Though the media has been fawning over Jeff Garcia’s recent performance as the replacement quarterback for The Philadelphia Eagles, few realize one of the major reasons for his success. Her name is Carmella and she is Jeff’s fiance. Both live together in Manhattan Beach, California.

I have often maintained that a loving relationship with a woman can have a major influence on the performance of a male athlete. A nurturing female companion can make a male athlete feel good about himself and helps contribute to putting his life in harmony. Another example is Tiger Woods. Also, the late Ted Williams, arguably the greatest baseball hitter of all time. Few are aware of the behind the scenes personal life of Williams. During his career he had a longtime live-in girlfriend, Louise Kaufman, who had a major impact on Williams’ success. In David Halberstam’s book, “The Teammates”, he wrote: “Ted, in time, had shown up, his three marriages by then over, and was with a wonderful lady named Lou Kaufman, a kind and forgiving person who had moved in and out of his life over the years. She was much admired by most of Ted’s old friends and was, by consensus among them, the woman in Ted’s life who seemd to understand him best and who could calm him down most readily when one of those instant moments of pure anger had been triggered. She was kind and thoughtful and truly loving – and she seemed, I once thought, when we were all three together for a day back in 1988, as much parent to him as lady-friend.” .

Whenever I work with young male athletes, I always impress on them how important it is to have a good relationship with their girlfriends. If there’s an argument, they need to resolve it before competing in their sport. And if the girlfriend refuses to resolve it, then it’s time to get another girlfriend. And of course, the same applies to female athletes and their boyfriends. In order to perform close to their skill levels, athletes’ lives must be in harmony.