  25 MINUTES SPORTS COACHING DIPLOMA

Module 04: The Psychology of Sports

Coaching – Part 1

What is Communication?
Communication is the act of expressing (or transmitting) ideas, information, knowledge, thoughts, and feelings,
as well as understanding what is expressed by others. The communication process involves both sending and
receiving messages and can take many forms. Verbal communication is the spoken word, while nonverbal
communication involves actions, facial expressions, body position, and gestures. Communication mainly occurs
in one-on-one or group settings, and in written formats (e.g. printed materials) or in visual formats (e.g. pictures,
videos, and observational learning). And it involves not only the content of a message but also its emotional
impacts, or the e ect the message has on the person receiving it, henceforth a process of feedback has an
impact on it.

Sending and Receiving Messages

The word “coach” suggests that individuals in this profession send many messages and those messages are
catered in multiple di erent ways. Coaches need to be able to clearly communicate expectations, goals,
standards, and feelings to their athletes. They instruct, encourage, discipline, organise, and provide feedback.
And although coaches tend to think of e ective communicators as being able to send clear messages that are
interpreted as intended, communication is a two-way street that also involves receiving messages. For a coach,
this means listening attentively. Athletes need to be able to communicate their goals, frustrations, and feelings to
their coach.
Nonverbal and Verbal Channels

As a coach, you can say a lot without uttering a word: A frown, a look of disbelief, a disgusted shake of your head,
or a smile can communicate quite a bit. In fact, communication experts suggest that between 65% and 93% of
the meaning of a message is conveyed through tone of voice and nonverbal behaviours. Thus, in addition to
becoming aware of the words you use, it is essential that you become aware of your tone and nonverbal
behaviours so that you understand the messages you are sending to athletes.

Athletes also communicate nonverbally, and coaches can learn to be more e ective listeners by becoming astute
observers of athlete’s nonverbal communications. Understanding the nonverbal messages athletes send is a
passport to a greater understanding of the athletes you are coaching.

Sending E ective Messages

E ective communicators are able to send messages that clearly convey the intended content and are received in
the desired way. The most important judgment you need to make is whether a message needs to be sent. Some
coaches talk too much, rambling on about things that bore others or distract athletes during practice. Some
coaches talk too little, assuming that others know what they think or want. Every coach needs to follow a
guideline for his communication with the athletes. These guidelines may be listed as:

Messages should be direct. Coaches who are weak on this quality avoid straightforward, direct
communication.
Own your messages. Use “I” and “my,” not “the team,” or “we” when referencing your messages.
Messages should be complete and speci c. Tell the whole story without leaving out important information.
Provide the person with whom you are speaking all the information he or she needs in order to understand
your message fully.
Messages should be clear and consistent. Avoid double messages. Coaches who say one thing one day and
then something else on another violates this principle as do coaches who send contradictory messages.
Messages should clearly state needs and feelings. Because our society frowns on those who wear their
emotions on their sleeves, coaches tend not to reveal their feelings and needs to others.
Messages should separate fact from opinion. State what you see, hear and know, and then clearly identify any
opinions or conclusions you have about these facts.
Messages should be focused on one thing at a time. Focus your message on one topic or issue at a time.
Jumping from topic to topic only confuses the listener.
Messages should be delivered immediately. When you observe something that upsets you, or that needs to be
changed don’t delay sending a message.
Messages should not contain hidden agendas. This principle means that the stated purpose of the message is
identical with the real purpose. Hidden agendas and disguised intentions destroy relationships.
Messages should be supportive. If you want the other person to listen to your messages over time, you cannot
deliver them with threats, sarcasm, negative comparisons, or any type of judgment.
Verbal and nonverbal messages should be congruent. You tell your player it was OK to make the error, but
your negative body gestures and facial expressions contradict your words. The two con icting messages
confuse your player and hurt your credibility in future communication.
Messages should be redundant. Repeat the key points in a message to reinforce what you are saying. Preview
what you are going to tell them, tell them, and then review what you just told them.
Messages should be at the receiver’s level and frame of reference. Speak at the level of the receivers in a way
that they can readily understand. Your messages can be much better understood if you tailor them to the
experiences of the people with whom you are communicating.
Messages should be checked for understanding. Look for verbal and nonverbal evidence that the person with
whom you are speaking is receiving the message as you intended.
Messages should be attention-grabbing. You need to hook people into listening. Grab their attention by using
their names or by explaining why it is important for them to understand the information you are
communicating.
Messages should consider each athlete’s learning style. Some athletes are visual learners; others are auditory
learners, while yet others learn through doing. Messages will be more easily comprehended if they
accommodate an athlete’s learning style.

