High school pole vaulter athlete excels with mental skills taught at Banner Sports Medicine

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SCOTTSDALE (June 13, 2024) - High school student and aspiring pole vaulter athlete, Sam Novak, is making waves in the track and field community with his exceptional performance, thanks to the mental skills he has honed under the guidance of Dr. Sierra Dimberg, Sport Psychologist at Banner Sports Medicine.

Sam Novak (17 year-old) has been training rigorously to enhance his pole vaulting abilities allowing him to recently win the Arizona title in all divisions in pole vaulting. With the help of Dr. Dimberg's coaching on mental skills, he has learned to center himself and focus before each jump while competing. This newfound mental fortitude has propelled Sam to achieve remarkable heights, with his current record standing at an impressive 17 feet!

"When you're about to fall from such a height, it can be daunting. But through Dr. Dimberg's teachings, I have gained the confidence to know that I can do it and that I will soar over the bar," says Sam Novak.

Sam's mother, Heather Novak, expressed her support, emphasizing that seeing her son’s confidence gives her reassurance that he is safe and capable of achieving new goals and reaching new heights.

The mental skills imparted by Dr. Dimberg include meditation techniques, enhancing focus, and mental preparedness for future competitions. Sam acknowledges that these skills have been instrumental in his progress as a pole vaulter.

“Sam had a great foundation of skills to build on and he has been diligent to his current mental skills practice, including meditation and visualization or imagery.”-said Dr. Dimberg.

Looking ahead to his senior year in high school, Sam is already contemplating potential universities where he could pursue a business major. Despite his aspirations beyond athletics, pole vaulting remains a top priority for Sam as he continues to push boundaries and excel in the sport.

Banner Health is one of the largest, secular nonprofit health care systems in the country. In addition to 33 hospitals, Banner also operates an academic medicine division, Banner – University Medicine, and Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, a partnership with one of the world’s leading cancer programs, MD Anderson Cancer Center. Banner’s array of services includes a health insurance division, employed physician groups, outpatient surgery centers, urgent care locations, home care, and hospice services, retail pharmacies, stand-alone imaging centers, physical therapy and rehabilitation, behavioral health services, a research division and a nursing registry. To make health care easier, 100% of Banner-employed doctors are available for virtual visits and patients may also reserve spots at Banner Urgent Care locations and can book appointments online with many Banner-employed doctors. Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health also has locations in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada and Wyoming. For more information, visit bannerhealth.com.