Sport PsychologySport Psychology

Session 3 - ConcentrationSession 3 - Concentration

Session ObjectivesSession Objectives

Identify 3 components of concentrationIdentify 3 components of concentration

Describe why certain sports require Describe why certain sports require different levels of concentrationdifferent levels of concentration

Re-cap (Session 2)Re-cap (Session 2)

How can the use of sport psychology How can the use of sport psychology improve sporting performance?improve sporting performance?

Who uses sport psychology?Who uses sport psychology?

Give 5 examples of when sport Give 5 examples of when sport psychology has been used in a psychology has been used in a sporting situationsporting situation

ConcentrationConcentration Concentration is the ability to maintain Concentration is the ability to maintain

focus on relevant environmental cues. focus on relevant environmental cues.

Being able to focus on a task in handBeing able to focus on a task in hand

If the athlete lacks concentration then If the athlete lacks concentration then their athletic abilities will not be effectively their athletic abilities will not be effectively or efficiently applied to the task or efficiently applied to the task

Activity 1Activity 1

Do you think concentration is Do you think concentration is essential in sport?, if so why? Give essential in sport?, if so why? Give examplesexamples

ConcentrationConcentration

Concentration Concentration could be the could be the difference between difference between

winning:winning:

& losing& losing

ConcentrationConcentration

Concentration is seen to have 3 parts :Concentration is seen to have 3 parts :

Focusing on relevant environmental Focusing on relevant environmental cuescues

Maintaining attentional FocusMaintaining attentional Focus

Situation AwarenessSituation Awareness

Environmental CuesEnvironmental Cues

AKA – Selective AttentionAKA – Selective Attention Irrelevant cues are disregardedIrrelevant cues are disregardedWhat relevant/irrelevant cues are What relevant/irrelevant cues are

their during a free throw in their during a free throw in Basketball?Basketball?

Maintaining Attentional Maintaining Attentional FocusFocus

It is ok to have that It is ok to have that concentration, concentration, however it is however it is another thing to another thing to sustain it over timesustain it over time

Some athletes have Some athletes have moments of moments of greatness but few greatness but few can sustain it for an can sustain it for an entire competitionentire competition

Situation AwarenessSituation Awareness

The most important factor of The most important factor of concentrationconcentration

This ability will allow players to size up This ability will allow players to size up game situations, opponents and game situations, opponents and competition to make appropriate competition to make appropriate decisions.decisions.

In what sports should players have good In what sports should players have good situation awareness?situation awareness?

Activity 2Activity 2

The demand for concentration varies The demand for concentration varies with the sport: Complete the tablewith the sport: Complete the table

SustainedSustained

ConcentrationConcentrationShort busts of Short busts of ConcentrationConcentration

Intense Intense ConcentrationConcentration

AnswersAnswers

SustainedSustained

ConcentrationConcentrationShort busts of Short busts of ConcentrationConcentration

Intense Intense ConcentrationConcentration

MarathonMarathon

RunningRunningCricketCricket SprintingSprinting

TennisTennis GolfGolf BobsleighBobsleigh

Types of attentional Types of attentional focusfocus

Different sports require different types of Different sports require different types of attentional focus (concentration) attentional focus (concentration) dependant upon that activity being playeddependant upon that activity being played

Broad / Narrow continuum - the athlete Broad / Narrow continuum - the athlete focuses on a large or small number of focuses on a large or small number of stimuli stimuli

Internal / External continuum - the athlete Internal / External continuum - the athlete focuses on internal stimuli (feelings) or focuses on internal stimuli (feelings) or external stimuli (ball) external stimuli (ball)

BROAD

NARROW

EXTERNAL INTERNALDIRECTION

WIDTH

Session ObjectivesSession Objectives

Identify 3 components of concentrationIdentify 3 components of concentration

Describe why certain sports require Describe why certain sports require different levels of concentrationdifferent levels of concentration