Lessons from the frontline: Performance psychology at the Olympic Games. Professor Peter C Terry, USQ

Transcription

1 Lessons from the frontline: Performance psychology at the Olympic Games Professor Peter C Terry, USQ

2 Nature of the Challenge?

3 THE GREATEST SHOW ON EARTH

4 A UNIQUE EXPERIENCE

5 Olympic environment Inspirational BUT Results focused Time pressured Unforgiving Intensified emotions Organisational challenges

6 Olympic Stressors Competition stress Accreditation/security Family/friends Boredom/time management Homesickness Travel fatigue/jetlag Selection Media intrusion Local transport Accommodation Nutrition/hydration Climate

7 Olympic Village

8 Media Intrusion

9 Time Management Waiting for the action to start Need for a strategy Need for individualisation Balance between planned activities and free time Day prior to competition critical

10 Beijing Stressors? Poor air quality Increased security Extreme humidity Chinese bureaucracy

11 Beijing Shooting

12 Michael Diamond Asked what he thinks about at the precise moment a clay pigeon is sent spinning into view "Always the same thing. I think, 'holy s***' There it goes, and it looks like an aspirin! I better get it." (Diamond, 2008)

13 Insight Michael Diamond s heart is turning somersaults at 135 beats a minute. Yet inside his mind there is calm and order. He lifts his Perazzi doublebarrelled shotgun to his right shoulder as if in a trance. Somewhere between his subconscious and reality a familiar voice whispers: Trust yourself, Michael.

14 Insight There s a compartment in my mind, a sight picture. You can actually see everything coordinating together. It almost appears in slow motion. You can see the little red dot (sight) on the end of your gun approaching the target, go past the target. You pull the trigger and turn it to dust.

15 Insight The trick is, when you re calling for that target, when the target appears, I can see it round, I can see it perfect, like it s sitting just there on top of that trap house. That s where the game begins and ends. It s won and lost right there. If you don t see it if you see a flash or a blur you re done.

16 Insight If you re looking in the correct spot, the human mind and the eyes can see anything that you want them to. You ve got to give them the information so they can process it. It s about shutting out your emotions and your feelings (John Coomber, The Sunday Mail, July 20, 2008, p.96).

17 Strategies to Excel?

18 A principle of excellence Little things make a big difference Control the little pictures and the big picture takes care of itself

19 River as metaphor for thought processes Strong, steady, irresistible flow Unwanted stuff floats along frequently Fighting against thoughts traps them Instead, bring in the good thoughts behind and let the unwanted thoughts drift on through

20 A principle of excellence Systematic monitoring is better than intuitive assessment Individualised datasets may reveal patterns of success

21 Mood profiles of Shooter X during the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games TEN DEP ANG VIG FAT CON 2/09/2000 4/09/2000 6/09/2000 9/09/ /09/ /09/ /09/2000 Comp. Day

22 Mood profiles of Shooter Y during a pre-olympic training camp /07/ /07/ /07/ /07/ TEN DEP ANG VIG FAT CON

23 Management of fatigue Most popular strategies among athletes are: Take a shower Rest, take a nap or sleep Splash face with cold water Eat something Physical activity Focus on competition strategies (Terry, Dinsdale, Karageorghis, & Lane, 2006)

24 Management of fatigue Most effective strategies among athletes are: Relaxation techniques Take a shower Rest, take a nap or sleep Put feelings into perspective Have a massage Deal with the cause of the feelings (Terry, Dinsdale, Karageorghis, & Lane, 2006)

25 Mood profiles of Shooter Y during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games TEN DEP ANG VIG FAT CON 31/07/2008 1/08/2008 2/08/2008 3/08/2008 5/08/2008 6/08/2008 7/08/2008 8/08/2008 Comp D1 Comp D2

26 Management of vigour Most effective strategies among athletes are: Physical activity Think positively Sport-related imagery Fast, upbeat music Focus on competition strategies Put feelings into perspective (Terry, Dinsdale, Karageorghis, & Lane, 2006)

27 Positive thinking or positive doing? What behaviours are associated with best performance? Can you do these things regardless of what you are thinking or feeling? Can you play the role (iconics)?

28 Use of music in interventions

29 Music for mood management Listening to the Red Hot Chilli Peppers was an important part of James Cracknell s preparation before the 2000 Olympic final. I was listening to that CD on my Discman until about an hour before we competed

30 Music for mood management The music is vaguely aggressive and powerful, but it s also familiar, so it serves a joint purpose. It makes you relax a bit, but also winds you up at the same time. It keeps you going, which is very important (James Cracknell, Double Olympic Gold Medallist)

31 Music for mood management Strategies are sometimes counter-intuitive Audley Harrison, Olympic Super-heavyweight Boxing Champion listened to Japanese classical music Used to induce relaxation rather than aggression

32 Music for inspiration Give me one moment in time When I m more than I thought I could be When all of my dreams are a heartbeat away And the answers are all up to me

33 Music for inspiration Find your guiding inspiration In a place where dreams are made With a lifetime s preparation There s no time to be afraid

34 Australia Water Polo Rose Tattoo We Can t Be Beaten Written on coach Greg McFadden s hand

35 Conditioned responses Repetition and powerful visual images Even unlikely associations are easily achieved [Italia 90]

36 Use of technology

37 Source photographs and music Develop PowerPoint presentation Add soundtrack Convert to MP4 file (e.g., using Acoolsoft) Load to itouch or similar

38 Management of depressed mood Most popular strategies among athletes are: Spend time alone Talk to someone about my feelings Talk with others to distract myself Seek physical affection Use humour Think about something else (Terry, Dinsdale, Karageorghis, & Lane, 2006)

39 Management of depressed mood Most effective strategies among athletes are: Think positively Deal with the cause of the feelings Talk to someone about my feelings Put feelings into perspective Seek physical affection Think about something else (Terry, Dinsdale, Karageorghis, & Lane, 2006)

40 What if? A 19 years old, female, tennis player is in a state of acute anxiety about her opening match, which has now been delayed by rain for nearly three days. Her parents, with whom she has a difficult relationship, have travelled to see her play.

41 What if? A 42 years old, male shooter, a secondtime Olympian, is competing the day after the opening ceremony but intends to march. His coach does not hold strong views about the situation.

42 What if? A 26 years old, first-time Olympian is informed by a journalist on the eve of his race that the tabloids are running a story about his extra-marital affair. His wife has been told by another journalist back home and has left the family home with their two young children. The journalist has requested a statement.

43 Thank you for your attention