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Basic Mental Skills: Learning Facilitator Guide



Basic Mental Skills:Learning Facilitator Guide

Table of Contents

Introduction1

Purpose of Document1

NCCP Core Competencies1

Learning Outcomes2

Overall Context2

How to Use this Guide2

Symbols3

Workbook Overview4

Introduce the Module5

Recognizing Gaps in Mental Skills6

Improving Attentional Control9

Improving Emotional Control13

Setting Goals16

Planning For Mental Preparation19

Self-assessment23

Action Card25

Great Ideas26

The Collection, Use, and Disclosure of Personal Information

The Coaching Association of Canada collects your NCCP qualifications and personal information and shares it with all NCCP partners according to the privacy policy detailed at www.coach.ca. By participating in the NCCP you are providing consent for your information to be gathered and shared as detailed in the privacy policy. If you have any questions or would like to abstain from participating in the NCCP please contact [email protected].

The programs of this organization are funded in part by Sport Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of the Public Health Agency of Canada.



Version 1.4, 2013 Coaching Association of Canada

Version 1.4, 2013 Coaching Association of Canada

IntroductionPurpose of Document

This Learning Facilitator Guide is your personal plan for how to facilitate the Basic Mental Skills workshop. It provides suggestions for all of the Coach Workbook activities, it includes all the Coach Workbook activities, and it has especially wide margins where you can write your own notes and comments on the workshop. Reviewing these notes and comments after the workshop and before your next one will help you improve even more as a Learning Facilitator. We therefore recommend that you save this Guide and consult it regularly to ensure continuous improvement in your facilitation skills and in the workshops you deliver.

Links to Coach Workbook and Reference Material. This Guide includes all the activities from the Coach Workbook, and it refers often to Reference Material. Coaches receive the Coach Workbook and the Reference Material when they register for the Basic Mental Skills workshop.

NCCP Core Competencies

As coaches progress through this module, they will work on developing five core competencies that will help them become a more effective coach and have a more meaningful impact on athletes experience. The competencies are problem-solving, valuing, critical thinking, leadership, and interaction. Here are just some of the ways these competencies come into play in the Basic Mental Skills workshop:

Problem-solving

Develop ways of dealing with situations where anxiety before competition, distractions, and poor focus may affect performance

Valuing

Respect individual differences and intervene with athletes in a respectful manner

Critical Thinking

Learn to recognize behaviours before and during competition that suggest athletes may need to improve their mental skills

Compare current knowledge, skills, and attitudes with the information provided in the Reference Material

Reflect on how to talk with athletes to determine what is negatively affecting their performance

Leading

Help athletes become more autonomous about preparing for performance

Educate athletes about the importance of developing and implementing strategies for performance

Interacting

Brainstorm with other coaches to develop strategies and plans for improving performance

Learning Outcomes

After finishing this module, coaches will be able to take a critical look at their ability to help their athletes with mental skills. They will also leave with several assessment tools that will enable them to keep working on their own to improve their effectiveness in this area. In particular, coaches will be able to:

Help athletes be mentally prepared for competition

Integrate mental-preparation strategies into practices

Overall Context

This module is one of many offered in the National Coaching Certification Program (NCCP). For more information on the NCCP and the workshops it offers, visit www.coach.ca.

How to Use this Guide

This Learning Facilitator Guide contains both tips for you on how to teach each activity in the Coach Workbook AND all the activities from the Coach Workbook. If you use this Guide, you wont have to flip back and forth between documents when preparing for the workshop.

Tips on how to teach an activity appear before or after the material from the Coach Workbook. The material from the Coach Workbook is under the heading From the Workbook, and this material is all shaded. The spaces in the Coach Workbook where coaches answered questions have been omitted from this Guide.

Always remember that workshops are NOT designed to cover all the information in the Reference Material. The workshops focus much more on learning by doing than on learning by reading. So while some workshop activities may involve reading Reference Material selections, most do not. In fact, some Reference Material must NOT be presented during a workshop!

Symbols

You will find the following symbols in this Guide:

(This symbol means write your thoughts on your Action CardThis symbol means refer to the Reference MaterialThis symbol shows the timean activity should takeThis symbol means this is a message for coaches)

(My Notes)Basic Mental Skills: Learning Facilitator Guide


Page 2Version 1.4, 2013 Coaching Association of Canada

Version 1.4, 2013 Coaching Association of CanadaPage 21

Workbook Overview

This overview is a high-level summary of the workshop you can use when delivering the workshop. Use the My Notes column to write down key pointers for delivering individual activities.

