Sport Psychology Case Study

Sport Psychology Case Study DOING SPORT PSYCHOLOGY1 INTRODUCTION Performing optimally on any level is daunting, but when your next paycheque depends on your performance, it adds a whole new dimension to the stress and challenges faced. By adopting more effective ways and tools to deal with these obstacles, these athletes are able to overcome these challenges and perform at their best. SECTION A – Initial contact with athlete At the beginning of January I walked into the Dojo, ready to start a new year of training, and saw a new face, sweating it out in the cage. Roeloff â€Å"the Wolf† Scheepers, Professional EFC Fighter, had joined our Dojo. Roeloff is 28 years old and has been training in various forms of Martial Arts since he was in primary school. Roeloff relocated to Mossel Bay in December 2013 from Rustenburg, where he trained with Teammendes for about four years. After school he joined the South African Air Force and served in Iraq with the United States Marine Corp from 2005 to 2006. A few years ago he lost his job and had to take on professional fights in order to try make a living. Our Dojo has a lot of students and many different classes running simultaneously, and with him training for EFC 30, and me training and instructing it was quite a while before I had a chance to strike up a conversation with him. I had heard via the grapevine that he had suffered a bad loss last year due to injury, so I used this to strike up a conversation with him one night while he was taking a break. We became fast friends, and often discuss the ups and downs and challenges of fighting professionally. Roeloff had a very hectic training schedule so he was at the Dojo at least 6 days a week, morning and night. I instruct on a Monday and Wednesday, and train Mondays to Thursdays, so I was able to chat to him at least 4 days a week. Our interactions and conversations were very casual, usually before, during and after training. As we trained under the same instructor and in the same Dojo I had plenty of opportunities to observe him training. I was also privileged enough to go to Cape Town to watch him fight at EFC 30 in June. I found Roeloff very open and eager to chat to me about his training and challenges. He is always looking for ways to learn more and improve on his existing techniques and training and was eager to hear if I had any advice for him. One of the biggest challenges faced by professional MMA fighters is the mental aspect of the training. The physical side of fight preparation is brutal, and if you are not mentally strong, the training can easily get the better of you. When training for a fight, cutting weight, incessant sparring, rolling, weight training and cross-fit training can really work a number on you mentally and physically. Roeloff maintains that if you are not mentally prepared and strong enough you will not make it. One of his biggest challenges was the weight cut. Professional fighters get paid per fight, R5000 for a loss and R10000 for a win. If at the weigh in, a fighter does not make weight, his opponent has the choice of whether to fight him or not. If the opponent chooses to continue with the fight, the fighter that did not make weight has to pay his opponent 75% of his fight purse, win or lose. Because of this, some fighters go to extreme measures to cut their weight, and there is such a fine balance between healthy methods that enhance energy and performance, and unhealthy methods that can totally sabotage the fighter. It is also very tough being on such a strict diet while your friends can eat as they please. It takes a huge amount of self-control and discipline to stick to the eating plan, and sometimes Roeloff lacks this self-control when he is not being monitored closely. He also has the tendency to get despondent when he feels he is not performing up to standard. He sets high standa rds for himself, and he trains and fights for his Dojo†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦his instructor and fellow students†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.and he does not want to disappoint us. So he puts a lot of pressure on himself. I really enjoyed this stage of the process. Getting to know Roeloff and observing him was very interesting, and I have made another good friend as a result of it. It was very informative and a great learning curve, and allowed me to look at fighting from a different perspective. SECTION B – Literature review I did a search through various literature on enhancing performance by setting goals in order to give Roeloff some advice. Most of the studies that have been done over the years regarding goal setting and performance have been in the industrial context. It is only in the last 20 years or so that studies have been done on the relationship between goal setting and performance in sports and these studies have shown a positive correlation between goal setting and performance in sports. Goal setting is important otherwise the athlete will not know what he is working towards. This can be demotivating in itself. Goal setting theory is based on what Aristotle called â€Å"final causality† (Locke, E.A., 1996). According to Locke (1996) there are internal and external aspects to goals. Internally they are ideas, while externally they refer to the object or condition