| Your emotional state can trigger physical as well as | | | | can be changing your physical actions. Try this simple |
| psychological effects in your body. Sports psychology | | | | exercise: |
| methods encourage coaches to become more aware | | | | Imagine yourself arriving at an international coaching |
| of each athlete's emotional state and how it may be | | | | conference. You're in a room full of people and you |
| affecting their physical performance. Understanding | | | | don't know anyone: |
| that an individual's state is dynamic and has constant | | | | - How do you feel? |
| potential to change becomes key in terms of coaching | | | | - Are your emotions affecting you physically? |
| athletes in pursuit of ever greater achievements. | | | | Now imagine you have to stand at the front of the |
| "You have no control over what the other guy does. | | | | room and give a talk about who you are and what |
| You only have control over what you do" - A J Kitt | | | | you do. Chances are you feel uncomfortable, perhaps |
| (Alpine ski racer) | | | | self-conscious. Your emotional state may well be |
| As a coach, the quality of your coaching is dependent | | | | causing physical tension in your shoulders or a dry |
| on your state. Imagine yourself feeling a bit pushed for | | | | mouth; you may struggle to think of anything to say |
| time. You begin your coaching session knowing that | | | | and then blurt out everything you can think of at high |
| you don't have enough time to get through all the | | | | speed so as to get the ordeal over with. |
| practice drills your team needs before a big match at | | | | So the big question is: |
| the weekend. You would normally take great care to | | | | - Has your state at that particular moment in time |
| explain exactly what you'd like each player to do at | | | | allowed you to present a true picture of who you are |
| the start of each drill and receive conformation from | | | | and what you do? |
| each player individually that they've understood their | | | | You are now in a better position to understand how |
| role before beginning but with the clock ticking you | | | | your athletes may be feeling on competition day! Their |
| decide to skip the explanation and just get started. | | | | emotional state may be affecting their physical |
| How might this affect the team's performance? | | | | performance but without this awareness, nothing can |
| Chances are it'll cause chaos: your emotional state as | | | | be changed. The common tendency to physically rush |
| the coach has caused you to change your normal | | | | through psychologically stressful situations will |
| behaviour: the change in your actions has caused | | | | continually prevent athletes from performing at their |
| changes in the physical and emotional responses you | | | | best or demonstrating their true potential when the |
| can then expect to receive from your players. | | | | pressure is on. |
| Sports psychology teaches that state can be | | | | Sports psychology teaches mind training techniques |
| controlled. As a coach, you can learn how to control | | | | that allow coaches and athletes to realise the benefits |
| your emotional state so that you, as the coach, remain | | | | of slowing down to speed up. By slowing down and |
| in control of your performance in coaching sessions. | | | | taking the time to understand your emotional state, |
| This allows you to then teach your athletes how to | | | | management strategies can be developed and put in |
| manage and control their own state so they also learn | | | | place to allow you to stay in control of you state |
| how to remain in control of their performance not only | | | | rather than your state controlling you. It takes time for |
| in coaching sessions but in competition. | | | | new practices to become routine but once they do, |
| The first step is to develop an awareness of your | | | | psychological and physical progress is no longer |
| state at any given time. Without this awareness, you'll | | | | blocked so you can get out of the dead-end alley and |
| remain unaware of how a changing emotional state | | | | back on the speedway to success. |