SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
WITH COMMENTARY
UNIT R044:
SPORT PSYCHOLOGY
SPORT
Level 1/2
APRIL 2015
www.ocr.org.uk/cambridgenationals
OCR LEVEL 1/2 CAMBRIDGE NATIONALS IN SPORT
UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
CONTENTS
Introduction4
Learning Objective 1 – Understand the relationship between personality
and sports performance
MB1
Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
5
Learning Objective 2 – Know how motivation can affect sports performance
MB1
Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
7
Learning Objective 3 – Know how aggression can affect sports performance
MB1
Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
9
6
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Learning Objective 4 – Understand the impact of arousal and anxiety 11
on sports performance
MB1
Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
16
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB216
Learning Objective 5 – Be able to apply sport psychology strategies to 17
enhance sports performance
MB1
Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
18
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB218
Learning Objective 1 – Understand the relationship between personality
and sports performance
MB3
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
19
Learning Objective 2 – Know how motivation can affect sports performance
MB3
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
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2
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
Learning Objective 3 – Know how aggression can affect sports performance
MB3
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
25
27
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Learning Objective 4 – Understand the impact of arousal and anxiety 28
on sports performance
MB3
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
33
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB233
Learning Objective 5 – Be able to apply sport psychology strategies to 34
enhance sports performance
MB3
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
37
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB237
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
INTRODUCTION
This is a guide for teachers so that you can see how we would mark work, Cambridge Nationals are designed to give the learners the
project and let them create the work.
The guide contains sample learner work for this unit and covers all learning objectives, graded at Marking Band 1 (MB1) and Marking
Band 3 (MB3).
The accompanying commentary explains why each piece of work was awarded its grade.
For MB1 graded work, additional guidance has been added to suggest improvements that could be made to make it an MB2 graded
piece of work.
For MB3 graded work, additional guidance has been added to explain why it was awarded that grade and not the lower grade of MB2.
You MUST NOT allow your learners to copy the samples contained in this guide. OCR moderators have been advised to report
any copying, in whole or in part. Misuse of these samples will lead to a malpractice investigation being conducted and would put
all submitted learner work at risk of investigation.
Reproduction of Candidate’s Work
The candidates’ work within this document is reproduced for free of charge distribution to teachers in order to help them prepare
candidates for examinations. The work has been reproduced as submitted by the candidates. Some of the work may contain thirdparty material for which we are unaware of the source, the rights owner or the existence of any permission that the learner may have
had to use the material. If you are the owner of any third-party material contained within this document, and you wish to question
its use, please contact The Resources Team at OCR through [email protected]
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
Learning Objective 1 – Understand the relationship between personality and sports
performance
MB1
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Definitions of personality
A definition of personality is the mix of qualities that go together to form someone’s character. Another definition
of personality is your nature and your make up. Your personality is how you look to others it is a visual aspect of
your character. These are the qualities which make you an individual.
Extrovert and introvert personality types
There are two types of personality extrovert and introvert.
An extrovert is someone who is outgoing and friendly and likes people to be around them and they may be
loud, outgoing and seek attention. If an extrovert loses a game they will be quite angry and will show gestures of
frustration.
An introvert is someone who likes being alone and they may be shy and a thinker and they don’t let their
feelings show. If an introvert loses a game they will not show much emotion and they will just think about their
performance.
The links between personality and involvement and performance in sport
An extrovert usually plays team sports which include a lot of movement and a great deal of activity and are
unpredictable. An example of an extrovert is Luiz Suarez who plays football for Barcelona. Jose Mourinho is an
extrovert as he appears in the paper a lot and is always moaning about something he is the Chelsea Manager.
An introvert is more likely to play an individual sport which requires a lot of thinking like Roger Federer a tennis
player as he is quiet and calm.
The trait approach
Aggression is called a trait and aggression is seen more in some sports than in others an example of this is rugby
where the people who play are seen as aggressive as they tackle each other. A captain of a team needs to tell the
players what he wants them to do and where he wants them to be so he shouts at the players and is usually an
extrovert. An example of this is Dermot Reeve Warwickshire’s cricket captain.
Observed or social learning
Young people will watch sport on the TV and will often copy what they see so if they see footballers arguing with
the referee then when they play football they will do the same. If football fans don’t behave and that is seen on
the TV when young people go to watch a live match they will misbehave as well.
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Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
An attempt has been made to define personality but it is limited. Extrovert; introvert and the trait theory have been briefly
described. Sporting examples have been included and these demonstrate simple examples of the links between personality and
involvement and performance in sport. The centre awarded 4 marks there needs to be more detail in the information provided.
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
There needs to be a wider range of definitions of personality and more detailed information on the different personality types
and approaches. There need to be more sporting examples which explain the links between personality and involvement and
performance in sport. These examples need to include a wider range of sports to fully demonstrate understanding.
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Learning Objective 2 – Know how motivation can affect sports performance
MB1
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Definitions of motivation
A definition of motivation is having a feeling of wanting to do something. Another definition of motivation is
something that makes us act to do something we want to do or to want to happen. A lot of people don’t like
playing sport and others want to play sport so are motivated.
Intrinsic motivation
This is where you want to get better at something and beat your previous best. An example of this is if you do the
long jump you want to jump further than you ever have before. Another example of intrinsic motivation is if you
play golf because you enjoy it you will want to lower your score for a round as it will make you feel better. With
intrinsic motivation it is you who is pushing yourself to improve.
Extrinsic motivation
This is where you are doing sport so that you can gain something like playing in a tournament with the aim of
winning the tournament and winning a medal or a cup. Also when you are in the youth team of a professional
football club you want to make the first team so that you can make money as a professional sports person and do
that for a job.
Achievement motivation
‘Need to Achieve’ (NACH)
Some people who play sport play because they like a challenge. They want to win a medal they want to win every
match they play in. They try hard all the time so that they have a good chance of winning. They want to be the
best and they want other people to notice how good they are.
‘Need to Avoid Failure’ (NAF)
Some people who play sport will always do the easy thing. They play with friends because they do not want the
pressure of being noticed and they play within themselves and do not try anything new. They might not go in for
a challenge when playing football as they might not win the challenge and they don’t want to look foolish.
Implications for sport and exercise involvement
How motivated you are when you play sport might help you decide what sport you play. You might just play sport
with your friends as you want to play for fun. If you want to try hard when playing sport you might want to play
in a school team where you get a chance to win. You won’t want to play in a school team if you stop trying if the
team is losing.
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
An attempt has been made to define motivation. Intrinsic; extrinsic; NACH and NAF motivation have been outlined and these are
supported with some simple examples related to sport. There is a brief section at the end which looks at the implications for sport
and exercise involvement. The centre awarded 4 marks as there needs to be more detail in the information provided.
