Delivering Sport Psychology Services to the Canadian Sailing Team at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games

1989 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 313-319 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wayne Halliwell
Keyword(s):  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Family Members ◽  
International Competition ◽  
Mental Skills ◽  
Preparation Programs ◽  
Mental Preparation ◽  
The Media ◽  
Free Environment

Despite the fact that Olympic sailing is a psychologically demanding sport, few countries use the services of sport psychologists to mentally prepare their athletes for the rigors of international competition. At the 1988 Summer Olympic Games only Canada and France had sport psychologists working on site with the athletes during the Games. This article describes the educational, mental skills approach used to prepare the Canadian Olympic Sailing Team as well as the athlete and coach mental preparation programs. Components of the team’s Olympic Preparation Plan are outlined and the use of thorough planning and preparation to bolster the athletes’ feelings of readiness and confidence is discussed. The importance of providing athletes with a distraction-free environment during the Games is also discussed, along with a plan for accommodating the needs of their family members and the media.

Sport Psychology Consultants’ Perceptions of Their Challenges at the London 2012 Olympic Games

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 183-195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Elsborg ◽  
Gregory M. Diment ◽  
Anne-Marie Elbe
Keyword(s):  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
London 2012 ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The Media ◽  
Contextual Differences ◽  
The Olympic Games

The objective of this study was to explore how sport psychology consultants perceive the challenges they face at the Olympic Games. Post-Olympics semistructured interviews with 11 experienced sport psychology consultants who worked at the London Games were conducted. The interviews were transcribed and inductively content analyzed. Trustworthiness was reached through credibility activities (i.e., member checking and peer debriefing). The participants perceived a number of challenges important to being successful at the Olympic Games. These challenges were divided into two general themes: Challenges Before the Olympics (e.g., negotiating one’s role) and Challenges During the Olympics (e.g., dealing with the media). The challenges the sport psychology consultants perceived as important validate and cohere with the challenge descriptions that exist in the literature. The findings extend the knowledge on sport psychology consultancy at the Olympic Games by showing individual contextual differences between the consultants’ perceptions and by identifying four SPC roles at the Olympic Games.

4. International

2014 ◽  
pp. 63-80
Author(s):  
Mike Cronin
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
New York ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
The United States ◽  
International Olympic Committee ◽  
International Competition ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Olympic Games

The first recorded international sporting fixture was a cricket match between the United States and Canada in New York in 1844. ‘International’ shows that once sporting organizations, the media, and even politicians began to realize the value of international competition it spread quickly from sport to sport. Groups of national federations came together to form international federations that governed their particular sport, and arranged and sanctioned international competitions. Such organizations included the International Rugby Board (founded 1886), International Olympic Committee (1894), and Fédération Internationale de Football Association (1904). The history of the IOC, the Olympic Games, and their political and financial aspects are described, including the boycotts of the 1970s and 1980s.

The prince and the pauper: Journalistic culture and Paralympic games in the Spanish print press

Journalism ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 19 (12) ◽  
pp. 1713-1729 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josep Solves ◽  
Sebastián Sánchez ◽  
Inmaculada Rius
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
The Media ◽  
Spanish Press ◽  
Motor Sports ◽  
Paralympic Games ◽  
The Olympic Games

The Paralympic Games are one of the world’s most important multisport events, maybe second only to the Olympic Games. However, research conducted to date shows that the media do not devote as much space to them as would accordingly be expected. This article proposes, through a case study, a new way of approaching this hypothetical discrimination by comparing the attention that the London Paralympic Games received from the Spanish print press with the attention that other sports received (football, basketball, tennis, cycling, motor sports and other minority sports) while those Games were being held. The main finding of our study is that over the period analysed, the Spanish press devoted less space to the Paralympic Games than to any other sport.