Time

Activity

Description/Key Messages

5 minutes

Introduce the Module

Recognizing Gaps In Mental Skills

20 minutes

Introduce the Activity

15 minutes

Types of Mental Skills

Improving Attentional Control

10 minutes

Attentional Control Scenario

10 minutes

Focus and Your Sport

30 minutes

Ways of Improving Focus

Improving Emotional Control

10 minutes

Emotional Control Scenario

10 minutes

Causes of Anxiety

30 minutes

Methods for Managing Anxiety

Setting Goals

10 minutes

What Coaches Do Now

20 minutes

Goal Setting

Planning For Mental Preparation

10 minutes

Planning within a Season

20 minutes

Planning for Mental Preparation

5 minutes

Final Words

(5 minutes)Introduce the Module

Use your own words to deliver the following messages.

Mental preparation is about training the mind to work with the body, not against it.

The goals of this module are to introduce you to some basic mental training skills that you can use to develop the mental skills of the athletes you coach. This module will introduce the concepts of attentional control, emotional control, goal setting, and planning for mental preparation. It will give you an opportunity to identify focus and anxiety problems, think about the needs of your sport in the area of focus, try out some basic strategies to focus and manage anxiety, try out a goal-setting process, and integrate some ideas learned into your planning.

While applying some of the basic skills learned in this workshop, you can help your athletes. Each athlete is a unique individual who thinks and reacts differently; much of your success in the area of mental preparation will therefore come as a result of seeking to understand each athlete as an individual through observation and conversation, and providing opportunity and guidance for each athlete to learn to understand himself/herself and determine for himself/herself what works best for him/her.

The field of sport psychology is vast. The goals of this module are not to train you as a sport psychologist, but rather to give you a few insights and ideas you can try if you dont have access to a trained professional that can work with the team/the athletes you coach.

Act carefully when intervening in the area of mental preparation. Your role as a coach and your training within the NCCP does NOT prepare nor does it qualify you to act as a psychologist.

Recognizing Gaps in Mental Skills (20 minutes)Introduce the Activity

Have coaches turn to page 3 of their Workbook. Explain that the purpose of the first activity is to determine what successful athletes are able to do with respect to mental performance. Stress the importance of using action statements (see the example provided), and focus on what successful athletes DO, as opposed to what unsuccessful ones DONT do.

Ask coaches to complete Section 2.1.1, and then discuss their answers with one another (2.1.2).

Examples may include being able to block out distractions, leave mistakes in the past, refocus, keep competition in perspective, and keep themselves calm.

Debrief

Gather a few ideas coaches came up with. Point out how many of the points they have come up with relate to areas of focus (often called attentional control in the sport psychology literature) and managing negative anxiety (often referred to as emotional control in the sport psychology literature).

(p. 44-45)This may be a good time to bring up another reason athletes may perform successfully or unsuccessfully. It is becoming more and more important to remember that athletes need help mentally as well as physically to return successfully to play after an injury. For example, following return to play guidelines can both help athletes physically and reduce some of their anxiety. Return to play guidelines are provided on pages 44 and 45 of the Reference Material. Later in the module, we will deal with a scenario involving return to play.

From the Workbook2.1Mental Skills and Competition

Picture yourself coaching two athletes of comparable fitness and abilities. Both perform at the same level in practices; however, when it comes time for competition, one almost always performs to potential while the other frequently underperforms.

2.1.1In your opinion, what possible reasons might explain this situation? What might one athlete be doing well that the other cant? Note your ideas in the space below.

To help you identify some possible reasons, think of successful athletes youve coached in the past, or relate to experiences you may have had as an athlete. Focus on behaviors you can observe.

Athletes who perform well in competition are able to

From the Workbook2.1Mental Skills and Competition

2.1.2Compare your thoughts with other coaches. Are there ideas youd like to add to your list above?

(15 minutes)

Types of Mental SkillsSpotting Focus and Negative Anxiety

(p. 1-3)Present the Introduction section of the Reference Material. Key points include:

Mental preparation is an important performance component in all sports

The Ideal Performance State is different for each athlete.

It is not the role of coach to do everything for the athlete. Rather, the coachs role is to provide the environment in which athletes can learn and take responsibility for their own preparation and performance. This awareness and skill building can start when athletes are children.