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
There needs to be a wider range of definitions of motivation. The main theories of motivation need to be described in more detail
and they need to be supported by a wider range of sporting examples including specific examples relating to exercise involvement.
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Learning Objective 3 – Know how aggression can affect sports performance
MB1
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Types of aggression
•
What is aggression? Physical or spoken behaviour which involves hurting someone or breaking some
equipment
•
Direct aggression – this is when aggression is directed at someone. For example you want to hurt a good
player in hockey so that they get injured and have to go off so that the team is weakened
•
Indirect aggression is when aggression is directed at a piece of equipment. For example if you do a bad shot
in snooker you might break the snooker cue as you are angry with yourself for having done a bad shot.
Reasons for aggression
•
Rivalry this is when you play against a local team and you are said to be rivals and this can mean that there is
aggression between the fans. For example Wolves playing West Bromwich because they are near each other
there is rivalry between the fans which can cause trouble when they play each other like fighting
•
Pressures to win this can cause you to be aggressive as you want to win at any price. If your team is in a cup
final you might be aggressive and hurt someone when you tackle as you want to get the ball so that you win
the cup
•
Over-arousal during play this is when someone gets too ‘pumped up’ and they hit the ball too hard aiming it at
their opponent in order to hurt them
•
Behaviour of opposition this is when the opposition is aggressive to you. For example they tackle you late so
that they aim to hurt you
•
Decisions of officials this is where players get aggressive towards the referee when they do not like the
decision they have made for example when a penalty is awarded.
Theories of aggression
•
Social learning theory this is where we copy what we have seen. So if we see aggressive play in sport we will
copy it. For example if we see aggressive behaviour when people are in the scrum in rugby them we will also
be aggressive when we are in the scrum rugby. If we see aggressive play in a tackle in football we will copy it
when we tackle in football
•
Trait theory this is where as part of our personality we are naturally aggressive and when we play sport we
are aggressive. For example if you are aggressive and a boxer you will use the aggression to fight the other
person. If we are aggressive playing basketball we will use that aggression to try to score a basket.
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Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
The types of aggression were described. The reasons for aggression were described with relevant sporting examples. The main
theories of aggression: social learning theory and trait theory were outlined. Each were supported with some simple examples. The
centre awarded 4 marks as there needs to be more examples and more detail in the description.
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
There needs to be a more detailed description of the types of aggression supported with more relevant sporting examples. The
reasons for aggression need to be expanded. The main theories of aggression need to be described in more detail and there need to
be more examples demonstrating understanding of the theories.
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
Learning Objective 4 – Understand the impact of arousal and anxiety on sports performance
MB1
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Explanations of arousal
Arousal is how excited you are when you play sport. You also need to be aroused to be ready to play. If you are
excited you will play well.
Theories of how arousal/anxiety affects performance
Drive theory says that as your arousal rises then you perform better. An example of this is someone who has been
playing a sport for a long time say being successful at the Olympics like Chris Hoy will perform better after they
have won medals at one Olympics they will be better at the next Olympics as they have experienced the Olympics
before so they will not have first time nerves.
The diagram below shows that when your arousal moves from low to high your performance rises form low to
high so the more aroused you are the better you perform.
Performance
High
The relationship between
Arousal and Performance
Low
Low
High
Arousal
Inverted U theory says that low levels of arousal and high levels of arousal will mean you don’t perform well.
An example of this is when the England cricket team play in England they play well but when they play abroad
because they do not have as many fans there they don’t play so well as there is not so much motivation there level
of arousal is low because of this.
The diagram below shows that you need an average level of arousal (a) to perform at your best. If you have a low
level of arousal (b) or a high level of arousal (c) then your performance will be poor.
Performance
High
The Inverted-U (Yerkes & Dobson, 1908)
Hypothesis: The early explanation of
the relationship between arousal and
performance.
a.
Low
b.
High
Physiological Arousal
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Zones of optimal functioning this says that to do some sports you need a high level of arousal and that to do
some sports you will have a higher level of anxiety. When you are playing sport and you want to do well you have
to get in the zone. When you are in the zone you have the right level of arousal and the right level of anxiety so
that you can perform to your best.
The diagram below shows that some people perform well with a low level of arousal some people perform well
with a medium level of arousal and some people need a high level of arousal. For example a boxer would need to
have a high level of arousal to perform well as they need to be in the zone all of the time if they are going to win.
Athlete 1
Zone
(optimal performance)
Athlete 2
Suboptimal/poor
performance
Athlete 3
Suboptimal/poor performance
Zone
(optimal performance)
Suboptimal/poor performance
Suboptimal/poor
performance
Zone
(optimal performance)
Arousal
Methods for measuring anxiety
I have carried out two anxiety test which are shown below.
Sport Competition Anxiety Test this is called a SCAT test. This is a test where if you look at the results you can
see how anxious someone is when they are going to play an important game in sport. I completed this test as I
play in a hockey team and I want to know the results. I need to decide if the answer to each question is “Rarely”,
“Sometimes” or “Often” .
SCAT Questionnaire
Question
Competing against others is
socially enjoyable
Before I compete I feel
uneasy
Before I compete I worry
about not performing well
I am a good sportsman when I
compete
When I compete, I worry about
making mistakes
Before I compete I am calm
Setting a goal is important
when competing
It affects me
often
rarely
rarely
sometimes
rarely
often
rarely
Question
It affects me
Before I compete I get a queasy
rarely
feeling in my stomach
Just before competing, I notice
rarely
my heart beats faster than usual
I like to compete in games that
often
demands a lot of physical energy
Before I compete I feel relaxed
often
Before I compete I am nervous rarely
Team sports are more exciting
often
than individual sports
I get nervous wanting to start
rarely
the game
Before I compete I usually get
rarely
uptight
My SCAT sore is 11 which means I have a low level of anxiety.
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/scat.htm
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
State Anxiety Inventory Test is another test that can be done to see how anxious you are. There is a copy of the test below. I
did the tests and the top row is the question and the bottom row is my answer and the results of the test show that I am not a
very anxious person.
Q
A
1
4
2
4
3
1
4
1
5
4
6
1
7
1
8
4
9
1
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
3 4 1 3 2 4 4 1 2 4 4
Q
A
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
4 4 2 2 2 4 3 2 2 4 2 1 4 2 2 3 2 2 3 2
http://www.mindgarden.com/products/staisad.htm
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
WITNESS STATEMENT
LEARNER NAME
Cate
ASSESSOR NAME
G.M. Knowles
Date
25/05/2014
Unit
R044 Sport psychology
LO4
Understand the impact of arousal and anxiety on sports performance
ASSESSOR FEEDBACK – please give detail of how learners have met the criteria for the grade awarded.
