Beltz by a large margin in the finals of the 2018 U.S. Open, but expects tonight’s three-match series to be very competitive.
“She is strong. It is something I have been preparing for. I think I am ready. I am excited. I just want to wrestle. I am so hungry now. We will see how we are going to match up. I am going to give the crowd a taste of it. Randi will be a good opponent. We will see,” she said.
And her mental approach to this task?
“Never under-estimate anybody. Wrestle out there like I am in the World Championships. Go big or go home. I am going big,” she said.
Part of her self-confidence this year is believing in her training and preparation, something that has developed as she has moved forward with her career.
“I am super ready. I have been ready since the U.S. Open. The training has been good. It has been really intense. I have a chance to wrestle with really good athletes at the Olympic Training Center. They have been beating me up,” she said.
Mensah-Stock has been having some fun since qualifying for the event, doing what she can to bring some excitement and personality to the competition.
“I like it. I am ready to get it over with. The build up has been intense. You should see my social media. You all have said, if you get a chance to put in Final X, do it. I am Final X ready. Final X this and Final X that. I have Final X on the back of my head. I do. I actually have an X on the back of my head, thank you very much Maya Nelson. It is the first time it has ever been done. I thought I could help out by snazzing it up a little bit,” she said.
Once again, she lit up the room with her smile and enthusiasm. Having fun has never been a problem for Mensah-Stock, and remains a big part of game.
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