DON HONORIO VENEVENTURA TECHNOLOGICAL STATE UNIVERSITY

Bacolor, Pampanga

Master of Education in Physical Education

In partial fulfilment in the requirements in:

Sports Psychology
(Implication and Reflection)

Submitted to: DR. JUMEL MILLER

Submitted by: JERMARGOUEL A. DIZON
Date Submitted: June 30, 2018
SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
Importance of sports psychology
“It is extremely important for a sportsperson to be in a positive environment which helps
them feel positive. Every top sportsperson knows that their best performances come
from their mind as much as their body. Many athletes who possess superior physical
gifts are rarely able to seemingly combine athletic talent and mental control; sport
psychology is directed at the building and reinforcement of that connection. 
Contemporary sports psychology is a diverse field. While finding ways to help athletes is
certainly an important part of sports psychology, the application of exercise and physical
activity for improving the lives of non-athletes is also a major focus.
Sport is a mind game. A place where a small difference in mental powers often makes a
big difference between winning and losing. The field of sports psychology can help
athletes and coaches succeed faster and achieve higher sports goals than they ever
dreamed possible, but there are many myths and mysteries surrounding this fascinating
field.
Study of the nature and function of the mind, with particular emphasis placed on the
relationship between thought and physical action.

DEVELOPMENT OF MENTAL TOUGHNESS

REFLECTION:
In my 5 years in teaching I had the opportunity to coach many players and one thing I
can tell you without reservation is the best players were all mentally tough. It's a hard
concept to explain until you see it, but it's obvious when you see a player that has it.

To clarify my point, not all of the best athletes have it. No every big league player is
mentally tough and there are plenty that never make it to the big leagues that have
great mental toughness. It's not about ability, I've coached some players that didn't have
a clue about being mentally tough and would fold under pressure. They could perform
well when there was nothing on the line, but when the game was in balance, or the
competition was tough, they usually failed.
On the other hand, I've witnessed many players with average skills, but mentally tough,
perform in ways no one thought they could perform. A clutch hit, a key bunt, a great
defensive play that stopped a rally, mentally tough players get the job done. In fact, the
greater the pressure, the better they perform.
One thing I've come to understand with experience is that mental toughness is not an
inborn DNA trait, but rather one that is developed over time and exposure to adverse
conditions. Preparation in mental toughness begins with experiences at a young age. A
positive mind set, is essential to developing a players, whether they are an athlete or
not.
I have learned that mental toughness enables the performer to be prepared for any
eventuality in the performance (or before the performance) and have a backup plan for
any circumstance that is predictable or otherwise not. This allows the performer to be
ready for any turn of event and to remain at ease and execute regardless on the
situation.

Mental training for performance enhancement

I have learned that mental training it concentrates specifically on helping athletes break
through the mental barriers that are keeping them from performing up to their peak
potential. By focusing on the mental skills needed to be successful in any sporting
competition, mental game coaching seeks to achieve the overall goal of performance
improvement.You can have all the talent and physical ability in the world but if you lack
confidence, focus, mental toughness and composure you will never be able to reach
your highest level of performance.

Goal Setting
Based on my experience, goal setting is an established technique to increase
motivation and enhance confidence.  It is used widely across all levels of sport, 
and goals  provide essential direction at both an immediate and long-term level. In order
to achieve the success we spend our lives chasing, we first need to define our goals.
Once that is done, it’s time to start thinking about how to accomplish them.  Goal setting
is a process that will help you motivate yourself, and the more detailed and precise the
goal is, the better your brain will analyze the steps in order to achieve it.

Self talk
I have learned that We all have an inner voice and we all talk and communicate to
ourselves on a daily basis some of it is positive but much of it is negative and self-
destructive. Our thoughts affect our emotions which affect our actions. So, if you have
negative thoughts, you will feel negative emotionally and consequently your
actions/behavior/performance will suffer. If you can replace the negatives with positives
the opposite will be true, leading to good performance. 
Mental Imagery
As just described, imagery is multisensory such that it can include the sense of sight,
taste, sound, smell, and touch. This description provides insight into why the
term imagery is used instead of “visualization,” which denotes only the sense of sight. In
addition, the individual is awake and consciously aware when imaging and as such not
dreaming. In essence, imagery is creating, or recreating, the entirety of an experience in
one’s mind. Improving one’s self-imagery can help an athlete or a performer to visualize
his/her goal. To do that, one should become proficient, you have to use it ever day: on
your way to training, during training and after training. In every training session, before
you execute any skill or combination of skills, first do it in imagery. See, feel, and
experience yourself moving through the actions in your mind, as you would like them
actually to unfold. In the competition situation use imagery before the start of the event
and see your self performing successfully/winning.