Ability to carry out anxiety tests
Please tick
Assessor
comments
MB1
2
MB2
MB3
Cate was able to carry out the two anxiety tests. However, she did not understand
all of the wording in the tests so she needed help in interpretation. Cate therefore
demonstrated a limited ability to carry out anxiety tests. She was able to interpret the
results with help.
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT/GENERAL COMMENTS
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
WITNESS STATEMENT
ASSESSOR QUESTION 1
LEARNER RESPONSE 1
ASSESSOR QUESTION 2
LEARNER RESPONSE 2
ASSESSOR QUESTION 3
LEARNER RESPONSE 3
ASSESSOR SIGNATURE: G. M. Knowles
DATE:
25/03/14
ASSESSOR SIGNATURE: C B R Knowles
DATE:
25/03/14
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Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
The relationship between arousal and sport performance has been described in basic terms. Limited references have been made to
the theories of arousal/anxiety and their relation to performance. The theories have been supported with a few relevant examples.
The centre awarded 4 marks for this section as there could be a more detailed explanation of the relationship of the theories with
regard to anxiety. Two anxiety tests were carried out and a witness statement has been included which details the help the learner
needed, therefore, the centre awarded 2 marks for this section.
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
The drive theory and the inverted U theory need to be explained in terms of anxiety as well as arousal. All theories need to be
applied to sporting examples and there needs to be a more detailed explanation of the relationship between arousal and sport
performance supported with a range of examples from different sports demonstrating understanding. The two anxiety tests need
to have been carried out competently.
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
Learning Objective 5 – Be able to apply sport psychology strategies to enhance sports
performance
MB1
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
I play in a tennis doubles team and I am going to help my partner, Ben, who isn’t very good at volleys to enhance
his performance with sport psychology strategies.
The use of goal setting for motivation in sport
When we play sport we need to set goals so that we can improve our performance.
I am setting goals for Ben and these are:
Specific – they are to make him play volleys when he is close to the net.
Measurable – at the moment he doesn’t do any.
Achievable – if he does one this would be good.
Realistic – he should be able to do one.
Time-bound – he should be able to do this next time we play.
The use of mental rehearsal and imagery in sport
I am going to get Ben to do mental rehearsal to do a volley. I will get him to watch a video clip of someone doing
a volley and I will get him to visualise doing the volley and this will help him. I will get him to watch the clip again
just before we play a match.
I am going to get him to think about when we are playing the game.
I am going to get him to think about playing a volley and us winning that point.
I am going to get him to focus on playing a volley when we are playing a game.
The use of relaxation techniques in sport
I am going to get Ben to do some relaxation techniques before we play a game to help him with his volley. I will
get him to breathe deeply for a short time then I will get him to breathe normally so that he is relaxed before we
start the game and isn’t thinking about doing a volley
I am going to get him to lie down and relax all his muscles before we play this will get the tension out of his muscles.
To assess whether strategies have had an impact on sports performance
I saw that when we were doing our practice Bens volleys were better and he could do them close to the net. He
also tried quite a lot of volleys when we were playing our match.
To find out if what I have asked Ben to do before we play tennis has helped with his volleys I would watch a match
and see how many times he did a volley in that match before I helped him. I would watch a match after I have
asked him to do the mental rehearsal, do some breathing and do some muscle relaxing and see how many volleys
he did in that match. I hope that I would find that his volleying was better.
This LO draws upon skills, knowledge and understanding from R042.
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Marking commentary on MB1 sample learner work
Sport psychology strategies have been briefly described and have been applied to a sporting example in order to help enhance
performance. A few of the strategies have been related to improvement of a volley some are just tennis generic. There is a brief
assessment of the impact on the performance of the subject is attempted. There is little attempt to evaluate the strategies applied.
The centre awarded 6 marks as the strategies need to be fully applied to the sporting performance.
Suggested improvements to progress sample learner work to MB2
More of the sport psychology strategies need to be applied to the specific skills that are being targeted to enhance performance.
There needs to be a more detailed assessment of any impact on the performance using different measures and including a relevant
evaluation of aspects of the strategies applied.
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
Learning Objective 1 – Understand the relationship between personality and sports
performance
MB3
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Definitions of personality
There are many definitions for personality below are some of them:
•
The total number of characteristics that an individual has that makes them unique
•
Psychological characteristics and the pattern they create within a person to make them unique
•
The qualities and traits that make up a person these form the character of the person and they can dictate the
persons behaviour they are specific to one person
•
The traits that are peculiar to a particular person. You cannot see your own personality it is just who you are
•
The way we react and behave is certain situations. Are we calm or nervous when reacting to something? Are
we shy or outgoing when we are in a social setting?
Extrovert and introvert personality types
An extrovert is: someone who is good in a social situation they are called socially outgoing. Sports people who
are extroverts need a high level of arousal in order to perform.
Extroverts often will play team sports as they like the social aspect of playing in a team and get motivated by being
in a team. They like to play sports with a lot of unpredictability; that are exciting and fast paced; these are often
outdoor sports. They don’t like sport which requires a lot of concentration. These sports could be football; rugby
and hockey.
An introvert is: someone who is usually shy and unsociable they are uncomfortable in social situations. Sports
people who are introverts need a lower level of arousal in order to perform. They tend to stay focused at all times
and should be left to focus on their performance. Sports people who are introverts prefer sports which require
precision and concentration as they are calm and can be relied upon to perform well in these situations.
Introverts are self-motivated and often participate in individual sports. Introverts like to play sports which require
skills which are regular; intricate and sometimes repetitive. These sports could be snooker; golf – putting; archery and
swimming. When introverts play in a team they often play position which requires precision like a fly half in rugby.
The links between personality and involvement and performance in sport
These are a examples of extroverts in sport:- Ronnie O’Sullivan is an extrovert in snooker he is known as the ‘Rocket’
as he takes his shots quickly and puts on a performance he is also in the media quite often which can be the case
when talking about an extrovert person. Ian Poulter is an extrovert in golf as he likes to wear colourful clothes
therefore he is easily recognisable on the golf course. Chris Robshaw is an extrovert rugby player as he is captain
of the England rugby team so he will need to shout and encourage the members of the England team whilst they
are on the pitch.
Rafael Nadal is an extrovert tennis player as he has certain rituals which he performs when he is playing and he
shouts and makes movement with his fists when he is winning. Maria Sharapova is an extrovert tennis player as
she ‘grunts’ when she makes shots and fist pumps when she wins a point. Usain Bolt is an extrovert athlete as he
does his ‘bolt’ arm gesture before he performs and after he has won.
