Academic Year 2013 - 2014

Prof. Stephan van UijtregtProf. Donna DeWitt - Sport / Performance

Psychologist

The Quest for GoldThe Quest for Gold

• Olympic Origins

• Preparation for the Olympics

– Case: Dutch Olympic Team on its way to Beijing (Innovation, Organization, Corporate Involvement)

– Case: Spanish Field Hockey Team preparation for Beijing (Organization, Psychological Services, Team Dynamics)

Topics for today

1. Gain insight into the origins and philosophy of the Olympic Games.

2. Become familiarized with Olympic preparation.

3. Explore own values surrounding the concept of excellence.

4. Apply the understanding of the pursuit of excellence in sports to other areas in life.

Class objectives

Greek philosophy of sports- Physical education- Plato- Highly competitive nature “Agon”

Let the games begin…- Myths about how games started- At Olympia in Greece 776 B.C.- Goal: to be the best- Prize: olive wreath (honor)- The ‘Sacred Truce’

Olympic origins…

- Founded IOC in Paris 1894- Sports as model for building moral & social strength- Topics such as:

- Sport participation children & adolescents- 2 types of sport: balance and combat- Importance of will & perseverance- Educational & moral purpose of sports- Intellectual & philosophical aspects of Olympism- Fuse medical profession with psychology

- IOC Olympism: state of mind

Modern Olympism

1. Philosophy of life: balance body, will & mind

2. Goal: sport at service of harmonious development of man

3. Practice of sport is a human right

4. Discrimination regarding a country or person on grounds of race, religion, politics, gender or otherwise is incompatible with the Olympic movement

IOC Olympism

Reflect on own experiences and paradigms as a means to define your

personal philosophy of excellence. Write them down. Have your methods for obtaining excellence always been a representation of your philosophy?

Why or why not?

Concept of excellence & performance

1. Examine factors that influence (sport-) performance and aim to gain more insight into facilitating performance enhancement.

2. Explore how participation in sport contributes to psychological and physical health and well-being.

What is sport psychology?

Preparing the Spanish Men’s Olympic Field-Hockey Team for the 2008

Summer Olympics in Beijing

Preparing the Spanish Men’s Olympic Field-Hockey Team for the 2008

Summer Olympics in Beijing

Real Federación Española de Hockey___________________________

ABSOLUTA MASCULINA

1. Making Contact

2. My Role

3. Organization

Staff

Multicultural: Catalan, Spanish, Dutch, Mexican, AmericanLarge number of staff-members (15 total)

Consistent absence of one or more members (never full team)Varying lengths of time with team (from 4 years to 3 months)

Only half of team travelling to Beijing

Players

20 players (two ‘descartes’, two i.p. status in Beijing)4 Spanish, 16 Catalan

Representing 7 clubs (3 Catalan, 3 Dutch, 1 Spanish)

3. Cont. organization (demographics)

a. Player performance enhancement

i. Individual player & group sessionsii. Topics: mental preparation, arousal control / relaxation, self-confidence /

image, concentration, coping with injuryiii.Personal topics: life skills; time-management, balancing work and social life

style (girlfriend, wife, family)iv.Player-to-player / team communication (in and off the pitch)

a. Collaboration with medical staff / prevention / treatment players

c. Feedback from coaching staff about players’ performance

4. Type of services provided: players

a. Maintenance wellbeing and positive / effective communication staff

b. Feedback about players to and from coach

c. ‘outlet’ for and feedback to coach performance

5. Working with and through the coaching staff

Martes 6 de junio 2008 - C.A.R. / TERRASSA 08:30 Pesaje + Desayuno 09:30 Salida al Federativo 10:00 Entreno Federativo (Jugadores: camiseta amarillas; Staff: azul) 12:00 Bañeras de hielo 12:30 Regreso al CAR 13:30 Comida 14:30 Tiquets, certificados etc. 15:30 Taller / Descanso 15:30 Sesión grupo con Donna (sala por confirmar) 16:00 Salida al Federativo 17:00 Foto oficial del equipo 18:00 Partido vs Gran Bretaña

* Jugadores: Amarillo / Rojo / Rojo * Staff: Polo Rojo* Chándal o chubasquero dependiendo del tiempo

20:00 Regreso al CAR 21:00 Cena 22:30 Taller 00:00 Cierre

Martes 6 de junio 2008 - C.A.R. / TERRASSA 08:30 Pesaje + Desayuno 09:30 Salida al Federativo 10:00 Entreno Federativo (Jugadores: camiseta amarillas; Staff: azul) 12:00 Bañeras de hielo 12:30 Regreso al CAR 13:30 Comida 14:30 Tiquets, certificados etc. 15:30 Taller / Descanso 15:30 Sesión grupo con Donna (sala por confirmar) 16:00 Salida al Federativo 17:00 Foto oficial del equipo 18:00 Partido vs Gran Bretaña

* Jugadores: Amarillo / Rojo / Rojo * Staff: Polo Rojo* Chándal o chubasquero dependiendo del tiempo

20:00 Regreso al CAR 21:00 Cena 22:30 Taller 00:00 Cierre

b. Unclear psychologist’s role to coaching staff

c. Communication (pyramid, isolated information, culture/ language)

d. 24-hour stand-by; maintenance of professional boundaries, fatigue

e. Working relationship with some (7) players not previously established

8. Problems encountered (cont.)

• Clarification of role of psychologist to all (especially staff)

• Regular multidisciplinary meetings (insist upon!)

• More contact with coach

• At least two psychologists; supervision, neutrality (players & staff)

• Insist on having worked with every player beforehand!

• More prep-time for evaluations (players, staff)

• Follow-up / evaluations sessions within 6 months after Olympics!!

• Delivering Sport psychology Services to the 1988 Olympic Athletes; Special Issue The Sport Psychologist, December 1989, Vol 3, 4

• Reflections on Athens; Special Issue, Sport and Exercise Psychology Review, September 2006, Vol 2, 2

9. Conclusion and direction for others and future !!!