1. International Coaching School Mental Skills – Level 3 University of Victoria August 24, 2002 Presenter: Tanya Berry

2. What do great performers do that enable them to excel? In general? Specific to your sport? Who are some examples of great performers?

3. Model of Performance Theoretical Limit or Absolute Limit Personal limit Current Standard Actual Performance

4. Why are psychological skills important? Psychological Technical Tactical Physical Optimal Performance

5. Principles The Ideal Performance State Individual Differences Self-direction AND: Integration with other skills

6. Progression Stage 1: Positive Environment Stage 2: Emotional Control Stage 3: Attentional Control Stage 4: Precompetition and competition strategies Stage 5: Applying skills and strategies

7. Principles of teaching mental skills Learning is most effective when mental skills are taught/coached as an integral part of training, not as an “add on” activity. Because mental skills are best learned at the same time as other skills, the coach is the best person to teach them.

8. Like all learning, mental skills learning is a developmental process; it begins with simple familiar examples and gradually develops with practice and good instruction to apply to complex and unfamiliar situations

9. The objective is to make athletes self- sufficient – not reliant on the coach or expert. The quality of effort of both coach and athlete is the same as for learning and acquiring physical skills; problems with adherence to training can be anticipated. Individual differences are as obvious in learning mental vs physical skills – hence the need for individualized programs early in the season

10. The most powerful influence in all learning, including mental skills, is the example of the coach. To be effective: YOU, THE COACH,, MUST BE A POSITIVE MODEL OF THE SKILLS BEING TAUGHT.

11. General Preparatory Phase Sell the Program Getting to know the athletes and determining their goals Introduction of mental skills (LEARNING) Specific Preparatory Phase Team Building Arousal Control Learning & Confidence Building SIMULATION Pre- competitive Phase Focussing – including skills such as Imagery, Self-talk, Pre-game routines, Thought-stopping, Refocussing techniques Competitive Phase Refining of Skills and APPLICATION Transition Phase Evaluation

12. Stage 1 Positive Environment Plan for long-term involvement Multiple incentives Set goals Team harmony Effective communication

13. In order for long-term involvement you need: Motivation characterized by: Direction of effort Intensity of effort An internal state that arouses, directs, and maintains behaviours.

14. Major motives for youth sport participation Improving skills having fun being with friends experiencing thrills and excitement achieving success developing fitness

15. Goals An objective, standard or aim of some action outcome v performance goals Long-term goals Short-term goals Daily (practice) goals

16. Why goal-setting works Direct attention to important elements of the skill mobilize performance efforts prolong performer persistence foster the development of new learning strategies influence performance indirectly by affecting psychological factors such as anxiety, confidence, and satisfaction

17. Basic goal-setting principles Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-lined

18. Team Harmony (Cohesion) Need: Effective communication Respect Feeling of closeness Friendly atmosphere Mutual acceptance of goals Mutual encouragement

19. Consequences of Cohesion Increased satisfaction Increased adherence to team norms and values Greater stability Greater conformity

20. Cohesion Performance The relation between cohesion and performance is circular, with performance success leading to increased cohesion, which in turn leads to increased performance

21. Ways to develop Cohesion Discussion starters Team slogans or sayings Team name as an acronym Reciprocal Teaching

22. Stage 2 Emotional Control Stimulus Appraisal of Situation Primary – personal stake Secondary – resources No stress response Stress Response Active Coping

23. Sources of anxiety and stress Sport is “a self-inflicted stressful situation” Graham Mourie Event importance threat to person’s ego threat of personal harm ambiguity, uncertainty disruption of routine threat of negative social evaluation Personal - trait anxiety, self-esteem

24. Symptoms of stress Fight or flight response Butterflies Can’t sit still, fidgety Biting nails Dry mouth Increased heart rate Urination Muscle tremors and tightness Headaches Nausea and vomiting Insomnia Concentration errors Narrowing of visual field Profuse sweating Dazed look in eyes

25. LowHigh Low High Arousal Performance Energizing Need Relaxation

26. Interventions change the environment or perceptions of environment cognitive stress management techniques somatic stress management techniques

27. Cognitive Routines Goal-setting Rational thinking Self-Talk Thought-stopping Cue words

28. Somatic Relaxation Progressive Muscular Relaxation Hypnosis Biofeedback Yoga How could you incorporate one of them into a practice?

29. Selection Winning final Passing exams Time on study, assignments, self- esteem, Training, effort etc. Money Weight, Looks Car Crowd Weather Unimportant Important Uncontrollable Controllable

30. Stage 3 Attentional Control A useful definition of attention or concentration contains 2 parts: 1.Focusing attention on the relevant environmental cues 2.Maintaining that attentional focus

31. Attentional Problems Attending to past events Attending to future events Attending to too many cues Over analysis of body mechanics Choking (ANXIETY!)

32. Attentional Focus Training Thought-stopping Centering Simulation/practice Attentional cues –listening cues –visual cues –physical cues

33. Routines Imagery Goal-setting Overlearning

34. Tips for Improving Concentration Practice with distractions present Use cue words Employ nonjudgmental thinking Establish routines Practice eye control Stay focused in the present

35. What is imagery? Visualization, mental rehearsal, mental practice Imagery involves creating or recreating an experience in your mind Can involve all senses - visual, kinesthetic, auditory, olfactory, tactile Can involve moods and emotions

36. Internal – imagine executing a task from within your own body; emphasizes movement(throwing a ball imagining the weight, feel of the grip, stretch of your arm) External – imagine watching yourself from at a distance

37. When to use imagery Before and after practice before and after competition during breaks in action (in practice and competition) during personal time when recovering from injury

38. Imagery Tips individualized proper setting - relaxed concentration realistic expectations, sufficient motivation positive focus videotapes imagine execution and outcome imagine in real time vividness and controllability

39. Imagery Exercise Imagine telling an athlete they’ve been cut Imagine telling an injured athlete their career is over. How did it go?

40. Stage 4 Precompetition & Competition Strategies The Ideal Performance State  The IPS is currently best described in terms of specific “feeling” states experienced by the athlete  Competitive toughness is essentially the ability to create and sustain the IPS regardless of the circumstances of play  Control seems to be at a sub-conscious level.

41. Components of the IPS Physically relaxed Mentally calm Low anxiety Positively energized Optimistic Enjoying the activity Effortless Automatic Alert Focused in the present Self-confident In control

42. Precompetition & Competition Strategies Dealing with distractions: The best surprise is no surprise. What are possible distractions: Precompetition? During competition?

43. Competition Strategy Including Thought Control (cue words, self-statements)

44. The final 5 minutes From: Bruce Howe, PhD The “big three” 1. Relaxation 2. Imagery 3. Cue words Work through each activity in order Concentrate on that which provides the best IPS Reinforce the image of the opening action Keep an uncluttered mind

45. During Competition From: Bruce Howe, PhD The Focus Loop 1. External broad 2. Internal 3. External narrow Limit goals Cueing Imaging Rofocusing strategies – thought stopping & the focus point

46. Stage 5 Applying Skills & Strategies  Individuality  Visualization  Integration into practices  Evaluation

47.  Skills should be learned well enough to come without thinking - AUTOMATICITY  Remember to keep in mind the athlete’s individual IPS  Practice  Apply  Evaluate  Debrief