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SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
He also appears on advert as he likes to be in the limelight. Roy Keane is an extrovert footballer as he is very outspoken,
he was outspoken when he played and he is still outspoken now he is assistant Republic of Ireland Manager.
These are examples of introverts in sport: - John Higgins is an introvert in snooker as he takes a long time to play
his shots. Tiger Woods is an introvert on the golf course as he doesn’t show any emotion when he plays. Jonny
Wilkinson is an introvert rugby player as he totally focuses on what he is doing when he takes the penalty kicks.
Roger Federer is an introvert tennis player as you never know what he is thinking and he doesn’t show any
emotion when he is not playing well.
Petra Kvitova is a female tennis player who is an introvert as she does not like to socialise and she concentrates
solely on her game. A long distance runner is an introvert as they enjoy being on their own and example of this is
Paula Radcliffe who always runs on her own and shows no emotion when she is running. An introvert footballer is
Lionel Messi as he allows his football to do the talking; he plays for his team and does not show off; this helps his
team to win.
The trait approach
A trait is something that is attributed to us as a person and is something that is constant. Personality traits can be
things like: shy; temperamental; outgoing; relaxed; sensitive and arrogant. Some of these become more dominant
depending on the situation we find ourselves in.
Some sports people are temperamental and like things to be organised in a certain way Rafael Nadal has a set
routine when he walks on the court and he doesn’t like it to be interrupted. Some players like John McEnroe
would get angry if the line call was wrong and he was classed as temperamental as he didn’t always get angry.
When a player doesn’t always play at their best they might be classed as temperamental Andy Murray doesn’t
always seem to play at his best like in the Australian Open Final.
Some sportspeople are shy so they go unnoticed in the team although they do a good job. In some cases even
though the person is shy because they are outstanding at their sport they are noticed like Jonny Wilkinson who
is shy but was a great rugby player. Usain Bolt is arrogant as he is noticed wherever he goes but because he is a
great sports person then people don’t mind him being arrogant.
Some sports suit people who are aggressive as that is why they play the sport and this is a trait which is good in
some sports like rugby union; rugby league and boxing. A team captain is an important person when the game is
being played so they are usually vocal and often an extrovert. An example of a vocal captain is myself when I lead
my hockey team as I am always encouraging them and shouting at them and making sure they know where to
stand in certain situations. Some sportspeople always appear to be relaxed that is because they are fully prepared
and just want to go out and play. Swimmers usually appear to be relaxed and ready to go.
Observed or social learning
Observed learning and social learning is when we see something and what we see might influence our personality
and our behaviour. If we are watching sport and we see good behaviour all the time they when we play the sport
we will also be well behaved.
Sports people are seen as role models and we want to watch and follow good role models – those people who
always play by the rules and show sportsmanship. Examples of good role models are Jessica Ennis-Hill; Chris Hoy;
Mo Farah; footballers who don’t get many yellow or red cards; rugby players who don’t get sent to the sin bin;
David Weir and Ellie Simmonds.
If we are watching sport and we see bad behaviour we might copy the bad behaviour which is not good as it
might mean we get a bad reputation and if we are playing football and follow bad example like diving and
arguing with the referee we will not be a good team player and might get sent off which is bad.
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Sometime when you watch tennis you will see Rafa Nadal be penalised for taking too long between serves this is
not a good thing to copy. Also in tennis you might see someone criticise the line judge for making the wrong call
Serena Williams once lost a match because she argued with the line judge. This is not a good thing to copy as it
gives you a bad reputation.
Luis Suarez bit someone at the World Cup and this was bad because shortly after that someone in a junior league
did the same thing and when he was booked for it he said he was only copying Suarez.
There was an incident involving spitting at a Premier League match and this is unacceptable behaviour which
could be copied by young players.
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
Five different definitions of personality are provided. Extrovert; introvert; the trait theory and observed and social learning are
comprehensively described. Sporting examples have been used effectively to detail the links between personality and involvement
and performance in sport. The examples demonstrate understanding of these concepts. The centre awarded 9 marks as there
needs to be more information on the other aspects mentioned in the trait theory.
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
There are several definitions of personality. There is a good description of the various personality types and approaches
demonstrating good understanding of the concepts. Sporting examples detail linkage and they are taken from a wide range of
sports including non-traditional sports.
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Learning Objective 2 – Know how motivation can affect sports performance
MB3
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Definitions of motivation
There are many definitions for motivation below are some of them:
•
The direction you wants to go in and the intensity of the effort you put into getting there
•
The drive we have within us to try to achieve our aims
•
The desire we have to overcome factors which might prevent us succeeding
•
The desire or willingness to do something
•
What drives a sportsperson to success and makes them successful
•
What drives someone to want to participate in sport as opposed to not wanting to
•
Providing a reason for someone to be determined to do well at a sport.
Intrinsic motivation
Intrinsic motivation is the motivation that comes from within us. It is when we want to succeed and we want to
perform well when we compete in sport. It is when we become motivated to want to overcome a problem in
order to improve our performance at a sport.
We will have to be focused to practice the skills needed and possibly change our habits in order to succeed. We
have to be prepared to mentally rehearse what is unsuccessful in order to improve – Jonny Wilkinson spent hours
practicing his kicking so that he was successful on the pitch and he would practice until he got it right he wanted
his kicking to be perfect.
Intrinsic motivation is wanting to beat your personal best if you are an athlete this might be wanting to run faster
or throw further. Some people play sport because they enjoy it so might just play with a group of friends however
they still want to play well and win.
Intrinsic motivation can also be where you set a goal then when you achieve it you set another goal all the time
aiming to improve your performance and keep yourself motivated. If you set goals you have to make sure that
they are attainable otherwise you will not be motivated to try and achieve them. When you can perform a skill
well then you get a feeling of pride in what you have done and you will feel enjoyment at being able to perform
the skill well.
Extrinsic motivation
Extrinsic motivation is the motivation that comes from outside ourselves. These can be things that are incentives
for the person to do well and perform to their best.
These tend to fall into two sorts. There are what are known as ‘tangible rewards’ these are things like medals;
certificates; money if you are over 16 or training equipment.
If you are a professional athlete then these might be Olympic medals; World Championship medals or if you just
play for the local league it could be cup medals.
Another ‘tangible reward’ is playing for money as the better you are the more money you can earn. If a forward
scores a lot of goals then they will be able to earn more money than a forward who doesn’t score many.
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Young athletes will be motivated to win medals as money will not be available to them which is good as they
should be performing for medals not money.
There are also ‘intangible awards’ these are things like praising the athlete when they perform well or when they do
something well. It can be by showing them recognition like if the school team does well and the results are shown
on the school bulletin TV screen the players will feel motivated to win again. Also when young people do well in
a sport that is not done at school then the school recognises their achievement in the school news sheet this will
motivate them to appear in it again.
