imagery-More than Visualization Visualization is picturing, or seeing, yourself, but imagery is not limited to vision. It can involve mul senses: sight, feel (how muscles feel as they move), touch, sound, smell, and taste. Imagery may also include the emotions associated with the experience being imagined. A golfer might visualize the lie of the fairway and image herself making the perfect drive. Not only can she see herself make the perfect swing, but she can also feel the sensations in her muscles as she executes the drive in her mind. The feel of her grip on the club and the glove against her skin are vividly etched in her memory. As she hits the ball, the sweet sound of the perfect drive resonates in her mind. She is also aware of the smell of fresh-cut grass, and perhaps even a faint taste of salty sweat on her lips if she is imaging a hot summer day. In thinking of your sport, what senses seem most critical for athletes to incorporate into their imagery? You probably recognize the importance of sight and kinesthetic feel-the sensation of bodily position presence, or movement that arises from the stimulation of sensory nerve endings in muscles, tendons and joints. A hockey player uses his visual sense to read the defense and focus on the puck, and a tennis player uses vision to watch the ball and her opponent's location on the court. Agymnast relies on what it feels like to perform the perfect balance beam routine, and a golfer might rehearse the feel of a perfect swing before stepping onto the tee. Other senses are also important in certain sports. For example, tactile sensory information is crucial in wrestling. Auditory information is important in many team sports and in tennis, where shots hit with top spin sound different from those that are sliced. Even if you do not view a particular sensory modality as important in your sport, it is best to incorporate as many of the senses into imagery as possible, for one simple reason: It is easier to create a more vivid, lifelike image if most of the senses are involved.