Sport Psychology & its Importance for Elite Athletes
As part of my research into what attributes are required to be successful as an elite athlete, I undertook an interview with a sports psychologist. Whilst there are many physical attributes that you can train for to be successful at an elite level, having a strong mental toughness and good outlook is also just as important to be successful.
Interview with- Matt McGregor. Position - Sports Psychologist. ]
These were the three questions I thought important to ask the sports psychologist, and below that are his responses –
Questions
Responses
1. There are 2 types of sessions - Groups and 1 on 1. sessions with the leadership group or as a whole team to discuss how to improve on game play. 1 on 1 sessions to discuss individual issues i.e. if a player is lacking in marking, kicking etc. figure out ways that a better mentality can help improve those areas.
2. The difference with AFL or team sports in general compared to individual sports is that a lot of the psychological part of it is team standards, values, game plans and culture. One of the main areas of focus in football compared to other sports is aggression, as coaches like aggressive players and mentality plays a big part in aggressiveness. Another area of focus is getting players to re-focus after making a mistake during games, sports psychologists use key words or phrases that athletes can repeat to themselves to remind them that they're still playing and have to get back into the game.
3. Staff do get psychology sessions just as well as players. Staff psychology sessions usually involve the staff wanting to know how they can better help the athletes.
Personal Reflections
The session went well, I gained insight into how an athletes psychology affects the way they perform, athletes mental toughness is as important as their skills, for example if an athlete is easily disheartened they will lose their confidence when they make a mistake even though they might be highly skilled. Another reason psychology is important is it can affect concentration and focus. If a player loses concentration they could perform poorly and make mistakes very easily. Self motivation is another important mental attribute when determining how athletes perform. Self motivation is important in competitive sports as athletes might have hard training schedules which require mental toughness to get through. Self motivation might also be important in game situations such as if your team is losing and your will to compete might be the determining factor of your performance in response to the situation.
Interview with- Matt McGregor. Position - Sports Psychologist. ]
These were the three questions I thought important to ask the sports psychologist, and below that are his responses –
Questions
- What is a sports psychology session like?
- What are the most important areas of focus in
AFL football compared to other sports?
- Do the staff get psychology sessions just as well as the players?
Responses
1. There are 2 types of sessions - Groups and 1 on 1. sessions with the leadership group or as a whole team to discuss how to improve on game play. 1 on 1 sessions to discuss individual issues i.e. if a player is lacking in marking, kicking etc. figure out ways that a better mentality can help improve those areas.
2. The difference with AFL or team sports in general compared to individual sports is that a lot of the psychological part of it is team standards, values, game plans and culture. One of the main areas of focus in football compared to other sports is aggression, as coaches like aggressive players and mentality plays a big part in aggressiveness. Another area of focus is getting players to re-focus after making a mistake during games, sports psychologists use key words or phrases that athletes can repeat to themselves to remind them that they're still playing and have to get back into the game.
3. Staff do get psychology sessions just as well as players. Staff psychology sessions usually involve the staff wanting to know how they can better help the athletes.
Personal Reflections
The session went well, I gained insight into how an athletes psychology affects the way they perform, athletes mental toughness is as important as their skills, for example if an athlete is easily disheartened they will lose their confidence when they make a mistake even though they might be highly skilled. Another reason psychology is important is it can affect concentration and focus. If a player loses concentration they could perform poorly and make mistakes very easily. Self motivation is another important mental attribute when determining how athletes perform. Self motivation is important in competitive sports as athletes might have hard training schedules which require mental toughness to get through. Self motivation might also be important in game situations such as if your team is losing and your will to compete might be the determining factor of your performance in response to the situation.