In school PE lessons if the students are praised when they do something well they also feel motivated to try hard
at all times as they want to be praised again.
The dream of some young footballer, rugby players and cricket players is to play for a professional team and earn a
lot of money and this will motivate some to train hard.
Achievement motivation
‘Need to Achieve’ (NACH)
Everyone wants to achieve something in their life. This is particularly true when you are a professional sports
person. Some sports people will want to win a gold medal and they will be motivated as this is their goal. They
will train hard and try hard at all times as they will always want to win. If they are a runner and they always get
beaten by the same person they will be motivated to try and beat them. They like the challenge of trying to beat
them.
In football there is always competition between Arsenal; Man Utd; Man City and Liverpool to win the Premiership
and the FA Cup and do well in Europe that is the challenge to all the players and that is the thing that motivates
them to play well. If you want to be a successful sportsperson you have to be motivated all of the time and many
will do anything to gain success they will train for hours and will train every day for some sports a few times each
day they are motivated to do this as they see it as a challenge to train hard.
All sports people have a ‘goal’ they aim to achieve in their sport. Andy Murray’s goal is to be world number one
and to win more grand slams so he trains hard and he is motivated by that challenge.
‘Need to Avoid Failure’ (NAF)
When you are a professional sports person you can still be motivated by the need to avoid failure. You will always
take the easy option. You will not want to be the captain as that would give you too much responsibility. You will
not want to be the penalty taker as you don’t want the responsibility of letting the team down and looking stupid
if you miss. You won’t want to be a fly half in case you miss the free kicks and conversions.
If you are playing football and your team is winning you will try and protect that lead, by sitting back; rather than
trying to score more goals as you don’t want to lose. The fear of losing is more important than the thrill of winning.
If you are playing sport at school and you are playing badminton you might always play against someone you
know you can beat rather than play someone of your own level or better than you as you do not want to lose. You
might play someone who is better than you and be winning then they start playing to their ability and you start
losing so instead of trying harder you just give up.
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Implications for sport and exercise involvement
How we are motivated will influence what sport or activities we choose to participate in. If we want to win
we might want to play in a team sport as we can get support from our team mates and that might help us to
be successful so we can be motivated by others. If we choose to participate in an individual sport we will be
motivated by ourselves to do well or by the coach we have.
If you play as part of a team and you are not playing well then you might not be noticed so if you stop trying it
might not be noticed which is negative motivation.
If you are taking part in an individual sport then you need to be motivated as you will be letting yourself down if
you don’t feel motivated to do your best when playing.
Some tennis players don’t appear to be motivated when they are playing people who are a lot better than them
– they don’t seem to be trying as they know they can’t win. They are not motivated to play their best which is not
good.
Some people go to the gym and use the equipment there as they are motivated by wanting a good body image
and they want to be fit. Other people go to the gym because they think they should but they don’t really put in a
lot of effort when they are using the equipment so they are not really motivated to work hard.
Some people go to keep fit classes as they want to get fitter so they are motivated by the thought of getting fitter.
Others go but don’t really put in a lot of effort so although they are motivated to go they are not motivated to
work hard when they get there.
If you are not motivated then you might not reach your full potential when it comes to sport. There have been
examples of when footballers do not seem to try and although they are good players they do not seem to want to
play for the team they are signed up to play for, they are not motivated, so they are seen by the fans as not trying.
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
A wide range of definitions of motivation have been provided. The main theories of motivation; intrinsic; extrinsic; NACH and NAF
have been comprehensively described; these have been supported with clear and relevant examples of the implications for sport
and exercise involvement. The centre awarded 8 marks there could be a wider range of examples relating the information to a range
of sports and the theories of motivation could have been expanded upon.
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
There are several definitions of motivation all of which are relevant. The main theories have been described and the supporting
examples demonstrate understanding of the theories. A range of examples have been given which relate directly to the theories
and some of these relate to exercise involvement not just traditional sporting activities.
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Learning Objective 3 – Know how aggression can affect sports performance
MB3
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
What is aggression?
Aggressive behaviour is when we feel angry and because we feel angry we behave in a hostile way which can be
in the form of violence. Aggressive behaviour is intentional; it is not an accident, meaning we do it on purpose.
When we are aggressive we can be aggressive towards a person for example we can barge into them when they
are dribbling in basketball to make them lose the ball.
When we are aggressive we can be aggressive towards an object we can break a tennis racket after a bad shot.
Aggression can be physical but it can also be verbal as in verbal abuse for example name calling.
Types of aggression
Direct aggression – this is aggression which is directed at a person. The person could be an opponent. An
example of aggression towards an opponent is when you play ice hockey you will be aggressive towards an
opponent and if you are too aggressive you will be punished and put in the ‘sin bin’. Another example is when you
are playing football and you go into a tackle with the aim of injuring the person this might be as a result of them
having tackled you and hurt you in the process.
The person could be participant. An example of aggression towards a participant is if someone on your team isn’t
playing well and this annoys you so you are verbally abusive to them calling them names because they are not
helping the team.
The person could be an official. An example of aggression towards an official is in tennis if you do not agree with
the line call you are aggressive towards the line judge and also the umpire this can result in a point being given to
the opposition.
Indirect aggression – this is aggression directed at an object. An example of this is breaking a tennis racket after
you have lost a game the aggression is taken out on the tennis racket. Another example of this is hitting the tennis
ball hard in frustration and in some cases this has hit a ball boy which has resulted in the player being disqualified.
Another example is kicking the football into the back of the net in frustration after a goal has been scored by the
opposition.
Reasons for aggression
Rivalry – rivalry can be a reason for aggression. This can be seen when boxers weigh in before a fight they can
make a lot of verbal comments which are aggressively aimed at their opponent in order to put them off and in
order for the aggressor to feel they are better than their opponent.
There are many sporting national rivalries like when England play Scotland at football. This can make the fans
aggressive towards each other. This is why the fans are segregated when the matches are played so that the
fans don’t fight. Sometimes the fans fight after the game and this is where the aggression comes in. Who starts
the fighting depends on who has won the game. There are local rivalries in football like the M69 derby between
Coventry City and Leicester City where the fans can be aggressive towards each other and where there are more
police at the game than at other games so that the fans are kept apart so that no fighting takes place. During
the game there can be verbal aggression between the two sets of fans with the calling of names.
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Pressures to win – pressure to win can be a reason for aggression. This can be seen when the FA cup final
takes place if it is between two teams who are desperate to win because they are both high profile clubs like
Manchester City playing Chelsea. This can mean that players are aggressive towards the opposition by making
reckless tackles and by surrounding the referee every time he makes a decision they don’t agree with as the
pressure is so high to gain the prestige which goes with winning the FA cup.