Con icts and Confrontations

Con icts

Con ict is inevitable in coaching because many people are involved, and the environment is competitive. You
might be tempted to handle con ict in whatever way comes naturally to you, perhaps combined with what you
have learned from others. This approach does not guarantee success. There are ve con ict management styles
based on one’s responses to two key questions in an attempt to resolve a con ict:

How important is it that you achieve your personal goals and get what you want?
How important is your relationship with the other person?

Your answers exert a strong in uence on how you deal with con ict. To help you gain awareness of your current
approach, consider which of the following styles you typically use.

Turtle (withdrawing): When facing con ict, turtles withdraw into their shells. In doing so, they sacri ce their
goals and damage their relationship. Turtles fear confrontation or believe that it will be useless in solving the
problem and thus nd it easier to withdraw.
Shark (attacking): Sharks faced with con ict try to get their own way no matter what the cost. They focus on
achieving their goals and do not worry about the needs and feelings of others. Sharks consider a con ict a
game that one person wins and the other loses, and they plan to win by intimidating, attacking, and
overpowering if necessary.
Teddy bear (smoothing): Teddy bears believe con icts should be avoided in favour of harmony. They believe
con icts harm relationships, and because of their great need to be accepted and liked, they avoid
jeopardising the relationship by sacri cing their personal goals. Teddy bears are good at keeping a team
together but give in to what others want at the expense of their own needs and interests.
Fox (compromising): Foxes are concerned with both achieving their goals and maintaining relationships, at
least to a moderate degree. They prefer a compromise in which both sides gain something. They are willing to
give up part of their goal and attempt to persuade others to give up part of theirs. They are willing to accept
some strain on the relationship to nd an agreement for the common good.
Owl (collaborating): Owls place high value both on their goals and on their relationships. They view con ict as
an issue to be solved and are satis ed only when they are able to achieve their goals and also help others get
what they want. Owls believe con ict has the potential to strengthen relationships and are not content until
tension and negative feelings have been resolved so that both parties nd a win-win solution.

Confrontations

Confrontations are used to resolve con icts. In a confrontation, you directly express your views and feelings
about the con ict, and you invite the other parties to express theirs, too, in order to negotiate a mutually
bene cial solution. Confrontations are a big part of the sport, and you will have your fair share of them as a
coach. Yet confrontations need not be heated arguments that produce hostility.

There are four steps to a successful confrontation:

Think: Before you yell at o cials, blurt out a put-down, or scream commands at a player, think. Consider
whether what you are about to say will result in a successful confrontation, one in which you get the other
person to examine his or her actions, and one in which you achieve your goal without damaging the
relationship. Or will your actions escalate the con ict? If the athlete’s emotions are running high, it might not
be the best time to confront. Likewise, don’t let your own emotions control the situation.
Understand: Seek to understand the other person’s perspective accurately. This requires you to practice
empathy. When you confront others, let them know that you are trying to understand their position. Then be
true to your word and do it.
Describe your perspective and feelings: Express your views and feelings openly and directly, but do it with
assertive “I” statements rather than aggressive “you” statements. For example, rather than saying, “You are
wrong” or “You make me so mad when you . . . ,” say instead, “I’m not sure I agree” or “I feel upset when you
…” Success at this step will result in the other person understanding your perspective. It will also create an
open atmosphere that encourages the other person to examine his or her own behaviours and their
consequences, rather than simply trying to defend and justify them.
Seek action: Suggest desired changes or express interest in working together to develop a mutually bene cial
solution. Tentatively communicate what you would like to see happen in response to the confrontation. Being
tentative helps the other person consider what you are saying more easily. Avoid the temptation to demand
 change, which is coercive and can lead the other person to feel attacked. Especially if you are confronting an
athlete, invite the athlete to partner with you to discuss the issue, and encourage the athlete to come up with
a solution on his or her own terms.

Psychological Factors and Performance Excellence

In recalling their most memorable sports performances, most athletes remember a time when everything seemed
to work perfectly, and they had a peak performance. Athletes use a variety of terms to describe these almost
magical moments, such as being in ow or “in the zone,” or having “the hot hand.” These special moments occur
when athletes are both physically and mentally prepared, and everything falls into place for them.

Mentally tough athletes have more than just physical skills; they also have tremendous ability to psych
themselves up for competition, manage their stress and remain in control of their emotions, concentrate
intensely, and set challenging but realistic goals. They have the ability to visualise themselves being successful
and then do what they visualised. Simply stated, they have superior mental skills.

Although the key physical skills and attributes di er from sport to sport, the mental skills required to achieve
excellence and ow are similar across sports. These include attributes related to motivation, energy
management, attentional skills, stress management, and self-con dence.

Most athletes have developed core mental skills to a su cient degree that they can function well in day-to-day
situations or even in low-level competitive events. But when confronted with more demanding, pressure-packed
situations, they may falter. This can be most frustrating to athletes and their coaches because they know they
have the potential to perform well. Not recognising that the performance problems are due to a lack of mental
skills, coaches may encourage athletes to work even harder on their physical skills.

