Introduction to Sport and Exercise
Psychology
B1: A Practical Guide to Sport Psychology
, Contents
1.0 What is Sport Psychology? 2
2.0 What is self-confidence? 2
3.0 How Coaches can improve self-confidence in athletes 3
4.0 References 5
5.0 Appendix 6
1
, How to improve self confidence in athletes to enhance performance – A sport
psychology guide for coaches.
1.0 What is Sport Psychology?
The science of sport psychology combines a holistic approach that includes mental
health and well-being with psychology and physical ability. It is being increasingly
used to better support individual athletes, from amateur to topflight professionals. We
know that coaches who apply sport psychology well will improve individual and team
performance. By including sport psychology in their technical, tactical, and physical
training sessions, coaches can ensure the athlete understands the core principles of
sport psychology. These principles include, mental visualisation, setting goals, self
talk, feedback, motivation, mental toughness, and confidence.
Incorporating sport psychology principles into a coach's session can improve the
focus, confidence, and development of strategies of the athletes. Coaches and
athletes will see positive motivation, communication and self-confidence rise in each
other and as a team (Forlenza, et al., 2018). Improving mental toughness,
motivation, goal setting abilities, control over the levels of arousal or anxiety that they
may feel, and confidence will enhance the performance of the athlete or team, which
in turn increases the chance of success in the sport.
In general, mentally tough athletes are highly competitive, motivated and can
maintain concentration under pressure in training or game scenarios and retain a
high level of self belief and confidence after setbacks (Crust & Clough, 2005). There
are times when an athlete is under stress or in a situation that they feel they are not
being adequately supported. If there is not an effective use or understanding of sport
psychology, they will show decreasing motivation, rising anxiety, and a lack of self-
confidence. All can be connected and have an impact on the mental toughness of an
athlete, which in turn affects their sport performance individually and as a member of
the team (Clough & Strycharczyk, 2019). For example, missing a pass a few times in
training, for a set piece in rugby union, will create pressure for the athlete to make
the pass on the next rotation. As that moment approaches, the athletes anxiety will
rise in anticipation of the pass and wanting to make it good this time. If the same
pass is missed again, confidence will drop even lower, and the anxiety will rise,
increasing the chance of missing the next pass. It starts to become a vicious circle.
Anxiety, motivation, and self-confidence are just some of the areas that are widely
studied within sport psychology and a negative impact can be avoided or reduced by
including principles and practices of sport psychology by the coach in sessions.
2.0 What is self-confidence?
Self confidence is defined as the belief that you can successfully perform a desired
behaviour (Weinberg & Gould, 2014). It is important for athletes to have a good level
of self-confidence. Athletes do attribute success of their performance to feeling
confident and unsuccessful performance in sport to “not having enough confidence”
or to losing confidence during the performance of the task in themselves as
individuals, or their teammates. (Feltz et al, 2008).
2
Psychology
B1: A Practical Guide to Sport Psychology
, Contents
1.0 What is Sport Psychology? 2
2.0 What is self-confidence? 2
3.0 How Coaches can improve self-confidence in athletes 3
4.0 References 5
5.0 Appendix 6
1
, How to improve self confidence in athletes to enhance performance – A sport
psychology guide for coaches.
1.0 What is Sport Psychology?
The science of sport psychology combines a holistic approach that includes mental
health and well-being with psychology and physical ability. It is being increasingly
used to better support individual athletes, from amateur to topflight professionals. We
know that coaches who apply sport psychology well will improve individual and team
performance. By including sport psychology in their technical, tactical, and physical
training sessions, coaches can ensure the athlete understands the core principles of
sport psychology. These principles include, mental visualisation, setting goals, self
talk, feedback, motivation, mental toughness, and confidence.
Incorporating sport psychology principles into a coach's session can improve the
focus, confidence, and development of strategies of the athletes. Coaches and
athletes will see positive motivation, communication and self-confidence rise in each
other and as a team (Forlenza, et al., 2018). Improving mental toughness,
motivation, goal setting abilities, control over the levels of arousal or anxiety that they
may feel, and confidence will enhance the performance of the athlete or team, which
in turn increases the chance of success in the sport.
In general, mentally tough athletes are highly competitive, motivated and can
maintain concentration under pressure in training or game scenarios and retain a
high level of self belief and confidence after setbacks (Crust & Clough, 2005). There
are times when an athlete is under stress or in a situation that they feel they are not
being adequately supported. If there is not an effective use or understanding of sport
psychology, they will show decreasing motivation, rising anxiety, and a lack of self-
confidence. All can be connected and have an impact on the mental toughness of an
athlete, which in turn affects their sport performance individually and as a member of
the team (Clough & Strycharczyk, 2019). For example, missing a pass a few times in
training, for a set piece in rugby union, will create pressure for the athlete to make
the pass on the next rotation. As that moment approaches, the athletes anxiety will
rise in anticipation of the pass and wanting to make it good this time. If the same
pass is missed again, confidence will drop even lower, and the anxiety will rise,
increasing the chance of missing the next pass. It starts to become a vicious circle.
Anxiety, motivation, and self-confidence are just some of the areas that are widely
studied within sport psychology and a negative impact can be avoided or reduced by
including principles and practices of sport psychology by the coach in sessions.
2.0 What is self-confidence?
Self confidence is defined as the belief that you can successfully perform a desired
behaviour (Weinberg & Gould, 2014). It is important for athletes to have a good level
of self-confidence. Athletes do attribute success of their performance to feeling
confident and unsuccessful performance in sport to “not having enough confidence”
or to losing confidence during the performance of the task in themselves as
individuals, or their teammates. (Feltz et al, 2008).
2