(p. 4-5)Have coaches complete Section 2.3.1 and discuss their answers with one another, check the Reference Material on Spotting Focus and Anxiety Problems, and then add to their notes for 2.3.1 and 2.3.2.

Debrief

Gather a few ideas coaches came up with, and remind coaches that:

Some of the signs apply both focus and anxiety;

All athletes show different signs in different ways;

Some signs can be easily misinterpreted (e.g., yawning).

From the Workbook2.2Types of Mental Skills

The Learning Facilitator has given you some general information about mental preparation. Sport psychologists deal with a variety of mental skills; in this workshop we will focus on three basic mental skills:

Managing focus, which is a type of attentional control

Managing negative anxiety, which is a type of emotional control

Goal setting

2.2.1Review your list of ideas in 2.1.1, and identify the behaviours that seem related to attentional control and to emotional control.

Signs of TroubleFrom the Workbook2.3Signs of Trouble

Helping athletes perform well in competition is one of your key roles as a coach. Learning to recognize that an athlete is having trouble coping with the stress of competition is therefore extremely important.

2.3.1Together with another coach, identify signs and behaviours that might indicate an athlete is having trouble focusing or difficulty in managing anxiety. Use the space below to record your thoughts. Thinking about an athlete youve seen having difficulties may help you.

Signs that an athlete might be having trouble focusing

Signs that an athlete might be having trouble managing anxiety

From the Workbook (p. 4-5)2.3Signs of Trouble

2.3.2Check the section of the Reference Material entitled Spotting Focus and Anxiety Problems. Are there other behaviours or signs you could add to your previous lists that might help you recognize that an athlete needs to improve these mental skills?

(10 minutes)Improving Attentional ControlAttentional Control Scenario

Ask for a volunteer to read the case study, or read it to the group. For some, closing their eyes while listening will help create a mental picture of the athlete in the case study.

Have coaches complete 3.1 individually, and then have them discuss what they would do if this scenario presented itself today. Stress the importance of answering in action statements, and ask coaches to try to write down what they would do in the order they would do it.

From the Workbook3.1Attentional Control Scenario

3.1.1Take a few minutes to read the scenario below.

Jan has been chosen for the travel team that you coach. Sometimes she nearly misses the beginning of the competition because she seems off in her own world. Shes constantly moving from one teammate to another, unable to keep her attention on the tasks at hand. She seems preoccupied by what everyone else is doing, and she forgets equipment and instructions. Her judgment seems poor, and she seems unable to find cues in her environment; she therefore cant anticipate anything and is constantly reacting too late. She seems to get worse as the competition progresses, getting more and more distracted until she is barely able to execute even the most basic skills.

From the Workbook3.1Attentional Control Scenario

3.1.2Picture yourself as Jans coach. What would you do to help her, and how would you do it? Share your response with other coaches.

(10 minutes)Focus and Your SportSport Requirements for Focus

Ask coaches to complete 3.2. Explain that when athletes experience mental errors, it is often not that they are not focusing, but that they are focusing on the wrong things at the wrong time. Before you can figure out how to help the athletes you coach, you need to determine the needs for focus in your sport, as well as the common distracters that interfere with focus.

From the Workbook3.2Focus and Your Sport

3.2.1To train athletes how to focus for your sport, you must first think about what kind of focus your sport requires. The questions that follow will help you do this.

How often does competition in your sport require an athlete to shift his/her focus? If your sport has athletes in different positions or playing different roles, you may have to answer the question differently for each position.

From the Workbook3.2Focus and Your Sport

3.2.2Now that you know whether your sport requires athletes to shift their focus often, reflect on what athletes must be focused on at any given time during the competition to perform successfully.

(p. 10-13)Distractions and Your Sport

Once coaches have completed 3.1 and 3.2, review the Reference Material on Focus Shifts, Objects of Focus, and Examples of Distracters with them. Include the following key points:

Focus Shifts

The difference between open and closed sports (see the Reference Material)

Some team sports really only involve two or three athletes engaged at any one time, and so there are fewer focus shifts than in sports when more athletes are engaged

Focus shifts represent a continuum and are an approximation that changes, depending on the circumstances

Objects of Focus

The four quadrants

(p. 8)Use an analogy to illustrate focus shifts between quadrants of Nideffers model (a quarterback analogy that can be used is provided on page 8 of the Reference Material)

Recent evidence in the motor learning literature suggests that an external focus of attention is more effective for performance than an internal focus while executing a task/skill dont let the conversation dwell too long on this point)

Present a couple of examples from sports in the room of how focus shifts in particular sports, depending on the time, the environment, and the position

Examples of Distracters

Coaches will have no problem coming up with these on their own, but may forget that the coach is also a source of distraction for athletes, especially during execution

After reviewing the Reference Material, ask coaches to add to their answers in 3.1-3.3.