Another example of the pressure to win is when a team is fighting relegation and they are playing a team
also fighting relegation like Coventry City playing Notts County both teams will be aggressive because it is so
important that they get a win so that they are not relegated.
There is a great deal of pressure and therefore aggression when local derby matches take place like Liverpool v
Everton as they both play close to each other and there is a lot of pressure to win so they will play aggressively on
the pitch and their fans can be aggressive by either fighting and destroying pubs near the ground or by chanting
obscenities while the game is being played.
Over-arousal during play – over arousal during play can be as a result of aggression. A hockey player gets too
‘pumped up’ in the match and brings the stick up too high on the opposition and injures them.
Another example is in cricket where when a player gets too ‘pumped up’ they launch a ball when bowling that hits
the player hard on the head.
Another example is in boxing when a player gets too ‘pumped up’ that they continue punching the opponent
even when the referee tells them to stop.
Behaviour of opposition – the behaviour of the opposition during play can lead to aggression. For example when
playing football if someone keeps fouling you then you end up fouling them as you get fed up with being fouled.
Another example is if someone is taunting you like on the start line of a race and they make comments to you use
that aggression to your advantage to try and beat them.
Another example is sledging this is most often associated with cricket and is where a player tries to gain an
advantage by verbal or insulting abuse to an opposition player so that they affect the players concentration and
the player then makes a mistake.
Decisions of officials – the effectiveness of an official in a match can lead to aggression. For example if someone
keeps fouling you when you are playing football and the referee does not have a ‘word’ with the player or book
them you will get aggressive and tackle that player with the idea of hurting them.
Another example is if you don’t think the referee is any good as all decisions are going the way of the other team
you will become aggressive towards the referee and you will question their decisions and crowd round them in an
aggressive manner.
Theories of aggression
Social learning theory – a person can learn to be aggressive by seeing other people be aggressive and then
copying it. We can observe our friends; parents and sport people being aggressive and we can think that
it is alright for us to be aggressive. If we see people being aggressive and getting what they want by being
aggressive then we will copy them. This is particularly true of young people observing aggression. When people
watch sport and they see their team being aggressive like in a rugby match in the scrum where there is a lot of
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then they will try and be aggressive when they are in the scrim as it seems to help the team win. If you are playing
tennis and you have watched professional tennis players aggressively hitting the ball then you will do the same as
it appears to make the ball harder for the opponent to hit back so helping you to win.
If a child is playing football at a young age they will often be supported by their parents. If the child plays football
then when their father comes to watch them play a match he might shout at them and be aggressive as a means
of encouraging them to do better. The child might think that being aggressive is what they should be so they
might be aggressive when they next play in a match which could be dangerous as someone might get injured.
Trait theory – a person can be naturally aggressive that is instinctively aggressive. They are aggressive without
thinking about it, it is a reflex action. This can be useful if you are playing an aggressive sport for example boxing
or rugby as being aggressive will help you perform well and will help you or your team win. If you are naturally
aggressive you might play golf as you can take your aggression out on the golf ball and hit it further which will
help your gain when driving.
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
Aggression is described in depth. A wide range of types of aggression have been identified and described. A wide range of
reasons for aggression have been identified and described. The main theories of aggression have been comprehensively describes
supported with clear and relevant examples. The centre awarded 8 marks as there could have been more information on how
aggression can be positive or negative depending on whether it is controlled. There could also be a more in-depth description of
the trait theory.
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
Aggression has been described in detail and all of the types of aggression and the reasons for aggression have been described
in detail accompanied by a wide range of sporting examples taken from a range of sports. The theories have been described
supported with sporting examples. This information demonstrates an understanding of aggression and sport.
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Learning Objective 4 – Understand the impact of arousal and anxiety on sports performance
MB3
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
Explanations of arousal
An explanation of arousal related to sports performers are that the athletes in order to be able to perform needs
to be at a level of excitement and they need to be ready to perform. The athlete’s level of arousal could have a
negative or a positive effect on their performance. The athlete’s performance will be best when they are at their
optimum level of arousal. If the athlete is nervous or anxious then their performance will get worse than if they are
at the correct level of arousal.
Arousal makes you work harder, however, if you are too aroused you might end up making mistakes and you can
become aggressive and aggression makes either perform better or not. A boxer needs to be aroused at all times
and if they become too aroused they might lose concentration and they need to be calm if they are going to fight
at their best. If you aggression is controlled this might help your arousal level and will help in your performance for
example in boxing you can use this to win the fight.
Theories of how arousal and anxiety affects performance, i.e.
Drive theory
This theory looks at how the athlete’s best performance peaks according to their level of arousal and anxiety. This
suggests that there is a linear relationship between arousal and performance. This means that as your arousal
increases your performance also improves. Also if you have been performing the sport for a long time you will
have acquired a high level of skill and arousal which will make you perform better.
An example of this is Mo Farah as he has been performing for a long time in long distance events. He was
successful at the 2012 London Olympics and he was also successful at the 2014 World Athletics Championship
this is because he was able to draw on the success from one major event and use that experience to make sure his
level of arousal was right so that he could be successful at another major event.
Performance
High
The relationship between
Arousal and Performance
Low
Low
Arousal
High
If the athlete is just starting out on their career and they have to participate in a major championships then if they
have a high level of arousal this can lead to a poor performance so this theory has been proved wrong. Another
example if is a football player has to take a penalty then they will have a high arousal level as they want their team
to win. But when they take the penalty they get anxious and they miss this is because they have become too
aroused.
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Inverted U theory
This theory also looks at how the athlete’s best performance peaks according to their level of arousal and anxiety. It is believed
that the best performance can be guaranteed when the athlete is at their average level of arousal (a in the diagram below). It
is believed that is the level of arousal is too low (b in the diagram below) then the athletes performance will not be very good.
It is also believed that is the arousal is too high (c in the diagram below) then the athletes performance will also not be very
good.
Performance
High
The Inverted-U (Yerkes & Dobson, 1908)
Hypothesis: The early explanation of
the relationship between arousal and
performance.
a.
Low
b.
High
Physiological Arousal
Professional track and field athletes organise their training around major championships e.g. the Olympics; Commonwealth
Games; World Championship and the European Championships. They decide which athletics events they will participate in
leading up to the major championships so that they peak at the right time – so that their arousal/anxiety are at the right level
for the major championships. If they haven’t trained enough then they won’t be able to perform at their best and if they have
over trained they will peak too soon and won’t be at their best for the major championships. Mo Farah found that when he
first started training for major championships he over trained and that meant he was past his peak and didn’t do as well as
expected. The same thing happened to Usain Bolt when he first started completing in major championships.