sought, therefore the idea guides the action to attain the object. In a study conducted with 5 rugby players, Hanton et al (2006) found that goal setting was effective in improving the rugby player’s performance. Smith Ward (2006) found that after Football players had set goals they performed better than they did during their baseline testing. In a study conducted by Weinberg, Bruya, Longino and Jackson (1988) they found that the group of athletes that were given specific goals performed better than the group that was told to â€Å"do their best†. Specific goals facilitate behaviour change more effectively than general non-specific, â€Å"do your best† goals do. By setting specific explicit goals, the athlete knows exactly what is expected of them and what they want to achieve. This is what I believe Roeloff needs in order to deal more effectively with the challenge of trying to cut weight. Goals should also be difficult but not unrealistic. Often for a professional fighter, the amount of weight they have to lose may seem to be impossible. Due to this impossible amount of weight to be cut, the fighter might even start believing it is impossible even before he starts his eating program, causing him to lose motivation before he even starts. This is counterproductive for any athlete trying to achieve a particular goal. It is argued by Locke (1990) that if goals are to difficult and result in failure, the athlete will lose motivation which in turn will lead to a decrease in performance, therefore goals need to be attainable and not too difficult. SECTION C – Intervention After I had gotten to know Roeloff a bit better, I spoke to him about my assignment and studies, and that I would like to observe him and could maybe offer some advice for him to try out. He was very eager for any feedback that could help him in any way. He also feels that I would maybe see things from a different perspective than him or our instructor that could be helpful. As we both spent a lot of time at the Dojo I got plenty of opportunity to observe him while training. We often socialise outside the Dojo, so I got to know him on a personal level. I often found that just by watching and listening, I gleaned a lot of information about how he thinks and feels, and what challenges he faces. One of his biggest issues is rigidly sticking to the eating plan set up by his nutritionist for his required weight cut. Cutting weight is a long hard process that can go on for months. It is easy to lose sight of the reason for the diet, so I suggested to Roeloff that maybe he should focus on his goals and goal setting. According to Locke and Latham (2002), a goal is â€Å"an objective or aim of action defined as attaining a specific standard of proficiency on a task, usually within a specified time limit†. McClements (1982) has made a distinction between different types of goals, namely subjective, general objective and specific goals. Evidence suggests that certain types of goals are more useful in changing behaviour than other types of goals. Studies have also shown that explicit goals are more effective than general ‘do your best’ goals. Roeloff’s subjective goal is to do his best, his general objective goal win his fight and his specific goal was to make a specific weight by a specific date and to win with a knock out. Roeloff’s fight preparation started in earnest about 6-8 months before his scheduled fight. This is a long time to stay focused on your main goal. I suggested to Roeloff that maybe he can set himself smaller, specific, explicit goals that will lead to his main goals. Some sports psychologists (Bell, 1983; Carron, 1984; Gould, 1983; Harris Harris, 1984; O’Block Evans, 1984) emphasise that setting more immediate short-range goals is important. In their meta-analysis Kyllo Landers (1995) showed the superiority of combining short- and long-term goals. Recent research has also revealed that both short- and long-range goals are needed to maintain motivation and performance (Weinberg, Butt Knight, 2001) By setting short-range goals, Roeloff will be able to see immediate improvement and this should enhance his motivation. By setting smaller weight cutting milestones, he will be able to see what he has done so far, and that he has achieved his short-range goal, and motivate him to make the next milestone or goal, and not lose sight of his main goal, making weight at the EFC weight in. My interactions with Roeloff have always been in the form of casual conversations. On one particular Wednesday Roeloff and I had just finished instructing the juniors and were discussing the class when we got on the topic of his upcoming fight. I mentioned that I had been thinking about his biggest obstacle and suggested to him that he set himself smaller goals, which in turn will help him achieve his main goal. Roeloff was very responsive to my suggestions and was eager to try it out. I found it was easy to approach Roeloff with my observations and ideas and he is always open to someone else’s ideas and views. SECTION D – Feedback A few months after giving Roeloff my suggestions he came to me one night and said that he had done a little research of his own about my suggestions. He decided to give it a shot and see what happens. After all, he had nothing to lose. He set himself smaller goals that would ultimately tie in and lead