A gymnast may spend extra time on an apparatus. A basketball player may spend extra time shooting free throws
after practice. Distance runners may pound their bodies even harder, sometimes to the point of overtraining.
Indeed, some performance problems might stem from physical issues, such as inadequate training or poor
biomechanics. However, in many cases, inadequate mental skills could be the cause.

A coach who does not know how to help athletes develop the necessary mental skills usually does one of three
things: tries to support the athlete with empathy and encouragement; selects another athlete who may be less
talented physically but can perform better under pressure, or aggravates the problem by placing more pressure
on the athlete to begin performing up to his or her capability. The alternative, of course, is to capitalise on
advances in sport psychology. Coaches from all sports increasingly recognise that athletes can learn and improve
the mental skills needed to achieve excellence in sport.

Mental Skills Training for Sports

Mental skills training addresses the four factors mentioned above that in uence success in sport. There are
numerous strategies that individuals can learn that can help them improve their performance and their personal
development in sport and in life overall. The goals of mental skills training are:

To prepare individuals to consistently perform at their optimal level for that day and for that context.
To assist individuals in re ning their mental strategies and in overcoming obstacles that may be preventing
them from reaching their optimal level.
To help individuals deal with the pressures and unexpected events that may arise during training or
competition.
To encourage re ection and awareness regarding performance and personal improvements.
To improve the sport experience overall.

Every individual possesses the ability to be mentally strong and perform consistently, even under the most
adverse conditions. 

Step One

The rst step is to develop strategies to maximise the individual’s mental gifts to focus optimally. “Gifts” for
Focus:

G for Goals: Goals give people something to work toward. If they use the goals properly, they give the
individuals direction, motivation and focus.
I for Imagery: Imagery helps people learn new skills, and re ne and prepare for competitive situations. It also
helps them develop their con dence and belief in themselves.
F for Feelings: Feelings and emotions are a big part of the sport. Athletes can learn how to make their feelings
work for them as opposed to against them.
T for Thoughts: The things people say to themselves can help them focus, or these can distract them and
make them lose their focus. 
S for Support: Every day, people can take actions that challenge their mental skills to make them a more
focused performer. Coaches can also support athletes’ performance by planning and preparing them
properly, leading up to the competition.

Step Two

The next step is to use their talents regularly. This consistency will help create an environment for the athletes to
perform at their best and to “FOCUS” optimally. Once they have learned the strategies, the goal is to become a
more re ective and self-directed performer. Coaches will need to begin to record and monitor their
performances and to learn from their experiences.  “Re ne” the Skills:

R for Re ect: Let athletes take time to think about their performances, both good and bad. What, why, how
are questions you can ask them as you re ect on their experience.
E for Evaluate: Examine objectively what you could adjust or change to make the performance better. Try not
to judge yourself here. You are trying to step back and evaluate yourself realistically.
F for Feedback: Make them take feedback about their performances from you, teammates, and others
knowledgeable in the sport. 
I for Inconsistencies: Expect them. There will be new challenges every time your athletes perform. You are
working on making their performance more consistent by understanding and preparing for the unexpected.
N for New ideas: Teach them to be open to new ways of approaching something. Sometimes the smallest
adjustments can help their performance.
E for Endure: It takes a long time to make a great performer and a tremendous commitment. Make them pace
themselves, and they will persevere.

Step Three

The nal step is learning to use your athletes’ mental talents in all di erent circumstances (e.g., training camps,
international competitions, selections or trials, injuries, con ict situations). These talents apply to more than just
sports performance. They are life skills. There is a lot more to being a top-level performer than the time they
spend in competition.

If they use their talents, they can be FOCUSED and ready for anything:

F for Focused: on the present and on the task at hand.

O for Optimistic: about your actions and the future.
C for Con dent: in your abilities, skills, and preparation.
U for Unwavering: in your mental and physical state.
S for Smart: Make good choices and learn from your experiences.
E for Energised: ready for the competition.
D for Director: of your own performance.

Mental training skills prepare you to manage the four factors of mental health. A coach must encourage the
athletes to challenge themselves every day to “REFINE” their “GIFTS” and stay “FOCUSED” on the mental,
emotional, social, and meta-mental areas of health. Include mental practice in your training program to create a
positive environment for positive performance. It can mean to di erentiate between good and bad athletic
success.

The MST Approach

MST is the systematic and consistent use of mental training tools of goal setting, imagery, relaxation and
energisation, and self-talk to build the mental skills, or psychological attributes, that coaches want their athletes
to have the motivation, energy management, attention, stress management, and con dence. The fundamental
premise behind MST is that using mental training tools or techniques can enable athletes to develop the desired
mental skills.