Task 2

Context Evaluation Task
The Six Pillars of Sports Performance

Context evaluation

Context evaluation task
Estimated time for completion: 5 hours

Here I would like you to think a little more deeply about the psychological challenges in the sport of your choice. Try to supplement what you already know from your own experiences with information gained from reading articles about sport psychology and reading the postings on the Discussion group from your fellow learners.	A free content video streamed from Vimeo University of Southern Queensland.
	To complete this task: View Video Signpost #1 (above) featuring Professor Peter Terry. Add to the information you previously provided on the Discussion forum by describing your interest in sport in more detail. Outline your involvement as player, coach, administrator, official, etc. to provide contextual information about your sport environment. Read about the Six Pillars of Performance (below). Search for relevant theories and other information about the psychology of your sport in the list of Open Access Online Journals. Provide an analysis of the psychological challenges inherent in your sport and post it to the Resource bank. Video tutorial Before searching for information, you might like to review the short tutorial in the Introductory task.

The Six Pillars of Sports Performance

• Technical – this performance pillar refers to the fundamental and more advanced skills of the sport. In soccer, for example, these would include passing, receiving, dribbling, shooting, heading, tackling, throw-ins, penalty-taking, goalkeeping, and so on.
• Tactical – this performance pillar refers to strategies and decision-making. In soccer, it would include formations (4-2-3-1, 4-4-2, 4-3-3, etc.), decisions about zonal or man marking, pressing and offside strategies, triangular movement, counter attacking, set piece plays, and so forth.
• Physical – this performance pillar refers to the strength and conditioning aspects of elite performance, such as aerobic and anaerobic fitness, strength, speed, power, flexibility, agility, balance, etc.
• Mental – the mental pillar is the one addressed in this micro-course. It refers to a wide range of psychological variables that influence performance and are influenced by it. The typical list of mental skills associated with elite athletes includes positive attitudes, mental imagery and self-talk, high self-motivation and self-confidence, good concentration, and effective management of emotions and moods. In team sports, effective leadership and group cohesion are especially important.
• Nutrition – this performance pillar refers to such things as general diet, nutrition specific to training and competition, assessment of body composition, hydration strategies, and use of legal supplements.
• Holistic – this pillar concerns factors such as career planning and development, financial management, insurance, personal organisation and leadership. An elite athlete’s playing career may be short and so many sport organisations acknowledge that they have a responsibility to support holistic development and thereby assist players to prepare for a life after sport.