to his long term goal, and while keeping his eye on the main goal, focused mostly on his short-range goals. He found that it worked well for him. He found it easier to stay more focused, and managed to resist more temptation in the process, and sticking to his eating plan more strictly. By doing this, his weight loss was better, and he felt more motivated, and gained a little more self-confidence in his ability to achieve his goals. By being able to stick to his short-range goals, he felt far more positive about achieving his long-range goal. Roeloff said that this is something he will be implementing on a regular basis. It helps him define his goals better and have a clearer picture of what he needs to do in order to achieve what he sets out to do. SECTION E – Overall reflection I have really enjoyed this project and the subject as a whole. I feel that I am very blessed in the fact that I train at Tiger Kai. My head instructor is friends with many professional fighters as well as some of the top trainers in the country, and this has given me the opportunity to get to know so many fine athletes. And I was very blessed to have Roeloff relocate to Tiger Kai and allow me to use him for my project. It was a great experience getting to work with a professional fighter on such a close level, and being given access behind the scenes of an event like EFC and the inner workings of a fighters fight camp. It has been an amazing learning experience and has deepened my interest in Sports Psychology. I have had no illusions about the mental and physical aspects of being a fighter (as I have done martial arts myself for 13 years now), but I now I have a deeper understanding of some of the aspects that are not quite so visible to others around the fighter, and how these can also affect a fighters performance. CONCLUSION There are many factors, both mental and physical, that affect the performance of athletes. An athlete faces many challenges, both physically and mentally, which need to be overcome in order to achieve their goal, which is to be the best at their chosen sport. Sometimes, these challenges may seem insurmountable to some athletes, but with the right type of assistance, these challenges and obstacles can be overcome. REFERENCES Locke, E.A. Latham, G.P. (1990). A theory of Goal Setting and Task Performance. Englewood Cliffs, N.J: Prentice-Hall Hanton, S., Melleliu, S.D. O’Brien, M. (2006). The effects of goal setting on rugby performance: Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis, 39, 257-261. Smith, S.L. Ward, P. (2006). Behavioural interventions to improve performance in collegiate football. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis. 39, 385-391. Weinberg, R.S. (2003). Goal setting in Sport and Exercise: Results, Methodological issues and further directions for Research. Weinberg, R., Bruya, L., Longine. J. Jackson, A. (1988). Effect of Goal proaximity and specificity on endurance performance of primary-grade children. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 10, 81-91 Williams, J.M. (Ed.). (2009). Applied Sport Psychology: Personal growth to peak performance (6th ed.). New York: McGraw Hill.

Reagan Revolution

Ronald Wilson Reagan, the fortieth president of the United States of America. He was well known for his economic policies during is first term, which later on became well known as â€Å"Reaganomics†. This policy included large tax cuts which was started and implemented in 1981. â€Å"Reaganomics† was told to rejuvenate the morale of the American people and then let them not be dependent on the government. Supply-side economics is the basis for this economic policy which aimed to stimulate growth of the economy.By implementing this policy, Reagan had the country’s gross domestic product or GDP recover from the 1982 recession and began to progress at 3. 4% per annum and also decreasing inflation.. Unemployment reached to an all time high during the first years of Reagan’s term but gradually decreased till the end of his presidency, thus strengthening the American economy. Then the stock market crashed in 1987 creating a huge governmental budget deficit which had raised the national debt substantially.The cause of this is unknown, yet detractors point out that Reaganomics was the mainly the cause of this crash yet remain inconclusive. In his second term in the presidential seat, he focused on strengthening the nation’s defense capabilities due to the significant build-up of arms in the Soviet Union. His second term was also marked by his foreign policies that deemed him as a war monger. His term also included the cessation of the Cold War and â€Å"Star Wars†. As nation’s economy grew steadily stronger, Reagan now focused on international relation, he was known as â€Å"The Great Communicator† in these affairs.Starting talks with Mikhail Gorbachev, Reagan initiated to have the Berlin wall be torn down as a start of a peace process and a new era to begin. Reagan has noticed that the arms of the Soviet Union was technologically advanced and had initiated defense projects that would enable the nation’s de fense systems to be at par or much superior than others. The space program boomed in that decade with the â€Å"Space Race† competing with the Soviet Union starting a â€Å"Star Wars† program that would rival any nation’s capabilities.

