Lecture 10 - How has Canada become a powerhouse at the Winter Olympic games?

Question 1

Sports psychologists view of
Ericsson’s (1994) article?: Terry Orlick’s Model of Sport
Excellence

Answer 1

What Ericsson thinks:

Think that no matter how much you trained, won’t catch up with those who started at a younger age
Hypothetical story (if Sophie went to see Ericsson vs. sport psychologist to help improve)
Ericsson would say that if you started later and have much less hours of deliberate practice, you probably won’t catch up to the other people

Sport psychologist would help you prepare

Terry Orlick’s Model of Sport
Excellence
1-think some innate talent (unlike Ericsson)
2-effort (work hard)
3-simulation training (experience with the environment, ready for specific conditions (ex: practice on the right type of ice)… ex: tent with lower oxygen (becky scott)
4-mental skills
 Describe collaboration with athlete

Question 2

Jennifer Heil… artistic skier

Answer 2

Support system (lots of people behind), felt calm, trust and letting go, prepared

Jennifer Heil interview weeks
before the 2006 Olympics
 After finishing 4th at the last Olympics, what
are your medal hopes for this Olympic?
 “I never approach a competition saying I am
going to win. I approach it that … I want to ski
to my full capacity of speed, executing my
tricks without mistakes and basically raising
the bar. That’s what I am looking to do… to
focus on my performance and to bring out the
moment.

Question 3

Canada stats

Answer 3

In 2002, 21%

2016: 70%
2010: 75%
2014: 65%
2018: 65%

How did it go up?
Remedies: Sport Psychology
Training doctor on-site
Personal coach on-site
$ for international competitions
$ for technological advances

Question 4

1. Talent … linked to self-efficacy (confident you have the skills)

Answer 4

Myriam Bedard

“At 18 years I knew I had the talent
to challenge the best at the 1992
Olympics….I felt I had the ideal
physical attributes for my sport:
very rapid muscular and aerobic
recuperative abilities, and a godgiven talent to learn how to shoot
in less than one month. That
really was a natural talent… a
finesse of touch that one cannot
be taught.. Just like the
concentration that I just naturally
have.” (1999)

What Ericsson would say: Intensity and length and quality of the training explains the biological changes
Sports psychologists would say that this arrogance is great.. believe in natural talent and believe athletes should too

Question 5

2. Hard work

Answer 5

Hard Work - Leading Olympic
athletes work incredibly hard for
what they achieve.
 “The intensity and quality of work for athletes who
have broken through to the top of their sport almost
always surpasses that of the athletes who have not
been able to crack the barrier.”

Chinese coach who worked with
our national team:
 “ not as good at taking criticism, tended not to
believe that certain things like repetition and
simulation were required for good
performance in international competition, and
that they had the luxury of time in learning the
physical and mental skills necessary for
competition.”

Question 6

3. Simulation training

Answer 6

Critical for
preparation for competition.
 Becky Scott 2002 Olympics in Utah

Practiced her cross-country skiing
Simulation of low oxygen in tent

Question 7

4. Mental skills

Answer 7

“Combination of talent, hard work and
simulation has produced many champions
and will continue to contribute to excellence,
but in the future it will not be enough. Refined
mental training will be the final prerequisite.”

-Goal setting (athletes often set too many goals) personal best, not just thinking of the metal.
-Arousal regulation… bring down arousal, relaxation, pre-performance ritual
-Visualization… play through it in mind
-Self-talk… say things that relax you

Not the most empirical science though (not often control group)…

but  Weinberg & Gould meta-analysis:
38/45 studies show positive results.

Using Psychological Skills
Training To Develop Soccer
 Performance 5 collegiate midfielders
followed over 9 games using
multiple-baseline design.
 Focus on 1st touch
percentage and successful
pass percentage.
 Multimodal intervention:
 Relaxation training
 Visualization
 Positive self-talk
Results: improved a lot

Question 8

Methods for Arousal
Regulation

Answer 8

 Focus Plan (e.g., preperformance routine)
 Myriam Bedard
 Ben Hogan
 Tiger Woods

Ex: I know list
-I know I have done great training
-I know I have done the simulation
-I know I have a great team…

Refocus Plan
Enjoy, Coke…. enjoy teaching kids
Energizer Bunny… prof’s wife I think?

Question 9

C. Visualization

Answer 9

 Myriam Bedard & Becky Scott
 Jack Nicklaus on visualization in golf
 “Before every shot I go to the movie inside my head. Here is what I
see. First I see the ball where I want it to finish, nice and white and
sitting up high on the bright green grass. Then I see the ball going
there; its path and its trajectory and even its behavior on landing.
The next scene shows me making the kind of swing that that will
turn the previous image into reality. These home movies are a key
to my concentration and to my positive approach to every shot.”

Question 10

D. Clara Hughes: Self-Talk

Answer 10

Describe
accomplishments
 Bicycling 2 bronze
 Skating 3 medals
 Self-talk
“I have prepared well”
“Endure the pain.”

Question 11

Applications to our lives:

Answer 11

 Exams
 Public Speaking

 Pre-performance routine;
 Re-focus plan;
 Positive Self-Talk
 I know list