Role with the Punches: The Construction and Representation of Amir Khan as a Role Model for Multiethnic Britain

2007 ◽  
Vol 55 (3) ◽  
pp. 611-631 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Burdsey
Keyword(s):  
Critical Discourse Analysis ◽  
Role Model ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Diversity Management ◽  
Critical Discourse ◽  
Positive Role ◽  
Religious Extremism ◽  
The Media ◽  
Silver Medal ◽  
London Bombings

This article examines the rapid rise to fame of teenage British Asian boxer Amir Khan following his silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games, and provides a critical discourse analysis of the way that he was subsequently constructed and represented by politicians and the media as a role model for multiethnic Britain. The analysis demonstrates that in the periods directly after both the 2004 Olympic Games and the 7 July 2005 London bombings, the majority of discourses about, and representations of, Khan were inextricably related to contemporary debates around multiculturalism, national identity, and religious extremism and/or deviance amongst young British Muslim men. This article argues that despite the ostensibly positive portrayals of Khan as an individual, a broader, more critical reading of these texts uncovers how they actually reproduce the contradictions and problems inherent to New Labour's policies on citizenship, community cohesion, the ‘war on terror’ and ‘diversity management’. The article concludes that the almost ubiquitous configuration of Khan as a positive role model is in danger of obscuring the continued existence of discourses and practices of racism and social exclusion in contemporary Britain.

How Does Sport Psychology Actually Improve Athletic Performance? A Framework to Facilitate Athletes’ and Coaches’ Understanding

2010 ◽  
Vol 34 (5) ◽  
pp. 386-402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris J. Gee
Keyword(s):  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Athletic Performance ◽  
Academic Discipline ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Mental Skills ◽  
Mental Skills Training ◽  
Athletic Competition ◽  
The Past ◽  
Physiology And Biochemistry ◽  
Sport Psychologist

The popularity of sport psychology, both as an academic discipline and an applied practice, has grown substantially over the past two decades. Few within the realm of competitive athletics would argue with the importance of being mentally prepared prior to an athletic competition as well as the need to maintain that particular mindset during a competitive contest. Nevertheless, recent research has shown that many athletes, coaches, and sporting administrators are still quite reluctant to seek out the services of a qualified sport psychologist, even if they believe it could help. One of the primary reasons for this hesitation appears to be a lack of understanding about the process and the mechanisms by which these mental skills affect performance. Unlike the “harder sciences” of sport physiology and biochemistry where athletes can see the tangible results in themselves or other athletes (e.g., he or she lifted weights, developed larger muscles, and is now stronger/faster as a result), the unfamiliar and often esoteric nature of sport psychology appears to be impeding a large number of athletes from soliciting these important services. As such, the purpose of this article is to provide the reader with a simple framework depicting how mental skills training translates into improved within-competition performance. This framework is intended to help bridge the general “understanding gap” that is currently being reported by a large number of athletes and coaches, while also helping sport psychology practitioners sell their valuable services to individual athletes and teams.

scholarly journals Athlete–Coach Conflict and a Sport Psychologist Caught in the Middle: A Case Study of Consultancy During Athlete Preparation and Performance in Olympic Games Athletics

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-42
Author(s):  
Jonathan R. Males ◽  
John H. Kerr ◽  
Joanne Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Elite Athlete ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Demand Model ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Basic Performance ◽  
Sport Psychologist ◽  
And Performance

This case study examines the personal experiences of an elite athlete, coach, and sport psychology consultant (SPC) during the athlete’s preparation and performance in a recent Olympic Games. The qualitative research details how the consultancy process was affected by the athlete’s late admission of the deteriorating relationship with his coach. The concepts of closeness, commitment, complementarity, and co-orientation provided a theoretical perspective to the SPC’s interpretation of athlete performance and the interpersonal conflict that developed between athlete and coach. The basic performance demand model provided an applied perspective. The SPC’s commentary adopts a reflexive discursive style that also focuses on the SPC’s role in the consultancy process and the effectiveness of the performance demand model materials. Five important recommendations arise from the case study, and these might inform other SPCs’ future athlete–coach consultancies and interventions.

The Patient’s Experience

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max Fink MD
Keyword(s):  
Family Members ◽  
The United States ◽  
Physician Patient Relationship ◽  
Electroconvulsive Treatment ◽  
Video Images ◽  
Treatment Room ◽  
Consent Procedure ◽  
The Media ◽  
Popular Images ◽  
Physician Patient