Zones of optimal functioning
A phrase relating to sporting performance is that the athlete is ‘in the zone’. The zone relates to the focus that the performer
has when they are competing.
For some sports the performer need to have a high arousal level and a high level of anxiety. For some sports the performer
doesn’t need such a high level of arousal or anxiety. Every performer reacts differently some need low anxiety and other need
high anxiety. Every performer has their own preferred level that they think will allow them to perform at their best. If the
performer has too much or too little anxiety then they will not be able to perform at their best.
Some athletes find that if they are excited before they participate they don’t perform well and other athletes say that feeling
angry before they participate helps them perform well.
When England play Australia in the Ashes they players are in the zone and do well when they play at home however when
they go to Australia they don’t do so well as although they are in the zone they don’t have so much support and this affects
them.
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This means that every athlete has to find out for themselves what their psychological zone for their best performance is.
Athlete 1
Zone
(optimal performance)
Athlete 2
Suboptimal/poor
performance
Athlete 3
Suboptimal/poor performance
Zone
(optimal performance)
Suboptimal/poor performance
Suboptimal/poor
performance
Zone
(optimal performance)
Arousal
A way that can be used to find what the athletes optimal performance zone is by looking at the athletes emotions
and profile them. This means recording the emotional state of the athlete while they are being successful and
when they have a poor performance. The recording put their feelings into positive and negative feelings.
The table below shows what are positive and negative emotions and how they affect performance:
https://academy.sportlyzer.com/wiki/arousal-and-performance/individual-zones-of-optimal-functioning-izof/
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Methods for measuring anxiety
I have found two anxiety test which I have carried out on myself the questions and results are shown below.
Sport Competition Anxiety Test this is also known as a SCAT test. When this test has been completed you look at the results
and you can see how anxious you are when you are going to play a team game or comp take as an individual in a sporting
activity. I completed the test as I compete in the 200 metres for my local athletics club and I wanted to see how anxious I am.
I have to state whether or not the answer to each question is “Rarely”, “Sometimes” or “Often”
SCAT Questionnaire
Question
Question
It affects me
Before I compete I get a queasy
often
feeling in my stomach
Just before competing, I notice
often
my heart beats faster than usual
I like to compete in games that
sometimes
demands a lot of physical energy
Before I compete I feel relaxed
rarely
Before I compete I am nervous often
Team sports are more exciting
sometimes
than individual sports
I get nervous wanting to start
often
the game
Before I compete I usually get
often
uptight
It affects me
Competing against others is
socially enjoyable
Before I compete I feel
uneasy
Before I compete I worry
about not performing well
rarely
often
often
I am a good sportsman when I
compete
When I compete, I worry about
making mistakes
Before I compete I am calm
Setting a goal is important
when competing
often
sometimes
rarely
often
My SCAT sore is 29 which means I have a high level of anxiety.
http://www.brianmac.co.uk/scat.htm
State Anxiety Inventory Test this is also known as an SAI test. This also shows you how anxious you are but these questions
relate more to everyday life not just sport. The questions for the test are listed below. I answered the test and recorded the
results in the table below. The top row is the question number and the bottom row is the answer I gave. The results show
that I am anxious some of the time.
Q
A
1
3
2
3
3
3
4
3
5
2
6
1
7
3
8
2
9
1
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20
3 4 1 1 3 2 2 2 1 3 4
Q
A
21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40
4 2 4 1 1 3 3 2 2 3 1 2 4 4 1 4 2 2 4 2
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WITNESS STATEMENT
LEARNER NAME
Edmund
ASSESSOR NAME
G.M. Knowles
Date
25/05/2014
Unit
R044 Sport psychology
LO4
Understand the impact of arousal and anxiety on sports performance
ASSESSOR FEEDBACK – please give detail of how learners have met the criteria for the grade awarded.
Ability to carry out anxiety tests
Please tick
Assessor
comments
MB1
MB2
MB3
5
Edmund carried out the two anxiety tests, one SCAT test and one SAIT test. He was able
to carry out the test to a high standard as he did not need any help in understanding
the terminology or carrying out the test.
He should have included more detail on how the results for the SAIT test were
interpreted.
AREAS FOR IMPROVEMENT/GENERAL COMMENTS
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WITNESS STATEMENT
ASSESSOR QUESTION 1
LEARNER RESPONSE 1
ASSESSOR QUESTION 2
LEARNER RESPONSE 2
ASSESSOR QUESTION 3
LEARNER RESPONSE 3
ASSESSOR SIGNATURE: G. M. Knowles
DATE:
25/03/14
ASSESSOR SIGNATURE: E B Blunt
DATE:
25/03/14
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
The relationship between arousal and sport performance has been explained comprehensively. Accurate reference has been made
to all of the theories of arousal/anxiety in relation to performance, supported with a wide range of examples. The centre awarded 8
marks for this section this is because there could more information related to anxiety. Two anxiety tests have been carried out and
a witness statement has been included which details that the tests were carried out to a high standard. The centre awarded 5 marks
for this section because how the results were actually interpreted for the SAI test hasn’t been included.
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
There is a detailed explanation of arousal and how it can affect sport performance. All of the theories have been explained and have
been supported by a wide range of relevant sporting examples. Two anxiety tests have been carried out.
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Learning Objective 5 – Be able to apply sport psychology strategies to enhance sports
performance
MB3
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
I am a member of an athletics club and one of my friends, Jill, runs the 200 metres. She wants to do well when she
represents the school at the district athletics championships as if she does well she can represent the district at the
county championships. I am going to help her use psychology strategies to enhance her performance. Jill is used
to racing as she runs the 200 metres for the athletics clubs against other clubs.
The use of goal setting for motivation in sport
In order to help Jill I need to set her goals so that she is motivated to succeed and mentally prepared. The
following has to be looked at when setting goals they have to be
• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Realistic
• Time-bound.
I am going to relate these headings to Jill and her 200 metres performance.
•
Specific – the goals are going to be precise and in as much detail as possible so that they relate to Jill and the
200 metres
•
Measurable – Jill will be timed for her 200 metres to see what her current time is. We can find out what time
the other competitors currently run as their best times have to be sent to the organisers before the race. We
will then know how much faster she needs to run in order to have a chance of winning the race. Then when
she completes at the district sports she will be timed again to see if she has improved
•
Achievable – Jill is a good runner so she stands a good chance of winning the race so that goal is achievable
•
Realistic – it is realistic to think Jill can represent the district at county level however it will be a challenge to do
so as there are some good runners in her age group
•
Time-bound – the date for the race is four weeks away which means that Jill has to focus on what she is
hoping to achieve for the four weeks.
