Psychological Evaluation to Increase Performance of Athletes

Psychological Evaluation to Increase Performance of Athletes

Psychological Evaluation to Increase Performance of Athletes

1Pawan Kumar, 2Dr. Gurdeep Singh Bhola

1 Ph.D Scholar, Singhania University Jhunjhanu, Rajasthan

2Professor,

R.K.S.D College of Education Kaithal, Haryana

1Pawanrozra111@gmail.com

1. INTRODUCTION

   Sports originated as an innocent pastime for recreation and entertainment, but today they have assumed such social, emotional, educational and political importance that can hardly be surpassed by any other kind of activity. The sporting activity involves all nations and societies in some form or the other. The increased concern of the society for the performance of athletes at the national and international level has transformed sports competition into a highly exciting enterprise. Society takes pride in the performance of athletes who represent a specific region or country. Perhaps this is the reason why athletes are under pressure to win and to create records. For this a psychological study of a sportsperson is necessary. Psychological study of sportsperson allows the observation of behaviour, which cant be easily studied in everyday life. Sports performance is the outcome of the efforts of an athlete in the face of stiff challenge and competition in which his total self is involved.

   While sports psychology draws from both physical education and psychology it distinguishes significantly from both subjects. For example,

   physical education emphasizes bodily aspects of movement while sports psychology emphasizes the mental and emotional aspects and unlike psychology sports psychology is not headed towards curing of mental diseases and disorder. Rather its ambition is to enhance the sports performance and developing the self through sport. Sports psychologists refer to those who serve as athletes or clients rather than patients and a session with a client is a consultation rather than therapy.

   An athlete in action has to encounter numerous predictable and unpredictable situations. His physical, technical, tactical and psychological processes help him adapt to these situations. If the coach knows something about the athletes family characteristics and his experience in sports, he would be able to predict the athletes future status with accuracy. Research in the past, particularly I sports psychology, has stressed the importance of an athlete.

2. METHOD OF COACHING AND

   TEACHING

   Psychology tells a teacher that, before imparting instructions or coaching on a particular topic or skill the curiosity of a child must be excited, that is why, if the subject matter is presented with audio visual aids, its appeals to the learner will be much greater. With the help of any stimulant if passive listener is made active listener or participant and topic or skill is permanently fixed in the students mind, it becomes real, interesting and effective. Before teaching certain topics and skills, the teacher must make sure as to what and how much his pupils are capable of learning. By putting certain tests to students and can plan his teaching lesson accordingly. Psychology tells the teacher

   that the methods of the teaching have to be devised accordingly with the mental development of the child and subject matter should be presented psychological and logically.

   A coach or teacher equipped with the knowledge of psychology will encourage the child spontaneously. The player /student is not enforced to learn his lesson or not enforced to do practice, rather his interest is awakened in his lesson or sports, and then he is merely guided in the process of self education and self sports practice. This act will help the students to a greater extent.

3. APPLICATION OF LAWS OF

   LEARNING

   Psychology tells the teacher as to what laws should be followed in making learning and teaching effective. The teacher, who knows about the physical and mental growth of the child, will arrange the subject matter to be taught in such a way that what ever is taught is in accordance with the physical and mental growth of the child. In physical education as sports class fundamental skills and advance skills cannot be taught to the beginner; sportsmen or players learn at their own level with the help of psychology a sports teacher or coach will apply particular law of learning to make his teaching or coaching more effective and result oriented.

4. MOTIVATION AND LEARNING

   Psychology tells the teacher/coach, the importance of motivation in physical education and sports. Learning being an individual and subjective activity, or will not learn any advance skill unless properly motivated. Teacher/coach must know how to arouse the curiosity of the player or student and how to sustain it. Teacher must know about the various motives and how to use them. He should know the effect of praise and reproof, reward and punishment etc. in the sports situations.

5. WORKING OF UNCONSCIOUS MIND

   Psychology and sports psychology guides teacher or coach about the working of the unconscious mind which is a store house of unexpressed wishes. These tendencies make the sportsman mentally unhealthy with the result that he is not able to concentrate on sports activities and studies. Psychology guides the teacher if a sportsmen or

   student seems to be dull, it is not necessary that he is actually dull. Psychology actually tells that his dullness may be due to some other factors like his conflicts, his complexes, his poor home conditions etc. it also tells teacher/coach how to secure his mental health as well as of sportsmen and students.

6. PSYCHOLOGY AND

   INTROSPECTION

   Psychology helps the teacher/coach to find out his own interests and capabilities as a teacher. He has not only to know thoroughly the learner or players, but he should also try to know himself. Sometimes his own behaviour becomes a hurdle in the proper development of the learners or sportsmen while he blames them for their poor performance in any competition. Hence coach or teacher should study himself through introspection. It can be done only with the help of psychology and sports psychology.

   There are so many other ways in which sports psychology can prove helpful to a teacher and coach.

7. EVALUATION

Psychology guides the teacher how to measure the end products of learning. It tells him about the new type of tests and ways to administer them. It also tells the teacher or coach about the measurement of aptitude personality traits, I.Q. and special abilities so as to enable him to make proper classifications and to give proper load and guidance to students.

REFERENCES

[1]. American Alliance for health, physical education, recreation and dance(1986). Guidelines for middle school physical education. A position paper. Virginia: AAHPERD Publications.

[2]. Bluechardt, M.H. & Shephard, R.J.(1995). Using an extracurricular physical activity program to enhance social skills. Journal of learning disabilities. 28(3).160-169.

[3]. Bryne, B.M.(1996). Measuring self concept across the life span. Washington: American Psychological asosiation.

[4]. Castagno, K.S.(1991) A study of the effects of an after school physical education program on the self concept of middle school EMR students. PhD thesis

[5]. Aasen, P.A (1990). The effects of a motor development program on the self concept of children between the ages of 5 and 7. Med thesis , University of New Brunswick(Canada)

[6]. Berry, J.L(1989) the effects of Yoshukai Karate on at risk middle school sudents. EdD Thesis, The University of Alabama.