The popular images of electroshock presented in the media reflect practices that were discarded more than 40 years ago. The films One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and A Beautiful Mind portray imaginative Hollywood images—not reality. The dramatic scene of a pleading patient dragged to a treatment room, forcibly administered electric currents as his jaw clenches, his back arches, and his body shakes while being held down by burly attendants or by foot and wrist restraints, is false. Patients are not coerced into treatment. They may be anxious and reluctant, but they come willingly to the treatment room. They have been told why the treatment is recommended, the procedures have been explained, and many have seen DVD or video images of the procedures. Each patient has consented to the treatment in writing, and in many instances, family members have also agreed. Understandably, the patient may be hesitant about the first treatment. He has seen those movies, so the procedures are explained again, and, except for feeling a needle placed in his vein and electrodes and measuring devices attached to his body, the patient is unaware of the treatment as it occurs. One patient described his treatment this way: “It is a nonentity, a nothing. You go to sleep, and when you wake up, it is all over. It is easier to take than going to the dentist.” Many patients ask to be treated early in the morning so that they can return to the day’s activities as soon as possible. It is not uncommon for patients to reassure family members about the procedure. Doctors frequently ask an experienced patient to explain the procedures and the discomforts to a candidate; patients undergoing ECT have proved to be its best advocates. A consent form, voluntarily signed by each patient, is a necessary part of electroconvulsive treatment in the United States. Such a consent procedure is uncommon in psychiatric practice, and was developed to address concerns about abuse at a time when public distrust of governmental authority was widespread and had affected the physician-patient relationship. In most venues, doctors accept the patient’s cooperation with medication treatment and psychotherapy as consent.

Mental Preparation for the Performer

2014 ◽  
pp. 666-688
Author(s):  
Alma Thomas
Keyword(s):  
Music Education ◽  
Goal Setting ◽  
Performing Arts ◽  
Teaching And Learning ◽  
Mental Skills ◽  
Mental Preparation ◽  
Self Confidence ◽  
Key Concepts ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Regular Practice

Mental skills are integral to success in practice and performance. Prominent educators in sport and in the performing arts have advocated their use for years. This chapter provides voice educators and singers with illustrative mental skills that are based on recent research, supplies further background on mental training, and provides examples of key concepts. Teachers, coaches and singers are encouraged to apply the exercises presented and, if necessary, adapt them through experimentation to meet individual needs. Mental skills require regular practice and commitment, and should be an integral part of all teaching and learning. The literature in sport, and more recently in music education and performance, is full of the benefits of using mental skills, and full of ways in which mental skills guide and enhance performances at all levels. The key mental skills covered in this chapter are commitment and motivation, goal-setting, managing anxiety, relaxation, imagery, and developing self-confidence.

The Media Gatekeeping Model Updated by R and I in ICTs

2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 49-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vassiliki Cossiavelou ◽  
Philemon Bantimaroudis ◽  
Evangelia Kavakli ◽  
Laura Illia
Keyword(s):  
Wireless Communications ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Research Question ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Creative Industries ◽  
Media Industry ◽  
Global Media ◽  
Research And Innovation ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Impact

This paper explores the influence of digital technologies on media networks, in particular how they affect the traditional gatekeeping model. Wireless communications are the hot point of all digital technologies, and their application to the transmission of the Olympic Games is a milestone for the global creative industries every two/four years. The authors argue that the research and innovation (R&I) industries’ involvement with the media industries needs to be reconsidered within the framework of an updated media gatekeeping model. To investigate this research question, results are reported from a case study examining the gatekeeping processes in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, and the subsequent Olympics up to 2016. Results show the need for a new gatekeeping model that takes into consideration the impact of digital technologies, especially wireless communications. Additionally, new decision models regarding innovation investment in the global media industry are suggested by the impact of R&I on the media gatekeeping model itself.

Performance Factors and Strategies Favored by French Olympic Athletes

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Helene Joncheray ◽  
Fabrice Burlot ◽  
Nicolas Besombes ◽  
Sébastien Dalgalarrondo ◽  
Mathilde Desenfant
Keyword(s):  
Olympic Games ◽  
The Other ◽  
Mental Preparation ◽  
Performance Factors ◽  
Olympic Athletes ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
Parallel Network ◽  
Physical Preparation ◽  
The Olympic Games

This article presents the performance factors identified by Olympic athletes and analyzes how they were prioritized and implemented during the 2012–2016 Olympiad. To address this issue, 28 semistructured interviews were conducted with French athletes who participated in the Olympic Games in 2016. The analysis shows that to achieve performance, only two factors were implemented by all the athletes: training and physical preparation. The other factors, namely, mental preparation, nutrition, and recovery care, were not implemented by all athletes. In addition, two main types of configurations have been identified: a minority of athletes (n = 4) for whom the choice of performance factors and their implementation are controlled by the coach and a majority (n = 24) who adopts secondary adjustments by relying on a parallel network.

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