From the Workbook3.3Distractions and Your Sport

3.3.1As a next step, think of potential sources of distraction that athletes commonly encounter in your sport. List them below.

(p. 10-13)From the Workbook3.3Distractions and Your Sport

3.3.2Share some of your previous analyses (3.2.1, 3.2.2, and 3.3.1) with another coach. Then review the Focus Shifts, Objects of Focus, and Examples of Distracters sections of Reference Material. Are there other potential sources of distraction that could affect the athletes you coach? If so, add them to the list you generated in 3.3.1.

(30 minutes)Ways of Improving Focus

Review the Reference Material on Process for Improving Focus.

Pick three methods for improving focus, and do them with coaches. Try to select three that can be used in the following order:

(p. 14)A method to practise focusing on a single object for a period of time

A method to practise shifting focus from one quadrant in Nideffers model to another

A method to practise managing distracters and refocusing if the distracter succeeds in breaking focus

If possible, try to have at least one of the three methods serve as an energizer by meeting the following criteria:

It gets the coaches on their feet and requires movement

It requires some talking (therefore promotes breathing)

(p. 15-19)Note: Sample methods can be found in the Reference Material section entitled Basic Skills for Improving Focus. It is fine to use a method of your choice that is not in the Reference Material but comes from a reputable source and has been shown to promote one of the skills above. If you decide to use such a method, be sure to provide coaches with a handout that describes the method accurately; that way, coaches can reproduce it with their athletes (also, be sure to cite its source).

Ask coaches to return to the scenario in 3.1.1 and to their action statements on what they would do to help the athlete in the scenario (3.1.2), and to note if there is anything they can add to their statements after learning about focus and experimenting with some methods for improving it (3.3.4).


3.3.3The Learning Facilitator will now practise with you some of the methods in the Reference Material that are designed to help athletes improve their focus by:

(p. 15-19)Learning to shift their focus

Learning to focus on the right things at the right time

These methods can be found in the section of the Reference Material titled Basic Skills for Improving Focus.


(p. 22)3.3.4Having experienced some of mental-skills methods and considered others in the Reference Material, what would you now do differently to help Jan (see 3.1.2)? Note them as reminders to yourself in the space below or on your Action Card.

(10 minutes)Improving Emotional ControlEmotional Control Scenario

Assign Scenario A to half the group and Scenario B to the other half of the group. Have coaches complete 4.1.2 individually, and then have them discuss their answer with someone else who worked on the same scenario. Stress to coaches the importance of answering in action statements, and ask them to try to write down what they would do in the order they would do it.

From the Workbook4.1Emotional Control Scenario

(p. 44-45)4.1.1Read the Guidelines for Return to Play after a Concussion section in the Reference Material. Keeping these guidelines in mind, take a few minutes to read the scenario assigned to you (Scenario A or B).

Scenario A: Jake is an athlete who is a pleasure to coach. Hes attentive during practices, works hard, and is a team-oriented person. He often helps others that are less skilled than he is, and he makes sure everyone has a chance to shine in practices. He comes from a loving family and works hard in all aspects of his life. He drives himself very hard and wants to be the best he can be. His friends describe him as sincere, caring, fun loving, and an all-round cool guy. In practice, he proves he can excel in the sport. In competition, however, its as if a different person shows up. He doesnt want to eat on competition day, fidgets, yawns constantly as if he is bored; yet his eyes are wide open and he looks almost frightened. Hes so worried hell let his teammates, coach, and parents down that competing doesnt seem fun to him. As a result, his performances are usually well below what hes capable of, and the person he ends up disappointing most is himself.