Horses of the Night Notes Essay

Vanessa was 6 years old, and Shallow Creek was a very cold environment o†No leaves grew†¦breath of seals and polar bears snuffled out steamily and turned to ice† – IMAGERY †¢Chris was fifteen when Vanessa met him †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦let him stay at the Brick House.† ïÆ'Ÿ significance? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦high low-sweeping spruce trees shutting out the sun with their dusky out-fanned branches.† (pg 283) – IMAGERY †¢Ã¢â‚¬ At last the front screen door was hurled open and Grandfather Connor strode into the house, followed by a tall lanky boy.† (page 283) – IMAGERY †¢Chris’s physical appearance – â€Å"Grey eyes were slightly slanted, and his hair the colour of couchgrass at the end of summer when it has been bleached to a light yellow by the sun.† (pg 284) †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦warmly but shyly.† – irony/oxymoron †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦,looking as granite as a statue in the cemetery.† – SIMILIE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ He’d been lucky to get it, if you ask me anything, Wilf’s family hasn’t got two cents to rub together†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (pg 285) – grandparents are extremely judgemental of Chris’s family, shows that Chris isn’t the same â€Å"social† class as them †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦curled into the bay window like a black giant seashell.† – SIMILE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ just as though he had not heard a word my grandfather was saying.† – shows that Chris had high tolerance †¢Ã¢â‚¬ He simply appeared to be absent.† ïÆ'Ÿ significant? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ The trees were still growing, and the leaves were firmly and greenly on them. The branches has been coaxed into formations of towers and high-up nests where you could look out and see for a hundred miles or more.† – IMAGERY †¢The lake was full of fantasy creatures – water monsters, creatures with necks like snakes, rooster’s comb, hard leather tough. †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Two riding horses† & â€Å"He missed the horses†¦Ã¢â‚¬  ïÆ'   any significance/reference to title of story †¢Story takes place during The Great Depression †¢Vanessa was nine when Chris left Manawaka, mentions Brick House again †¢Ã¢â‚¬ he was not at Shallow Creek. He has not gone abck†¦ northbound train at the first stop after manawaka, cashed his ticker and thumbed a life with a truck to Winnepeg† – shows Chris’s ambition †¢Aunt Edna – unemployed because insurance company cut down staff, moved back to Manawaka †¢Vanessa’s brother, Roderick was born the year Grandmother Connor died o†The strangeness , the unbelievability, of both these events took up all of me.† page 291 †¢When Vanessa was eleven, Chirs returned to Manawaka oChris’s appearance did not change – â€Å"the same knife-boned face with no flesh to speak of† †¢Chris was a travelling salesman who sold vacuums – tried to sell Vanessa’s mother a vacuum, but failed (they couldn’t afford one) †¢Chris then sells magazines, and said he would earn $100 in a month if every sixth person subscribed †¢Chris then produces wool products (socks) with an old-fashioned sewing machine oThinks he hit jackpot – |I think this thing could be quite a gold mine.† †¢Vanessa’s father dies †¢Chris is unemployed again because there were no jobs on the market †¢Ã¢â‚¬ The grass that shone like green wavering light while the horses flew in the splendour of their pride.† ïÆ'   significant? †¢Ã¢â‚¬ He looked different, not only thinner†¦ face and neck were tanned red-brown†¦ wearing denims, farm pants, and a blue plaid shirt.† – Chris became a farmer †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ËœThe limousine’s over here.’ It was a wagon and two horses† – IRONY †¢ â€Å"Youngsters swam in and out of the house like shoals of nameless fishes.† – SIMILE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ hardly see the food for the iridescent-winged blue-black bodies squirming all over it.† – IMAGERY †¢ â€Å"The lake was not lonely or unthreatened†¦ I looked at the grey reaches of it and held threatened. It was like a view of God which I had held since my father’s death.† page 296 †¢ â€Å"‘How much brighter the stars are when you’re completely away from any houses?’ †¦ ‘I guess most people don’t give them much thought at all, except maybe to say – very pretty – or like that †¦ They’re gigantic†¦Ã¢â‚¬  – page 297 †¢Chris was 21 and was sent to the army – â€Å"Chris left Shallow Creek some months after the war began.