USAGymnasticsWebinarCoachingforPerformance

andDevelopmentwith

GloriaBalaguePh.D.Gbalague@gmail.com

USAGymnasticsRhythmicGymnastics

OUTLINE

• WhySportPsychology?• Firstlookinside:YourProgram• TrainingPsychologicalSkills:What,When,How

WHYSportPsychology?

• Whatkindofathletesdoyouwant?– Confident,motivated,abletofocus,consistent,goodteammembers…?

Doyoutraintheseskills?THESESKILLSARETRAINABLEGoalofyouthsport:Keeptheminthesport!

TALENTEVOLUTION

PHASE/PERSON

INITIATION DEVELOP. ELITE

Athlete Joy Commitment Obsession

Coach Interested Respected Perfectionist

Parents Enthusiastic Positive Sacrificed

B.S.Bloom(1985)DevelopingTalentintheYoung

7SecretsofSuccessfulCoaches

1. CharacterBased2. Competent3. Committed4. Caring5. Confidence-Builders6. Communicators7. Consistent

Jeff Janssen & Greg Dale (2002)

YOUROWNPROGRAM

• Whatareyouaboutasacoach?Whatisimportanttoyou?Whatareyourvalues?

• Whatdoyouconvey?Doyourvaluesandwhatyouconveymatch?

• Canyousummarizeyourcoachingphilosophy?Writethreedescriptorsoftheabovequestions

MOTIVATION

• DifferentMotivations• Theteamasamotivator

• Dailypracticegoals• TeachGROWTHMindset

MINDSETof the athlete

FIXED

• Set skills, born with it• Main concern is looking

good/ Results focused• Effort means you are not

so good• Defensive when getting

feedback• Mistakes to be

avoided=Hard to try new things

GROWTH• Skills can be developed• Main concern is learning,

getting better, improving• Effort central to learning• Likes and uses feedback• Treats mistakes as an

opportunity to learn

Mindset, by Carol DWECK

BasicPsychologicalNeeds

• Competence

• Autonomy

• Relatedness(Belonging)

CreatinganEffectiveMotivationalClimate

EnhancingMeaning

EnhancingAutonomy

EnhancingRelatedness

EnhancingCompetence

Adapted from Deci & Ryan (2000) and Thomas, K.W. (2009)

Theroleofcoachesinenhancingmotivationisabout…

EnhancingMeaning• Understand whatgymnastscareabout

• Encouragethemtodevelopanexcitingvisionfortheirfuture

• Helpgymnastsconnectpracticewiththevision

EnhancingAutonomy• Empowergymnasts tomakesomedecisions

• Askfortheirinputwhenpossible• Encouragegymnasts tosetpersonalgoalsf

EnhancingRelatedness• Provideopportunitiesforsocialinteraction

• Encourageandenablecollaboration• Helpthemdevelopacontractforhowtheywilltreateachother(includingSocialMedia)

EnhancingCompetence• Provide motivationalanddevelopmentalfeedback

• Encourageafocusontaskmastery• Compareeachgymnasttoherself• KeeptrackofEffortandImprovement

Adapted from Deci & Ryan (2000) and Thomas, K.W. (2009)

Whatmakespracticesfun?

• Whenthecoachsays‘Ididagoodjob.’• WhenIimprove,dosomethingIcouldnotdobefore.

• WhenIhelpsomeoneintheteam.• WhenIdosomethinghard.

CONFIDENCEAthleteNeeds

• Inthecoaches• Inthemselves• Ineachother(group)• Showconfidence• Giveopportunitiesforsuccess

• Positivefeedback4/1• Usefulfeedback:Whattodo

TypesofFeedback

Motivational feedback (Encouragement):- develops confidence – timing: immediately after an

event(Say what it wrong but point to the solution and show

confidence In their ability to improve)Developmental feedback (Advice): - develops competence – timing: looking forward to

the next time

GivingFeedbackClean• Specific:Whatwasgoodorbad• Focusonbehaviours,not

ontheperson:(Youarelate,NOTYouarelazy)

• Bedescriptive• Benefitofreceiver(Donot

saysomethingjustbecauseyouaremadorfrustrated)

Dirty• General• Focusonmotive(Youdon’t

care!)• Prescriptive(Youhaveto

do…)• Benefitofgiver

Focus

Teachgymnaststofocuson1- Whattheycancontrol2- Whattheyhave3- TheopportunitiestogrowandimproveAVOIDfocusingon:Thingsoutoftheircontrol(score)Whatiswrong/Theoutcome(Winning)

Do’sandDon’tsforCoachesofYoungAthletes

• Setclearexpectationsforbehavior,effort-(attendance,work,improvement,andsportmanship)

• Donotcompareplayerstoeachother.Placethefocusontheindividualandtheirpreviousperformances.

• Treatathletesfairly,notequally!Respecttheirdevelopmentallevel.

• Reinforcetherightbehavior:Providefeedbackonwhattodo.

Do’sandDon’tsII

• Donotridicule,usetoomuchcriticismorpunishment

• Rewardeffort.Definesuccessasimprovement!

• Donotrewardsolelyforoutcome:Winningorlosing

• Showrespectforthegymnasts,otherteams,parents,judges.Youareaneducator!

Do’sandDon’tsIII

• Keepyourcomposure.• Keepparentsinformed.• Setexpectationsforparents.• Rememberwhyyoucoachandkeepthethingsyouloveaboutit!!!!

THANK-YOU FORYOUR ATTENTION!