S PORTS P SYCHOLOGY Chapter 10

W HAT CAN A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST DO FOR ME ? Goals Self-confidence Motivation Positive Self-image Strategies to cope with stress and disappointment

SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY The study of sport and exercise and mental factors that influence performance.

W HAT PERCENTAGE IS MENTAL ? Shaquille O’Neal has a career Free Throw Percentage of 52

M OTIVATION An internal state or condition (need or desire) that serves to activate or energize behavior and give it direction. Extrinsic – from the outside. Intrinsic – comes from within; It is a behavior for its own sake, rather than for reward that it might reap

G OAL S ETTING Gives long-term vision and short-term motivation. This makes it possible for individual to measure progress and take pride in their achievements. With goals in mind, you can Achieve more Improve performance Improve quality of training Increase motivation Increase pride and satisfaction Improve self-confidence

R ESULTS Research has proven that people who use goal setting effectively: Suffer less from stress and anxiety Concentrate better Have more self-confidence Perform better Are happier with their performances

IMAGERY Jack Nicklaus

J ACK NICKLAUS "I never hit a shot even in practice without having a sharp in-focus picture of it in my head. It's like a colour movie. First, I "see" the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then the scene quickly changes, and I "see" the ball going there: its path, trajectory, and shape, even its behaviour on landing. Then there's a sort of fade-out, and the next scene shows me making the kind of swing that will turn the previous images into reality only at the end of this short private Hollywood spectacular do I select a club and step up to the ball."

STRESS Some factor that causes awareness, anxiety, focus, or fear. Stress can be either good or bad and have both positive and negative effects.

F IGHT OR FLIGHT Our body's primitive, automatic, inborn response that prepares the body to "fight" or "flee" from perceived attack, harm or threat to our survival.

S PORTS P SYCHOLOGY AND I NJURIES Devastating to the motivated athlete! Takes athlete out of competition Sets him or her back in training and performance goals Scholarship opportunities Professional: Chance of being traded, or demoted to the minor leagues. Decreased money!

M ENTAL TOUGHNESS All athletes should be aware that injuries are part of sports. If you play long enough, it’s not if…it’s when. Support from teammates, coaches, parents, and the Athletic Trainer can help deal with the stress of being injured.

S TAGES OF G RIEF ( APPLY TO INJURIES ) Denial: "It's not that bad." "I'm fine." "I'm still racing tomorrow." "It's not broken. It’s just a fracture." Anger: Repeatedly becoming angry with unusual intensity, frequency, or provocation. Could be anger directed toward self, others, pets, lawn furniture... Bargaining: "Coach, just let me do this one race." "If I do this one race, I'll rest for the next seven days afterwards."

C ONT … Depression: Sadness, hopelessness, helplessness, irritability, loss of appetite, sleep disturbance,loss of enjoyment, over- or under- sleeping, anxiety, inability to concentrate, lowered self-esteem. Acknowledging and accepting what you've lost doesn't preclude working to get it back. But the more clear-eyed and clear-headed you are about what you've lost, the less likely you'll be to fill that space with something unhealthy.