Introduction
Sport management is a very important aspect in sports industry. Sports management is highly related to business aspect in sports industry. Sportsmen and women need to have vast knowledge in sports management as this is essential to enable them to succeed in sports. There are many sports activities that are available in the world today. They include football, baseball, cricket, hockey, volley ball, athletics, swimming and other in door games among others.
Many people are venturing in sports activities in this twenty first century. This could be for recreation, business or even health purposes. In the case of health purpose, the doctor prescribes sports and exercise as part of the curative and preventive measures. All these reasons are quite essential in the day to day lives of the participants. There are two aspects that are quite important in sports and exercises. These are self efficacy and self confidence. Both sports men and women need to know more about these aspects and their effects to their performance. (Bandura, 1997)
Self efficacy
Research shows that self efficacy actually has the overall impression that an individual has the capability to perform. This is in relation to the attainment of his or her articulated goals and objectives. This is actually the belief that an individual has what it takes in the execution of courses of actions. In this case, a person believes that he or she has the power to produce what is required. For instance, high self efficacy is revealed in instances where an individual will engage in exercises and sports even in instances when there are signs of illness, desperations or hopelessness. Individuals with low self efficacy will on the other hand mourn the situation and hence raise the desperation and worsen the situation.
Self confidence
According to scholars, self confidence is a strong mental conviction in relation to one’s capability. In sports and exercise industry, self confidence is an integral part of a participant’s success. Some people assert that self confidence is actually a self fulfilling prophesy. (Bandura, 1997)
This is highly linked to an individual’s belief that he or she can make it in the sports activity. On the other hand, if one lacks self confidence, it dooms the participant’s progress even when they posses the innate ability to excel. Self confidence in sports industry in most cases is known to build with time and experience. For instance, a footballer who has just joined the team will automatically exhibit moderate self confidence. (Parks, 2005)
On the other hand, a footballer with vast experience in playing the world cup will show great self confidence in excelling in the game. This clearly indicates that there are different levels of self confidence. There is low and high self confidence. However, overconfidence in sports can also result in failure and the participant can overlook the challenges on the ground. (Pajares, 2005)
Self confidence versus self efficacy
According to Parks (2005), self confidence and self efficacy are essential in sports management. This is so because they both play a big role towards success of an individual and the team at large. When an individual lacks either self efficacy or self confidence or both, he may eventual fail in sports activities. This explains why footballers among other sports men and women undergo training so that they can be knowledgeable on the effects of having self confidence and efficacy in relation to sports and exercise.
Similarities
There are various similarities between self efficacy and self confidence in relation to sports and exercise. One of the major similarities is that in both, the individual’s believe that they are capable of achieving the goal. This means that a golfer with self confidence and self efficacy believes he or she is able to excel. This belief actually drives the sports men and women. (Pajares, 2005)
Another similarity between self efficacy and self confidence is that it is internal. It is not found on the outside or rather one cannot easily see it. It is rather exhibited in actions. One can also know that a sportsman or woman has self confidence and self efficacy by talking to the person. Both self confidence and self efficacy are not in an individual’s physique. (Parks, 2005)
Looking at both self efficacy and self confidence is that they can be developed. This means that sports men and women can enhance their self efficacy and their self confidence. These two can be developed through proper training and motivational talks from experts and mentors. They grow with time and effort on the part of the individual participating in the sports and exercises. Anything that can grow can also be destroyed. This is also very relevant to both self efficacy and self confidence. Without proper nurturing and mentoring both self efficacy and self confidence can decline and eventually die completely. This renders the sports man or woman ineffective in their performance.
Differences
While these two terminologies have similarities, they also have their differences. A sport’s man or woman’s self confidence is derived from many effective memories of the sports man or woman’s past experiences in the industry. This clearly means that self confidence is more based on an individual’s past experience and exposure. On the other self efficacy is not based on the individual’s past experience but rather on his or her overall impression of the self. (Parks, 2005)
The other difference between self confidence and self efficacy is that self confidence is much more resilient. This is according to research carried out amongst sports men and women in the year 2007.A person’s overall perception of his or her self efficacy in most cases will differ from one domain to another domain. This can also differ within one domain too. For instance, an athlete can lack self efficacy in short races and then change to long races. This is not the case to self confidence because it cannot be re-channeled.
Conclusion
Sports management is an essential aspect in sports and it is highly linked to the business aspect of this industry. Sports activities and exercises are quite vast in nature. They include football, baseball, swimming, cricket, athletics and hockey among others. Self efficacy is defined as the overall impression that an individual has towards himself or herself in relation to his or her capabilities. On the other hand, self confidence is defined as a strong mental conviction in relation to capabilities. There are many similarities and differences between self efficacy and self confidence. One major similarity is that both of them are internal. The major difference is that self confidence is based on experience while self efficacy is based on impression of the ability.
Reference
Bandura, A. (1997): Self-efficacy; the exercise of control; New York; WH Freeman and Company.
Pajares, F. (2005): Self efficacy and self confidence; New York; Macmillan Press.
Parks, B. (2005): Contemporary Sports Management; New York; Prentice Press.