COMPETITION PREPARATION FOR ELITE ATHLETES: AN INTENSE 20-HOUR WORKSHOP

This workshop is designed to focus on the psychological factors which are important for preparing for a competition on the day of an important contest. The appropriate behaviors for preparation need to be learned, planned, and practiced in order to be effective.

Several experiences are provided in this workshop. Lectures focus on the description and explanation of important content. To adapt this content to various classes of sports, practical sessions will be held where participants can combine their knowledges to develop content with is presented. Another function is the practice of self-suggestion and visualization techniques. These acts needs to be learned and perfected to be fully effective. The combined impact of these forms of activity should be heightened awareness of and capacity to enact influential and appropriate psychological behaviors which will minimize the athlete's chances of an inferior performance.

The content of this workshop is based on the text Mental skills training for sportsdistributed by Sports Science Associates, 4225 Orchard Drive, Spring Valley, California, 91977, authored by Brent S. Rushall.

Prospective Audience

Professional and elite athletes, professional/national coaches, and applied sport psychologists.

1. Athlete Centered Problems that Affect Competition Performance
   • Problems prior to the day of competition.
   • Pre-competition day stress indicators.
   • The measurement of competition stress.
   • Competition day problems.
   • The measurement of and coping with pressure.
   • Individuality.
   • Arousal.
   • Anxiety.
   • Arousal control.
   • Attentional control.
   • Distractions.
   • Thought patterns and content.
   • Input sources.
   • Coach and official over-reactions.
   • Practical assignments and tasks.
   • TOTAL: 5 hours

2. Procedures for Competition Preparation: Part I
   • Public commitment.
   • Re-interpretation of potentially aversive situations.
   • Team orientations.
   • Individual control.
   • Content decision-making.
   • Strategies and task-relevant content.
   • Arousal.
   • Performance factors.
   • TOTAL: 3 hours

3. Procedures for Competition Preparation: Part II
   • Important characteristics of competition strategies.
   • Coping skills.
   • Goal-setting.
   • Practical assignments and tasks.
   • Suggested content for pre-competition strategies.
   • At the competition site.
   • Practical assignments and tasks.
   • TOTAL: 3 hours

4. Content of Competition Strategies
   • Segmenting performances.
   • Task-relevant cues.
   • Mood words.
   • Positive self-talk.
   • Coping behaviors.
   • Psychological intensification.
   • Step-by-step guide for strategy development.
   • Practical assignments and tasks.
   • TOTAL: 4 hours

5. Applied Procedures
   • Mental rehearsal.
   • Relaxation.
   • Imagery techniques.
   • Anxiety elimination.
   • Practical assignments and tasks.
   • TOTAL: 3 hours

6. Measurement Procedures
   • Practical assignments and tasks.
   • Interpreting the information.
   • Discussion.
   • TOTAL: 3 hours

Materials

A master copy of a workbook which needs to be reproduced and distributed to participants will be supplied. The workbook is approximately 100 pages in length.

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