† (page 299) †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ my mother heard from Aunt Tess. Chris had been sent home from England, discharged from the Army because of a mental breakdown. He was now in the provincial mental hospital.† p.299 osignificant because Chris loses his mind †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Animation gone from his face.† †¢Ã¢â‚¬ All his life’s choices had been grown narrower and narrower† †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Only to be a turmoil which appalled him and which he dreaded†¦Ã¢â‚¬  †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Useless strokes of fantasy against a depression that was both the world’s and his own† ïÆ'   SIGNIFICANT †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Slowly, slowly, horses of the night-† – TITLE †¢Ã¢â‚¬ Night must move like this for him †¦ land he journeyed through was inhabited by terrors, the old monster-kings of the lake, or whether he had discovered at last a way for himself to make the necessary dream perpetual† ïÆ'   SIGNIFICANT *** ________________________________________ Vocab – detested, sweltering, cameo, equanimity, simpleton, bludgeoning, wisecrack, malevolent, chivvying, illicitly, jubilant, spiel, overshoes, pronouncements, subterraneon oracle, utterances, engrossed, torrent, fortnight, pallid-eyed, monosyllabic, saurian, perpetual View as multi-pages

Business in China - 1131 Words

November 29th, 2012 International Business Doing Business in China The role of government when doing business in China is very important. It is especially important if you are from a different country, such as the United States, because the approaches to dealing with the government are much different. There are many factors in which should be considered when dealing with business related issues with the government. These include whether or not your business strategies go along with the plan the government has for Chinas development, understanding how the Chinese government interfaces with your business, and also how to deal with pressures from the government when they want you to do things you and your business don’t want to do.†¦show more content†¦There are also corrupt government officials that you potentially have to deal with. â€Å"There are a hundred corrupt officials who go unpunished for each one who is punished.† (Armbruster, 2007, pg.9) If that statement is even somewhat true, there has to be a large amount of corruption between officials which can go positively if you are doing business the wrong way but can also have negative effects. Having a China strategy is very important. A China strategy is a plan on how you are going to move your business into China and be successful. A China strategy is important because you have to know how to enter a market when going into a new environment, especially one as different as China’s. â€Å"China is no longer a third world country or an emerging economy. As the second largest and fastest growing economy in the world, soon to overtake the United States, it is a genuine force to be reckoned with. Within the past few years there has been a remarkable development inside China and the establishment of a significant middle class.† (Watson, 2011, pg. 51) You have to be able to know what you are going to do with your business once you are in China. You also have to have a backup plan in case you need to remove your compan y for any reason. What I found most interesting about doing business in China is the many different things you have to deal with compared toShow MoreRelatedBusiness in China1188 Words   |  5 PagesBusiness in China 1. What challenges do foreign firms face when they seek to transfer their home management style to China? 2. Discuss the reform of Chinese state-owned enterprises and related government policy changes. Evaluate the impact within the state-owned businesses and the chinese society. Chinese management Doing business in China requires a throughout understanding of their management philosophy and practices. Their management style is different in many respects from mainstreamRead MoreBusiness Organization : China And China1303 Words   |  6 Pagesmight want to thank you for giving me the chance to compose a couple words about my study arrangement and my future prospects in China. I have dependably indicated readiness and unmistakable fascination in concentrating on Single man of Business Organization in China. There are numerous explanations behind which I have picked China to want examining my major. Initially, China