From an early age, people compete and assert themselves. The development of various sports training methods is impossible without studying, on the one hand, the characteristic features, and sports activities, and, on the other, the personality of the athlete as a subject of this activity. Therefore, it can be argued that sport is psychological in its very essence, and the study of it can tell a lot about a person and how to handle sports team dynamics.
Along with other sciences, sports psychology is called upon to provide an analysis of the most important aspects of sports activity and thus help to rationally solve many practical issues related to it. As a particular branch of psychological science, sports psychology studies the patterns of manifestation and development of the psyche of an active person in the specific conditions of physical education and sports (Mangal 78). Special psychological training of athletes, which is an essential and final task of their training, cannot be efficient if not based on their general psychological training.
Currently, the content and nature of pre-competition training of athletes are radically changing. For successful performance in competitions, only a high level of physical and tactical readiness is no longer enough.
Along with motor abilities, intellectual and collective action skills become vital. Therefore, various mental processes and states are beginning to play an increasingly important role in pre-competition training (Khandare 55). The importance of psychological factors and, as a result, the psychological preparation of athletes for participation in competitions increases. The development of methods and techniques for such training is one of the main functions of sports psychology.
In the book Sports psychology in action, Butler (2020) offers a practical guide to the approach of using mental processes to improve the physical performance of athletes. The book provides characteristics of the best sports results and describes techniques and exercises to help athletes reach their potential to achieve better results. The work can be useful both for coaches and athletes and directly for psychologists, specialists in the field of sports medicine, and even for students studying sports sciences.
The formation and activity of sports teams are influenced by various stress factors that lead to a decrease in mutual understanding of partners and worsen the psychological climate, which negatively affects athletes’ subsequent performance. Sports psychology is also used to solve these problems and improve the effectiveness of the group. A group can have a more significant impact on an individual, the higher the level of significance. The correct resolution of conflicts in a team can help mobilize, establish and maintain group norms and improve interpersonal relationships.
Sport occupies a significant place in the life of today’s society. It ensures the physical development of a person and contributes to the education of his moral and volitional qualities. The question of how to establish effective interaction and communication in a sports team helps to solve such a branch as sports psychology. The correct application of this knowledge can help avoid problems that lead to a deterioration of relationships within the team.
Works Cited
Butler, Richard. Sports psychology in action. CRC Press, 2020.
Khandare, Ravindra Baliram. “Role of sports psychology in physical education.” International Journal of Health, Physical Education & Computer Science in Sports, vol. 39, no. 2, pp. 55-56.
Mangal, Shubhra. Sports Psychology. SAGE Publishing India, 2021.