A1
Psychological skills training has become a widely used tool for sports psychologists within the professional / elite avenues of sport. Psychological skills training (PST) Refers to systematic and consistent practice of mental or psychological skills for the purpose of enhancing performance, increasing enjoyment, or achieving greater sport and physical activity self-satisfaction. Mental training or sport psychology is no substitute for physical skills required to play at elite levels. The techniques utilized in PST are, Concentration, Arousal regulation, Confidence enhancement, Goal setting, and Imagery. These core methods can be used in great depth or simply on a shallow level, depending on the type of personality an athlete has. The mind-body connection is a very powerful one. For everything you think in your mind, your body has a reaction, regardless of whether it is real or imagined. Up until about a decade ago, a Sport Psychology professional was considered a person who athletes went to see only when they had a problem, not someone who healthy and productive athletes and teams spent their time with. These tools and resources that PST offers will help remove psychological barriers that can get in the way of peak performance and give some margin of control over your own performance. Reasons for PST are evident in some of the world’s top athletes that can walk out onto a pitch or track where there are sixty thousand screaming fans and television cameras pointed at them, yet they do not lose their composure, and perform to the best of there ability on a world stage. Without PST many athletes would not be in the elite or professional game.
A2
Mental imagery involves the athletes imagining themselves in a specific environment or performing a specific activity. The images should have the athlete performing these items very well and successfully. They should see themselves enjoying the activity and feeling satisfied with their performance. They should attempt...