Scenario B: Jasmine is your star athlete. She is first to practice and last to leave. When you need something done, Jasmine is the one who will always pull through for you. She even performs well under pressure. Last month, Jasmine hit her head in a competition and has not played in a competition since. She followed the doctor-recommended six-step return to play protocol. She has been practising a bit but you cannot get the same intensity out of her that she used to have. She is very tentative. Jasmine has been cleared by a doctor to resume all levels of play, including competition. Jasmine says she is fine and is playing to the best of her ability, but you notice that the spark is gone and she just isnt performing the way she used to.

From the Workbook4.1Emotional Control Scenario

4.1.2Picture yourself as Jakes or Jasmines coach. What would you do to help him or her, and how would you do it? Share your responses with other coaches.

(10 minutes)

Causes of Anxiety

Ask coaches to complete 4.2.1, brainstorming as many causes of anxiety as they can come up with.

(p. 23-27)Present the Reference Material entitled What Is Stress and How Does It Relate to Anxiety? and The Relationship Between Arousal and Performance. Include the following key points:

It is not stress itself, but rather how the athlete interprets the stress that determines whether the athlete will experience negative anxiety; everyone who competes experiences stress, but not everyone experiences negative anxiety.

Cognitive means of the mind (e.g., worry), and somatic means of the body (e.g. shortness of breath).

There are different theories of how arousal affects performance (explain the inverted U and the IZOF); however, all suggest that an optimal point exists for each athlete, and the coach must help an athlete figure out what that point is for him/her.

Ask coaches to review their brainstormed causes of anxiety in 4.1, and then see if they would like to add to their ideas (4.2.1).

From the Workbook4.2Causes of Anxiety

4.2.1Brainstorm with other coaches, and identify as many causes of anxiety as you can. You can find some in the scenarios described in 4.1.1.


(p. 24, 43, 44-45)4.2.2Consult the Reference Material on Common Causes of Negative Anxiety, Coping with Emotions after a Concussion, and Guidelines for Return to Play after a Concussion. Are there any other causes that youd like to add to your notes in 4.2.1?

(30 minutes)Methods for Managing Anxiety

Review the Reference Material entitled Process for Managing Anxiety.

Pick three methods for managing anxiety and practise them with coaches. Try to select three that can be used in the following order:

(p. 28)A method to practise slowing heart rate;

A method to practise breathing control;

A method to practise relaxation (explain body to mind, and mind to body; and

A method to practise visualization.

Note: It is fine to use a method of your choice that is not in the Reference Material but comes from a reputable source and has been shown to promote one of the skills above. If you decide to use such a method, be sure to provide coaches with a handout that describes the method accurately; that way, coaches can reproduce it with their athletes (also, be sure to cite its source).

Advise coaches to be very careful when using body-to-mind relaxation methods that involve muscle contractions in athletes that may be at risk of heart disease.

(p. 32-34)Explain how the NCCP differentiates imagery and visualization, as they are sometimes used interchangeably in the literature. (See page 32 of the Reference Material.)

Draw coaches attention to the method on pages 33-34 that shows how attentional and emotional control are mutually dependent.

Ask coaches to return to the case study in 4.1.1 and to their action statements on what they would do to help the athlete in the case study (4.1.2 and 4.2.3), and to note if there is anything they can add to their statements after having learned about focus and experimented with some methods for improving it.


(p. 22)4.2.3Now, return to your ideas in 4.1.2. Based on this information and the methods you just tried, would you now do anything differently to help an athlete like Jake or Jasmine? If so, write down a few key reminders in the space below or on your Action Card.

(10 minutes)Setting GoalsWhat Coaches Do Now

Explain the main reasons athletes are involved in sport (in Coach Workbook on page 13 and also in Reference Material on page36). Explain how goal setting is an especially powerful motivator for (p. 36)athletes who have a strong desire for achievement.

Ask coaches to note what they currently do in the area of goal setting. Ask them to use action statements and to specify not only what they do, but also how and when they do it (5.1.1).

Ask coaches to complete the table in 5.1.2.

Goals as Motivators

Almost all athletes, no matter what their motivation for participating in sport, can benefit from goal setting. Goal setting keeps them involved, and it helps them improve in their sport. In fact, goal setting generally motivates all athletes to push beyond their current skills and abilities.

From the Workbook5.1My Starting Point

5.1.1What goal setting do you currently do with the athletes you coach? When do you do it?


5.1.2Use the table below to give some examples of the goals youve set with your athletes. Or think about goals you have set for yourself in your personal or professional life. In doing this, try to think about (1) the type of goal you set, (2) the climate in which you set the goal(s), and (3) the information you needed to be able to set the goals.