The use of mental rehearsal and imagery in sport
There are some techniques for mental rehearsal and imagery that I can help Jill put into her training programme
that will help her performance and these are:
Going through the phases of the performance – this is where the event is broken down into its various phases
and the athlete mentally goes through the various phases. The phases of the 200 metres are; - the start; getting
into the running; running the bend; running down the straight and crossing the line. Jill will need to go through
these phases in her mind so that she is confident when she is on the starting line. Jill will look at these phases
individually. I have spoken to her and this is what she says about each phase:
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SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
•
the start – I need to get out of the block fast and gradually rise up into my running position also I need to
make sure I do not do a false start
•
getting into the running – I need to get into my full running stride quickly after leaving the blocks
•
running the bend – I need to run close to the line when running round the bend I need to be careful if I am
running in lane 1 as the inside of the track usually has a concrete barrier down it
•
running down the straight – I need to gradually increase my speed to peak running
•
crossing the line – I need to focus on a point beyond the line so that I am still running hard until I have crossed
the line. I need to dip forward on the line.
Visualising positive outcomes – Visualisation is the process of creating a positive mental image. Jill has won many
races when she has run for the club therefore she can visualise the outcome of the race she can visualise herself
winning this race this will give her confidence as she has experienced winning before. I will tell her to visualise
winning.
Refocusing – Jill has won many races for the club at the 200 metres. As she will be running against unknown
opposition and as the aim is to win to go to the county championships she will need to refocus on that aim. If she
loses a couple of races before the district championships she will need to put those loses behind her and refocus
on winning her next race.
Self-talk – this uses particular word or phrases that help focus the mind for Jill this means that during the race she
will think about what we have done during training to improve her performance she will remember to visualise
success.
The use of relaxation techniques in sport
There are some techniques for relaxation that I can help Jill put into her training programme that will help her
performance and these are:
Breathing control and regulation – Jill breaths too fast just before a race as she is tense and anxious. She needs
to regulate and control her breathing. This can be done by slowing her breathing by taking deeper slower breaths.
This gets more oxygen into the body which is a good thing if you are only running 200 metres. You breathe
deeply to fill up your lungs then let the breath out slowly. As you are thinking about your breathing you forget
how anxious you are.
Releasing tension in muscles – Jill is tense before she races so she needs to release the tension in her muscles.
This can be done by isolating every muscle in the body relaxing it then tensing it then relaxing it again. The idea is
that you start with the muscles at the bottom of your body and work up. When you have worked on the individual
muscles you then tense up the whole body. You do this to get rid of any negative thoughts and help you get rid
of any stress. Jill will do this at the start of each training session so that she is relaxed and ready to go. She trains on
a Tuesday and Thursday evening and on a Sunday morning so she can practice this technique a few times before
the district race.
Emotional control – Jill’s emotions can interfere with her performance so she needs to be able to control them
and use them positively when running. She needs to identify where her emotions are affecting her performance.
Jill looks nervous when she is on the starting line. She needs to change this as if she looks nervous then her
opponents will know that and that puts her at a disadvantage. I will get her to use the relaxation techniques so
that she looks confident on the start line.
Music – music has been found to be a good way to relax if you look at athletics races on the TV you will notice that
some of the competitors come out onto the track listening to music. Also tennis players do the same thing when
they are walking on court. Jill has recorded some of her favourite music onto an IPod the type of music should
have a calming influence on her so she will listen to it just before the race starts.
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
SAMPLE LEARNER WORK
To assess whether strategies have had an impact on sports performance
I observed Jill as she raced at a meet before the psychological strategies were tried. She appeared nervous at the
start of the race and she finished second about a metre behind the person who won. Her time was 29.00 seconds.
When I talked to her she said she was not confident enough in her ability to think that she could win as she knew
the opposition was better than her as she had been beaten by her before.
After that race I asked her to look at all the strategies for improvement and we incorporated them in her training
programme so that she became used to them.
I then accompanied her to the district championships. We got there in plenty of time so that she could go
through the relaxation techniques she has practiced – she released the tension in her muscles; the mental
rehearsal of the race and visualisation of winning. She listened to her i-pod when going out to the start practiced
her breathing techniques and she looked calm when she was called to the starting blocks.
When she was running she put into place all of the phases of the performance that she has described earlier, she
was quick off the blocks and didn’t make a false start; she got into her running quickly; she kept it tight round the
bend and as she was in lane 1 she made sure she kept as close to the edge of the track as possible; she increased
her speed up the straight and ran ‘through’ the finishing line dipping at the tape. She won the race with a time of
28.20 seconds. By doing this she also beat the person who had previously beaten her.
I talked to her after the race and she said she felt more confident when going into the race and she had visualised
winning when she was running down the straight. She said she would use the techniques in future as they had
definitely helped her improve.
Evaluation of strategies
I have evaluated the strategies against the goal setting as well as against the results of the race – these comments
I have put above this section
•
Specific – the goals are going to be precise and in as much detail as possible so that they relate to Jill and the
200 metres – all of the strategies were applied to Jill and the 200 metres
•
Measurable – Jill will be timed for her 200 metres to see what her current time is. We can find out what time
the other competitors currently run as their best times have to be sent to the organisers before the race. We
will then know how much faster she needs to run in order to have a chance of winning the race. Then when
she completes at the district sports she will be timed again to see if she has improved – her time at the start of
the programme was 29.00 and she came second and at the end her time was 28.20 and she was first
•
Achievable – Jill is a good runner so she stands a good chance of winning the race so that goal is achievable –
she won the race
•
Realistic – it is realistic to think Jill can represent the district at county level however it will be a challenge to do
so as there are some good runners in her age group – as she won the race she was selected to represent the
district at county level
•
Time-bound – the date for the race is four weeks away which means that Jill has to focus on what she is
hoping to achieve for the four weeks – four weeks was a good amount of time for Jill to try out the techniques
and be familiar with them.
This LO draws upon skills, knowledge and understanding from R042.
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UNIT R044 SAMPLE LEARNER WORK WITH COMMENTARY
Marking commentary on MB3 sample learner work
A wide range of sport psychology strategies have been applied to enhance performance all of which are relevant to the specific
needs of the subject.
A comprehensive assessment of any impact on the performance of their subject(s) is provided, accurately using many different
measures and including relevant and insightful evaluation of strategies applied.
The centre awarded 12 marks because there could be a more comprehensive assessment of the impact on performance and there
could be more measures to evaluate the strategies applied.
Why it was awarded MB3 not MB2
All of the strategies that have been mentioned have been specifically related to the subject. There has been an evaluation of the
SMART targets set before and after the period the strategies were implemented. An assessment has been made on the impact that
the strategies have had on performance.
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