Case One: Beth /Case Two: Coaching change
Case Studies: Read each case carefully and answer each question completely. Be sure to use material from the textbook (and outside sources, where appropriate) to answer the questions.
Situation 1: Beth plays third base on a college softball team. She is a sophomore who did not play as a freshman. She came from a very small town and did not play against strong competition.
She has always practiced well, but still questions her ability to play at this level. The senior who plays ahead of her just got injured, and Beth is now being asked to start. She is extremely nervous because she does not think her abilities are up to par, and this has been noticeable at practice where she has started to make several errors.
Questions:
Based on your understanding of Sport and Performance Psychology thus far, summarize the mental skills and concepts most related to Beth’s case.
As a coach or Mental Performance Consultant, what would you do to help her? Specifically, discuss the following:
What other information would you want to get from her?
Why you would want that information?
What would you discuss with her?
What suggestions would you give, or what interventions would you use?
In your responses, be specific and use the textbook (and outside resources, when appropriate) to support your ideas.
Situation 2: You have been asked to speak with a football team before their season. They have a new coach and he has asked you to come in and speak with his players. The new coach has noticed that his players seem “scared” and get very nervous when he, or other coaches, are evaluating them.
Furthermore, in watching film from last year he noticed that the team appeared to “give up” when they played superior opponents or found themselves down early in a game.
In speaking with the coach, he told you that the previous coach placed a premium on winning (in everything). Every drill was made into a competition, and winners and losers were posted on a board in the locker room. After losses, the coach would yell at the team for being “a bunch of losers.”
After the few wins they did have, he would call them lucky and point out all their mistakes. After losses (even in a drill in practice), the coach would berate the loser, telling him he only wanted “winners” on his team. The players became very disenchanted with the old coach’s style of coaching.
In addition, the old coach rarely complemented players on their success, choosing instead to yell at those who make a mistake. The former coach also micromanaged every aspect of the players’ lives. This coaching style led to decreased motivation and cliques within the team.
Questions:
Based on your understanding of Sport and Performance Psychology thus far, summarize the mental skills and concepts most related to Beth’s case.
As a coach or Mental Performance Consultant, what would you do to help her? Specifically, discuss the following:
What other information would you want to get from her?
Why you would want that information?
What would you discuss with her?
What suggestions would you give, or what interventions would you use?
In your responses, be specific and use the textbook (and outside resources, when appropriate) to support your ideas.