(20 minutes)Goal Setting

Present the Reference Material entitled Types of Goals, The Relationship between Different Types of Goals, Helping Athletes Set Effective Goals, and Sample Goal Setting. Include the following key points:

Process and outcome goals are referred to in many different ways in the literature. The definitions and names for them presented in the Reference Material are the ones the NCCP uses to differentiate types of goals (review each type).

(p. 37-39)Athletes may sometimes set dream long-term goals such as winning an Olympic gold medal it is their privilege to do so; coaches are not to demean such goals, but rather draw the athletes focus and attention to setting and realizing measurable short-term and other long-term goals as well.

(p. 40-41)Two slightly different goal-setting processes are presented in the materials (one in the Workbook on page 16, another in the Reference Material on pages 40-41). The process in the Workbook was written with individual goals in mind; the process in the Reference Material has team goals in mind (explain both to the coaches).

Practise setting a few sample goals using the process presented in the Workbook.

Ask coaches to take one of their goals from 5.1.2 (not a competition result goal) and detail it using the goal-setting process in 5.1.3.

(p. 22)Be sure to check that all coaches are able to write detailed goals with clearly identified measures of success.

Ask coaches to note what they have learned on their Action Card (5.1.4).


(p. 35-41)5.1.3The Learning Facilitator will now practise with you some methods designed to help athletes set goals. These methods are in the section of the Reference Material titled Setting Goals.

Now, take one of the goals you identified in 5.1.2. Using the process below, go through each step in detail and clarify what your goal is really about, how you will know that it has been achieved, and how you will go about achieving it. The Reference Material also includes an alternative method for the goal-setting process.


(p. 22)5.1.4Take a few minutes and think about what youd do differently now about goal setting. Note your thoughts on your Action Card.

(10 minutes)Planning For Mental PreparationPlanning within a Season

Explain that planning for mental preparation will help ensure that it is considered an important component of preparation in the eyes of the athletes and will therefore get done.

Ask coaches to complete the table in 6.1.1.

(p. 47)Present the Reference Material entitled Planning for Mental Preparation within a Season. Include the following key points:

Planning for the different components of mental preparation is not really a linear process, because it involves thoughts and feelings. Nevertheless, a progression is possible from introducing to refining a mental skill over the course of a season.

For returning athletes, it may not be necessary to introduce a skill at the beginning of the year; instead they can pick up from where they left off in the previous season.

Goal setting must be done at the beginning of the season, reviewed throughout the season, and adjusted as necessary. This is true for both team and individual goals.

Ask coaches to add/adjust their notes in 6.1.1 based on the guidelines presented in the Reference Material.

From the Workbook6.1Seasonal Road Map

6.1.1If you were asked to plan the mental training of your athletes, what would you emphasize at different periods of the season?

Use the table below to outline when you think each of the mental skills we have covered so far might best be trained. To help you complete this exercise, you may want to use some of the following terms (explanations in brackets) in the table below, as you consider managing focus and negative anxiety, as well as goal setting:


(p. 47)6.1.2Look at the Planning for Mental Preparation within a Season section of the Reference Material. Is there anything youd like to change or add to your ideas in 6.1.1?


6.1.3Its a good idea to have a seasonal road map for mental preparation, but when during practice are you actually going to fit in this training?

Chances are you dont have the opportunity to interact very much with the athletes you coach outside practice times, and it may not be possible for you to dedicate separate practices for mental preparation work.

Follow the Learning Facilitators instructions and focus on one part of a practice (i.e., warm-up, main part, or cool-down). Together with other coaches, think about how mental training might be incorporated into this particular part of the practice.


6.1.4What could be done during this part of the practice?


6.1.5Using the Practice Planning Worksheet over the page, design a practice, and indicate where you would integrate mental training skills into the practice. You may use a previously designed plan if you have one with you.


(p. 48)6.1.6Discuss your plan with other coaches and make any modifications to your practice plan. Look at the Planning for Mental Preparation within a Practice section of the Reference Material. Then add ideas to your original plan.

(20 minutes)Planning for Mental Preparation

Explain that most Competition Introduction coaches do not see their athletes enough to have separate training sessions dedicated to mental preparation. It is therefore very important to think about how mental preparation can be developed as part of regular practices.