is instruction well disposed nation and advancing advanced education in each conceivable way without separation of race, sexualRead MoreMaking Business in China1003 Words   |  5 PagesBauchà © INTERNATIONAL MARKETING China’s culture and business practices differ from Europe or even North American. As you start making business in China, having an understanding of Chinese business â€Å"etiquette† is important to your success. Knowing and practicing common customs will also help you to avoid embarrassment, and focus on the matters at hand on critical occasions. Appearance One of the most visible changes to the human landscape of China over the past few decades has been the change in dressRead MoreEssay on Business in China1030 Words   |  5 PagesBefore doing business in China, there’s a few things needed to know about this to-be home away from home for the company. A completely different world from that of the United States, this second largest supplier is as simple as our own in business etiquette, and a few simple things can go a long way. Social-cultural, economy, legal-political, and managerial differences are just a few categories of information to be taken into consideration when pursuing a business agenda in China. Social-CulturalRead MoreThe Importance Of Business In China1447 Words   |  6 Pages â€Å"We were ready to walk away from China forever, but the friends we made in Shanghai convinced us to stay. We entered the Chinese market after spending weeks walking the streets, trying to understand the economy, the culture, the people and whether they were ready for the type of business we were in: the high end, no-replica, genuine design exhibition and events business. â€Å"Over the course of 3 years, we visited various Chinese cities and found Shanghai the most cosmopolitan and open-minded, withRead MoreBusiness Skills in China618 Words   |  3 Pagesfor intelligent and younger citizens to become the 4th generation of The Communist Party of China. Along with many others Hu Jintao was chosen to be one of the future leaders. Before becoming one of the most important people in China, Hu Jintao learned the values of business. These business skills taught by his working-class father conveyed well into his style of running the country, like a business. Hu’s Aunt had been his primary caregiver through his mother’s passing when Hu was just 7. YearsRead MoreFun Business In China786 Words   |  4 Pages According to the 2016 China fan report, since 2004, an average of 40 million new fans have been added every year, and the number of Chinese fans has reached 470 million by 2016 (Song, 2017). Especially, funs spend money to express their enthusiasm, which accounts for about $330 billion of fun consumption in the young generation, according to the monthly consumption of fans. (Song, 2017). Although in spite of the large population of China, these data also surprised. And as we know, this situationRead MoreBusiness Expansion Into China819 Words   |  3 PagesBusiness expansion into China The Americans treat conception of self on self-reliance and self promotion is more accepted as they value freedom from external interference, while for the Chinese the conception of self is viewed from a group perspective and they value self modesty as well. The other difficulty will be the language barrier that may exists between the Americans and the China dwellers. It will be ethical for the company to hire translators who will enable the clients feel at ease andRead MoreThe Business Environment Of China Essay1105 Words   |  5 Pagesbackground of globalization and information technology, the China enterprise still face problems such as business environment. Some of the significant changes in the business environment of China includes: The conflict of centralized political and democratic requirements, the economy growth of ‘high speed’ and ‘low quality’ and the appreciation and depreciation of Ren Min Bi. All these changes in the business environment will affect the business as well. ï  ¬ The conflict of centralized political and democraticRead MoreChina Business Sme5201 Words   |  21 PagesChinas market reforms and accession to the WTO has led to its economy growing rapidly, to the point where it is now the fourth largest on earth, and is expected to be in the top two within the next decade (Business Monitor International, 2006). As a result, Chinas SMEs are now facing an economy flooded with foreign capital, and with a more open economic climate than in previous years, but also a much more competitive economy, where many of their previous practices are no longer relevant. This piece