Its always been tough
Its always been tough
Its always been tough
Its always been tough
Mental preparation
“A strong mind may not always help you win,
but a weak mind will help you lose”
“If you want something to change, you have to
change something”
Mental Prep happens anyway?
The choice is to plan, implement and evaluate
a mental preparation programme
OR
Talk about being committed, focused, etc, etc,
and just hope for the best
Player type influences mental preparation
Task-involved players
• When a player does something to acquire a skill or achieve
something for themselves then they are said to be taskinvolved.
• They focus on improving their skills and try to achieve their
goals
• They are players whose perception of their own ability is
based on how good they themselves perceive their ability.
• Task-involved players feel more understanding of game
situations.
• They are more concerned with intrinsic motivation.
• Studies indicate that task-involved players felt their efforts
were more noted when they received positive feedback and
they judged that their efforts must be lower when there was
negative feedback provided to them (Duda et al, 1995).
Ego-involved player
• An ego-involved player “seeks to demonstrate his or her own ability
comparatively to others and if mastery is experienced it is, as a means
to an end”.
• In a state of ego-involvement the concentration is on the quality of an
player’s performance and this is demonstrated when they out perform
others on the field.
• This involves more extrinsic motivation.
• Many players who are in an ego-involved state do not want to be seen
putting in too much of an effort as they sometimes believe that high
effort can be perceived as lacking in ability.
• It was also thought that ego-involvement exists when an player believes
his/her performance is reflected in the type of person that they are.
• They are often the type of players that appear confident but may be
lacking confidence (Deci & Ryan 1985)
Mental Toughness Attributes
• Robust self-confidence
and a self belief your
ability
• Highly self motivated
• Having a growth
mindset as opposed to
a fixed mindset
• Self-discipline
• Good decision making
under pressure
• Thrive on competition
with self and others
• Ability to sustain
concentration and
refocus when its lost
Mental
Toughness
Types
•Endurance
Toughness
•Big Shot
Toughness
•Head to Head
Toughness
•Superior Mental
preparation
Mental Plans
•
•
•
•
•
Pre competition plan
Pre competition refocusing plan
Competition plan
Competition refocusing plan
Post competition plan
“Whatever your plan, if it doesn't get measured
it doesn't get done”
Match Day
Prep
Mental Preparation Cycle
Goal Setting
•How good is your outcome, process
and performance goal setting
•How well do you review your goals
Confidence
•Having a robust self-belief and a
positive attitude
Visualization
•Develop vivid and controllable skills
•Use all your senses and create good
feelings
Handling Pressure
•Knowing how to handle pressure
and maintain emotional control
•Knowing your IP zone
Team Role
•Having role clarity and role
acceptance
•Being responsible for getting your job
done
Focus
•Establishing good level of focus
•Refocusing
Match Day Prep
Having good performance routines
Practice the “what ifs”
Goal Setting
Concentration
Confidence
Team Role
Visualization
Handling
Pressure
Goal Setting
Set – Do – Review
Outcome Goals-Performance Goals-Process Goals
The Why
The What
The How
Goals are developed from Performance Profiling
Performance Profiling
Enhancing and Managing
Confidence
The expectations you as a coach have of a
player and how you communicate them, to
that player, plays a significant role in that
player meeting your expectations
Confidence
High
Confidence
Low Confidence
Low
Confidence
High
Confidence
Enhancing and Managing Confidence
• Self-Knowledge
• Work ethic
• Positive self-talk
• Goal achievement
• Useful thinking
• Attitude
• Acting confident
• Positive expectations
• Positive Affirmations
• Highlight performances
Pre-requisites for Visualization
There are 3 distinct types of visualization
Receptive-Programmed-Guided
Whereas everybody can visualise, the ability that is
required to enhance performance through
visualization is a skill that requires a great deal of
training and practice and the ability to limit the
interference of the thinking mind.
Beware
There is no short cut but lots of people offer a quick fix
Visualization
Use a mental warm-up
Screen for visualization ability
Inside or outside
Use all the senses
Real time
Find a technique that works
General first, then sport specific
Quality sessions
Set goals
Dealing with Pressure
• Understanding stress, nerves, anxiety. The
“Apantlesis” effect
• Charting pre-event feelings
• Types of worries (demand, ability, consequence)
• Useful V. Useless thoughts
• 7 second control plan
• Relaxation
• On site adjustments
• Anti-choking strategy
Teamwork
• Team Identity (performance not superficial)
• Goals and roles
• Role Rules (clarity, acceptance, performance,
flexibility, tolerance)
• Cohesion (social and task)
• Get beyond the ego
• Reinforcement application
• The core of the team leads
Concentration
• Players must be able to develop appropriate
concentration in the build up to a game
• Players must be able to recognize quickly
when concentration has been lost (body is
on court but the mind has left)
• Players must be able to refocus when they
are aware that focus has been lost
• Players must be able to manage their
concentration throughout a game
Situational Focus
Predictable Events
Unpredictable events
• Normal Distracting
Response
• Normal Distracting
Response
• Refocusing Response
• Ideal Distracting
Response
• Technique to assist the
refocus
• Technique to assist the
refocus
Game Preparation
The 24 hour mental prep lead in
Time
Action
Mental Prep
3pm
Complete work
Park all jobs
6pm
Unwinding activity
Relaxation Review
goals
11pm
Sleep
PMR
9am
Check equipment
Visualisation/Highli
ght clips
12pm
Pregame meal
Relaxed attention
2pm
Arrive at venue
Relaxed attention
Refocus
2.20
Warm-up
Mental warm-up
3 phase Routines
(physical, mental,
execution)
3 phase Routines
(physical, mental,
execution)
2.50
Final instructions
Focus and centring
technique
3.00
Game
Optimal readiness
Refocusing
4.30
What they leave
with
Debrief
Aim is construct a pre-game routine that is
controllable and portable (whatever
match, conditions, opposition, you will be
able to control your performance, by
controlling your preparation). A good
routine will enable you to be confident
that you will produce a great
performance
• The checklist (kit, time, locations
etc)
• Avoiding the “wobblers” and
expect “chaos”
• Getting time and space
• “What if “ scenarios
• Making adjustments
• Reality check
Specific Situation Strategies
Situations
• Frees and Puck/Kick outs
• Routines
• Penalties
• Present moment focus
• Fights
• Centring – refocus
• Tactical changes at
half-time
• Relaxation – focusreinforce
• End of game situations
• Anti-choking strategy
(handling pressure)
Strategy
Match Day
Prep
Mental Preparation Cycle
Goal Setting
•How good is your outcome, process
and performance goal setting
•How well do you review your goals
Confidence
•Having a robust self-belief and a
positive attitude
Visualization
•Develop vivid and controllable skills
•Use all your senses and create good
feelings
Handling Pressure
•Knowing how to handle pressure
and maintain emotional control
•Knowing your IP zone
Team Role
•Having role clarity and role
acceptance
•Being responsible for getting your job
done
Focus
•Establishing good level of focus
•Refocusing
Match Day Prep
Having good performance routines
Practice the “what ifs”
Goal Setting
Concentration
Confidence
Team Role
Visualization
Handling
Pressure
“No one can defeat us unless we first
defeat ourselves” Dwight Eisenhower