In my role as a sport psychologist I deliver workshops to many different kinds of sporting groups, one of the most vibrant, motivated and curious group is teenagers. Last week saw me complete a series of three talks for West Norfolk Swimming Club. Their coach had seen me complete a workshop for Swim England and asked me to run a series of talks for her swimmers. These talks were titled
- The power of self confidence
- Dealing with pressure
- Understanding yourself as an athlete
What can the role of sport psychology play for young athletes? Briefly, here are some thoughts:
- Provides a foundation of mental and coping skills giving young athletes the best chance to perform at any moment regardless of competition
- Develops character attributes and skills that can make young players better people
- Pressure is an inherent part of organised youth sport – they can learn psychological skills and strategies to cope with this
- By developing a solid base of psychological skills and strategies it can facilitate future development
- Psychological training skills can have benefits for life skills and character development and can help with other areas of their lives, such as exams
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