Coping & Management
Strategies in various situations
P3
Intro…
The athlete must make
sure they have the
resources and are
equipped to deal with
the pressures they
face, with being a
professional
Resources come in a variety of
forms:
-
Network of supporters
Clear goals
Role models
Use of diaries/ training logs to
track progress
Development of psychological
skills
Development of personal qualities
 A Mentor is a person you trust that
has experience
 Often they are an older player who is able to offer
advice and guidance.
- Sometimes they are termed a ‘coach’ as they coach
you to deal with the issues you are experiencing.
 They will make you conscious of where you are,
where you want to be and how you are going to
get there.
 They will listen and step back from
the situation, allowing you to find
preventative solutions to your
problems.
 The mentor would need to have specific
experience in the behavioural issues in the areas
that need to be developed
 For example a reformed alcoholic player would be
good for someone who is having drink problems.
 The mentor will need to be
method is going to work.
honest if this
 A coach may find it beneficial to set up regular
group discussion meetings.
 Group discussions allow athletes to express
their views on a range of problems, such as
team work, tactics and selection policy. Open
discussions allow players to feel part of the
overall process, and may iron out team issues.
 Specific support groups or networks may
also be useful for different problems. For
example, a player who has an issue with
gambling may go to a gambling support
group, where specific tailored help can be
given.
• This could be anything from
altering the friends you hang out
with and what you do in your
spare time to changing your
eating habits. This may have a
significant effect on some areas
of behaviour.
• Humans have routines or strategies that they follow in daily life.
This will include the way you get up, get washed and get ready
for the day.
• This is often done in much the same manner
on each day.
Consistent lateness or forgetting
of kit etc can be effectively dealt
with by changing routines.
Managing our lives effectively means developing effective routines to
produce a positive outcome , coaching can help athletes change their
routines… and lifestyle.
Goal setting –
By setting clear goals to improve behaviour, you will start to improve in specific situations. This is particularly
true if there is a strategy on how you are going to achieve these goals.
Use of diaries –
Keeping a record is very useful, as you can see how you have reached where you are. Often this is used to
support other areas such as mentoring, group support and Psychological Skills.
Using a psychological Skills Training programme –
Particularly if there are specific issues, such as controlling aggression, confidence or arousal. There are a
number of strategies that could be used to improve behaviour in specific situations.
Behaviour in
certain situation…
Athletes can find themselves in a variety
of situations:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
On the sports field
Off the sports field
Dealing with the media
Dealing with the general public (both supportive/ hostile)
Dealing with sport-related people (sponsors/ agents/ coaches)
Athletes have to present themselves within an appropriate
manner, in order to avoid confrontation and creating
negative attention for themselves…
Assessment…
Example SITUATIONS:
1: On and off the sports pitch or area:
during competitions, during training, travel to and from sports pitch or area
2: dealing with the media:
television, radio, press
3: dealing with the public:
disruptive and aggressive fans
4: dealing with others:
employers, match officials, club/regional/national coaches, agents, managers,
sponsors, other team colleagues
5: Addictions:
Drugs, alcohol, gambling
The
three different situations for
P3 should be contrasting enough to ensure
strategies described are varied and cover a
breadth of content.
A more creative approach would be to
encourage learners to develop their own
scenarios and then description and
application.
Coping
strategies:
Using the coping strategies
that we have gone through,
select 3 situations (ones given
or of your own) and describe
how the athlete should
behave in the situation… and
the strategy they could use in
order to deal with the situation
in the best possible manner.
For example how
could you deal with an
addiction?
-
Mentoring & Coaching
Group discussions
One on one seminars
Lifestyle changes
Routines
Goal setting
Diaries
Psychological skills training
programme
Possible
situations:
- An addiction
- Getting over aroused on the
pitch
- Disruptive fans
- Conduct during a competition…