In a small study of 17 NCAA Division 1 basketball players, increased mindfulness was associated with increased competitive free throw percentages.

In university student-athletes, “flow” state, a state of present-moment awareness (like mindfulness) that is associated with optimal athletic performance, was found to be related to greater self-reported concentration, control of attention, control of emotions, goal setting, self-talk, and lower self-report of self-consciousness.

A few studies suggested that mindfulness practice led to coach’s rating their student athletes as having increased performance, task-focused attention, and intensity during practice.

In a small study of NCAA Division 1 basketball players, participants in a mindfulness and yoga intervention reported greater goal-directed energy, less perceived stress, and greater mindfulness compared to a non-intervention control group.