Energization and Relaxation

Relaxation and energization are skills that athletes should know how to use in
order to perform their best. Relaxation is the process of decreasing unwanted muscular
tension, calming the mind by keeping it productively occupied, and reducing excessive
activation of the sympathetic nervous system while Energization is the process of
getting the body activated for optimal performance. Energization is most helpful when
athletes are tired, dealing with low energy levels, or encountering adversity as it helps
them enhance concentration, elevate confidence, and control arousal.
Both relaxation and energization can be done through a ‘total’ process or a ‘rapid’
process. Total relaxation is a moderately long process to help the athlete relax
completely, whereas rapid relaxation is an abbreviated version of that and is done to
help athletes relax optimally in a few seconds. Total energization involves strategies
such as imagery energization, psych-up breathing, healing white light, and music. Rapid
energization can be used once total energization has been learned; it helps athletes get
energized optimally in a few seconds.    

Energy management
I learned that managing your energy before, during and after the game or any
performance can help you handle a situation. It is a waste of effort, if you just boost out
your energy too much. Learned to organize or deal with your energy in a certain
situation. I guess, everyone and especially athletes need to be able to bumped or relax
their minds and their bodies to effectively and positively managed their energies.
Stress management

We always encounter stress everytime we do a physical activity, in a situation like

playing a specific sports or performing in a dance competition. We should learned to
manage our stress. In able to achieve and/or attain our goal, don’t let tension, anxiety or
doubt as your fear of losing something, but rather cope up, relax, breath and transform
these as your strength to clear up your thoughts in attaining your goal in the
game/competition.

Personality and Sports

Personality is difficult to define due to its complex nature; however one definition in the
literature is ‘the characterisation of individual differences’. It’s a well-known fact, and
often cliché that ‘everyone is different’, but it is true. The fact that everyone is different is
extremely important when it comes to sport and coaching. As a coach it is essential that
you understand the personality of your athlete in order to optimise the transmission of
your message and their subsequent performance; as an athlete it is important you
understand the significance of personality and its potential effect on performance.

Motivation in Sport

Motivation in sports is so important because you must be willing to work hard in the face
of fatigue, boredom, pain, and the desire to do other things. Motivation will impact
everything that influences your sports performance: physical conditioning, technical and
tactical training, mental preparation, and general lifestyle including sleep, diet, school or
work, and relationships. In this case, as what I have experienced, motivation is very
important factor to strengthen one’s personality and inner-self. In my training of players,
before, during and after trainings and competition, motivation helps me how to be truly
effective and efficient with my players. It helps me a lot; gives me good communication
and builds a stronger foundation and relation with your players.
Psychomotor Learning Development
Based on my experience, social interaction plays an important role in forming
independent social skills.

During trainings it does not only develop your motor skills but it also develop your social
relationship to your coach, to your team mates and even the people around you.
Developing one’s psychomotor skills is a big influence in the learning process. It’s the
key to have a better performance before, during and after a certain physical activity.

Team Cohesion
Coordination and cooperation is the best ingredients in achieving goals of one’s team. It
leads to unity and solidarity among members of the group. Team cohesion is the
framework or foundation of success. In my case, teaching your students or athletes
about cooperation and coordination is a big factor in developing the right attitude and
behavior before, during and after the game. It does not only shows solidarity and unity
but it gives one’s satisfaction among members, it strengthen one’s relationship towards
others.

Aggression in Sport
I believe that without aggression there is no such thing as sport. The fast break in
basketball, the breakout in hockey and football’s kickoff return all exemplify aggression
in team sports.
In a competition, or any physical activity, aggressiveness is always there. The
eagerness to win triggers one’s aggressiveness. Aggression is seen throughout sport as
such as it is shown in life. Sometimes through reaction to on field activity and
sometimes simply as part of a sport.