Group coaches into three groups, and assign each group the warm-up, the main part, or the cool-down part of practice. Ask each group to brainstorm all the ways that mental training could be done during the part of the practice they are considering. (6.1.3)

Have coaches also take a few minutes and plan a practice using the worksheet in the back of the Workbook. If coaches have a practice plan with them, they can use it. Ask them to note specifically how and when they would incorporate mental training into their practice plan. (6.1.4)

Have each group present to the others, and see if ideas can be added.

One method of doing this is to have each group note their ideas on a flip chart and post all three on the wall. Give each group a separate colour marker. Have each group rotate through the other two flipcharts and see if they can add any ideas to them (the newly added ideas will be easily seen because they will be in a different colour). Using this method does not require a group debrief, because everyone has read the ideas on all three flip charts.

(p. 48)Present the Reference Material entitled Planning for Mental Preparation within a Practice. Compare the Reference Material to the flip charts and look for any complementary ideas.

Ask coaches to review their practice plan and see if they can add any more ideas on how they might incorporate mental training into their practice plan based on the information and ideas gathered from all three groups and from the Reference Material. (6.1.6)

(p. 22)Ask coaches to note what they have learned regarding planning for mental preparation on their Action Card. (6.1.7)


(p. 22)6.1.7Take a few minutes and reflect on what youd do differently now regarding the integration of mental preparation into your season and into your practices. Note your thoughts on your Action Card.

(5 minutes)Final Words

Mental preparation is an important component of athlete preparation. With a little planning and creativity, you can make it part of regular practices.

Building athlete awareness of their own Ideal Performance State (IPS) and helping them develop the skills they need to manage themselves independently is one of the key roles of the coach in the area of mental preparation.

Many wonderful resources for further reading on mental preparation are provided in the Reference Material. Many of these resources contain tools as well.

Many National Sport Organizations (NSOs) have created mental preparation workbooks and tools that are sport specific. Contact your NSO to see if any are available to coaches.

Thank you for your participation in this module.




Self-assessment

This self-assessment will allow coaches to reflect on their current coaching practices. The items that are listed in the self-assessment are the evidences that an Evaluator will be looking for during assignments and observations. They will help determine if coaches have the required abilities/competencies. The self-assessment form will help coaches identify areas of strength and areas for improvement.

Rate your ability to support your athletes use of basic mental skills in competition.

For each statement presented below, circle the number that best represents whether you achieve the statement (Never, Sometimes, Often, Always)

DATE: _____________________

I help my athletes prepare mentally for competition by

Never

Some-times

Often

Always

Recognizing that mental skills have a critical impact on competitive performance

1

2

3

4

Identifying the type of focus my athletes sport requires

1

2

3

4

Identifying distractions that may occur in the competitive environment

1

2

3

4

Running practices that help my athletes shift focus

1

2

3

4

Running practices that require my athletes to attend to the right things at the right time

1

2

3

4

Running practices that require my athletes to deal with distractions that could occur during competition

1

2

3

4

Developing strategies that help athletes manage their focus

1

2

3

4

Observing athletes to assess their state of anxiety before competition

1

2

3

4

Working with athletes so they achieve an optimal mental state for competition

1

2

3

4

Running practices that challenge athletes to cope with negative anxiety during competition

1

2

3

4

Teaching athletes how to use goal-setting strategies to enhance competitive performance

1

2

3

4

Encouraging athletes to reflect on the types of goals they set, the climate in which they set goals, and the information needed to set goals

1

2

3

4

Designing a strategy to monitor or measure performance factors that identify goal attainment

1

2

3

4

Helping my athletes set appropriate performance goals

1

2

3

4

Helping athletes decide how to measure progress toward their goals

1

2

3

4

Helping athletes implement a strategy to achieve their goals

1

2

3

4

Helping athletes design a pre-competitive plan that specifies how to prepare mentally for competition

1

2

3

4

Ensuring that each athletes pre-competitive plan identifies specific goals and objectives for competition

1

2

3

4

Ensuring that the athletes pre-competitive plan includes a pre-competition checklist

1

2

3

4




Version 1.4, 2013 Coaching Association of CanadaPage 27

Action Card

Date: ______________________________Location: ___________________________

I will START

I will STOP

I will CONTINUE

Great Ideas

(For coaching tips and more information about coaching workshops, visit the Coaching Association of Canada website at:) (New friends in coaching from this workshop)


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