1. Sport Psychology in GAA
Clifton Sport Psychology
Sport Psychology in GAA
How to Mentally Prepare Athletes For Gaelic Games 1

2. ‘The mind is the athlete. The body is simply the means it uses
Clifton Sport Psychology
‘The mind is the athlete. The
body is simply the means it uses
to run faster or longer, jump
higher, shoot straighter, kick
better, swim harder, hit further,
or box better’.
Bryce Courtney, The Power of One, 1992 2

3. To identify key areas of sport psychology
Learning Outcomes
To identify key areas of sport psychology
To apply these areas to Gaelic Games
To empower GAA coaches with knowledge
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4. Objectives To explain the key theories and principles of sport
psychology and how they lead to improved athletic
performance
To apply these principles to Gaelic Games
To give appropriate examples in order to empower coaches
to use these principles with their athletes
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5. Motivation Anxiety Team Cohesion Key Mental Areas
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6. Motivation As coaches you firstly be motivated
‘Motivation is a desire to achieve a goal, combined with the energy to work towards that goal’.
As coaches you firstly be motivated
Impossible to motivate others if you can’t motivate yourself
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7. A quick check of your Motivation
Activity
A quick check of your Motivation
Ask the coach beside you
Why Did You Play Sports?
Why Do You Coach?
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8. Like me tonight!!!!! Remember Clifton Sport Psychology
Always remember….Players come to coaches already highly motivated
Therefore…
It’s your job to maintain your players’ natural motivation to play the sport
Clifton Sport Psychology
Like me tonight!!!!! 8

9. Goal Setting Communicate Feedback Music
How do we do it
Goal Setting Communicate
Feedback Music
New & Exciting Training Give Players Responsibility
Have Players of Week/ Man of Matches
Know your players
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10. GOAL SETTING What to measure -performance profiling
When we set them-performance goals not outcome goals
challenging goals not easy ones
realistic goals
specific goals
short term not long term goals
goals assist performance attitude and motivation
. feedback on progress is important
players must accept goals 10

11. With your players or fellow coaches
Performance Profiling
With your players or fellow coaches
list the important attributes of the game.
Give the profile to the players
Player rates where you feel you are (at
this moment) on each attribute (1=not at all
like me & 10= could not get any better).
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12. The primary function of a coach is to somehow
Clifton Sport Psychology
FEEDBACK
The primary function of a coach is to somehow
alter existing sporting behavior - could be a
technique, tactics, skills or behaviour
As coaches, you must make a conscious decision
as to whether we will use a POSITIVE or
NEGATIVE approach when you attempt to
make these changes 12

13. Advantage Disadvantages
Using a Negative Approach
(shouting, fear, negative
feedback) to Change Behaviour
Advantage
It often works -- can eliminate undesirable
behaviour. But only in the short run and only when we are present and only when we’re willingly to punish with exercise!!
Clifton Sport Psychology
Disadvantages
Can be very unpleasant -- reduce
enjoyment and MOTIVATION (may
increase likelihood of athletes quitting the
team)
Increases ANXIETY (and error rate)
Produces “fear of failure” 13

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15. Anxiety Clifton Sport Psychology Anxiety is a natural reaction
to threats in the environment and part of the preparation for the ‘fight or flight’ response.
It happens in Sport because:
It can be a threat posed towards one’s ego/self esteem
Demands of training or competition exceed one’s perceived ability
It can be physically exhausting
It places you against superior opponents Hostile fans might verbally abuse you the Elements may need to be overcome Your emotional frailties are constantly laid bare for all to see 15

16. Clifton Sport Psychology
Anxiety 16

17. “Walking from the locker-room to the ring is the scariest feeling I ever had in my life…It's like I have butterflies, my heart is beating, I'm already sweating, my hands are wet, it's just a real scary feeling”
Gerald McClellan, former WBC super-middleweight champion 17

18. Recognizing Symptoms of Arousal and State Anxiety
Physical (somatic) symptons
Profuse sweating, muscular tension, butterflies, dry mouth, blushing, nausea
Mental (cognitive) symptoms
Confusion, poor concentration, fear, negative images, forgetfulness, indecision, feeling heavy, loss of confidence, negative self-talk
Behavioural symptoms
Biting fingernails, inhibited posture, lethargic movements, going through the motions, playing safe, introversion, consistently better performance in non-evaluative situations 18

19. Anxiety Relaxation and Breathing Techniques (see GAA web) Routines
Techniques to Solve
Anxiety
Relaxation and Breathing Techniques (see GAA web)
Routines
Imagery (see GAA web)
Self-Talk
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20. Post Match/ Half Time Team Talks - organised & worthwhile
ROUTINES
Post Match/ Half Time Team Talks organised & worthwhile
Player routines for games 2-3 hours before-Somatic
Announce team days in advance/give players instructions-Cognitive
Same warm up all before all games
Routines in changing rooms Players aware of their job
Posters of players-characteristics Captain to text players
Presentation of jerseys
Individuals work on pre-performance rituals
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21. They can be a very powerful tool effecting performance
Self-Talk
The collection of thoughts or statements players make to themselves regarding their performance.
They can be a very powerful tool effecting performance
Athletes usually use them negatively-Inappropriate Negative
Coaches should identify if athlete using Self Talk
Change to –Appropriate Positive
Examples ‘Watch the ball’- Concentration
‘Go for it’- Fighting Spirit
‘Relax’- Alleviate Fear and Choking
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22. The key is changing Negative to Positive
Examples of Negative
and Positive Self-Talk
Clifton Sport Psychology
NEGATIVE
POSITIVE
ALWAYS
OFTEN
I MUST
I WANT
I CANNOT
IT MAY BE DIFFICULT
I DONT WANT
I WILL
The key is changing Negative to Positive 22

23. TEAM
COHESION
Team cohesion is commonly defined as a dynamic process that is reflected in the tendency of a group to remain united in the pursuit of its goals and objectives
Q. What qualities, attributes, and characteristics does a team need?
Q. Which ones does a successful team that other teams don’t?
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34. I hope you have taken something from tonight
Thank-you for
your time
Please take a card
I hope you have taken something from tonight
And remember to coach a very important lesson
NEVER GIVE UP
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