Week 1

Date: Monday 7th January 2013
Time: 9:40 - 10:00
Location: Training Grounds - Indoors (Out Of Hours)
Skill: Imagery
Measuring Tool: Performance In Training

Imagery is used to create a mental picture of a skill using all of the bodys senses to recreate and rehearse a game situation as realistically as possible. If athlete X was to imagine a positive outcome for that skill or movement it will help them to retain purpose and focus in real life situations. The correct responses will become autonomous which has an excellent effect on performance.

Using imagery to recreate or create scenarios will help the athlete improve their performance because they will be more confident in what they do, they will know the procedure of how to hit the ball correctly and from past experiences the athlete will be able to fix and correct mistakes that have been made. The reason this will improve the athletes confidence is because they will get the feeling that they can complete things successfully which means that when they are performing they will not hesitate to go for the ball making their performance flow better.

The athlete has low confidence levels which affects their thought process and results in a negative outcome for example not completing the smash successfully. This week the athlete is going to be using the imagery technique which allows them to confidently produce movements rehearsed within their imagination.

Action: The athlete is going to imagine themself performing a smash by recreating the situation as if they were watching the real thing being done, this is because it needs to be as accurate as possible in order to be effective. Imagine the atmosphere, the team's reaction and your coach's shock when you have just completed the smash successfully, better than you have doen in the past. You followed through with the correct run up and routine of striking the ball and get yourself the winning point for your team.

The athlete should use the imagery technique for 10 minutes and then go for a wander and then come back with a fresh and open mind so that she can use the technique for another 10 minutes. Within the two 10 minutes sessions the athlete should recreate the scenario again and again to really get an idea of the real life setting.

Recreating this scenario allows the athlete to actually see the process of how the perfect smash is performed. Using this techniue gives the athlete a chance to work out a way for themselves how to perform the smash in a real situation without making mistakes and getting critisised for it. This results in them being able to calm their nerves and take their time working out how the smash should be completed. 


Evaluation: This particular strategy worked well for the athlete because it helped them open their imagination and made them more aware of the amount of open space their could be on the court which gives them more opportunities to put the ball on the court. Athlete X suggested that they use this skill before a competition because they feel that it would help them get their head into the game more easily, this is a good idea a sit would also add on to their confidence levels which allows their performance to be better.

Progression: The athlete now knows how to follow through with the imagery technique by making a scenario up for themselves using all the senses they possibly can so it is advisable that they use this skill before training and competition for 10 minutes so they get that sesational feeling of achievement. I think this because the athlete will be able to get the best out of using this tool because it is simple to use which means that they can use it whenever they want to.


Measure: To see whether or not athlete X's confidence has improved can be determined by the athlete's performance in a match and this was done the day after the skill was used and the athlete's confidence in thermselves seemed to have increased because their was no hesitation when they were going after the ball.


Date: Thursday 10th January 2013
Time: 12:00 - 12:20
Location: Training Grounds Outdoors - (Out Of Hours)
Skill: Imagery Scripts
Measuring Tool: Performance In Competition

Imagery Scripts allows the athlete to build up their confidence and reduce their thought process that causes anxiety. The scripts should describe a variety of scenarios so that the athlete can imagine different aspects to do with their sport, the scripts should be used for three 5 minutes periods throughout the session in order for it to work effectivley. The reason behind this theory is that if the athlete was to create the scenario as real as they possibly can then the most likely outcome is that they will believe in themself which essentially improves their confidence levels which results in their performance being the best it can be.

Following an imagery script forces the athlete to go along with the scenario because it has already been set for them. This makes it easier for the athlete to carry out the technique as the thinking has been completed for them already. The script shows the scenario in which the athlete has already been in many times before so this skill essentially allows the athlete to see it through someone elses point of view which could be another reason as to why their confidence would improve, the theory behind this is that someone else has seen the potential of the athlete and believes in them and this would make the athlete feel valued and they would then start to believe in themself's.

Script: You are in your team of 4 stood outside the 9 metre line on the right hand side serving area Your team mates are in the diamond formation cheering you on, the opposition players are spaced out on the other side but you can't see them because your team mates are blocking your view. You place the ball directly in front of you in the palm of your right hand, you adjust your hand and your body so that it is position side ways on. Taking 4 steps backwards and 1step to the lefthand side focusing on the ball the whole time. Look at the net and the space available on the other side of the court, concertrating on steadying your breathing, take in the atmosphere around you then imagine the ball flying in the air twirling consistantly and you smiling as it travels over the net. You turn your head back to the ball and make eye contact with where it has landed, you stride towards your team mates leading with your left foot and proudly holding your head up high.

The benefits of using the imagery script is that the athlete becomes accustommed to the positive outcoms and will become more likely to complete the desired skill, doing this means that in a game situation they should be able to refer back to their imagination which will bring confidence to their performance and therefore reduces anxiety before taking to a serve. Further more imagery reinforces the skill's used in the sport and the more advanced level to imagery strategies causes the detail to expand which is essential in the progression stages of the athlete's programme.


Evaluation: This skill worked well for the athlete because they were able to discover that they can accomplish their goals by just taking a few minutes and thinking about what it is that they have to do. Having said this their confidence has been built on even more than the last session so this method of imagery is therefore effective for them and it has been suggested by the athlete that they feel this method is working and wish to use it in the future which is a positive thing as well.

Progression: Due to this strategy being effective for the athlete I reccommed that they use it in the future because it will gradually build her confidence every time it is used, which should be before training and competition for 10 minutes at a time. The scripts should be detailed more each time they are used as this will enable the athlete to progress further in competitions and training. The reason for this change is because the detailed script will enable athlete X to get a sense of what their performance could look like if they had confidence in themselves so they would bring this feeling to the competition and therefore perfrom to their best which will improve their perforance vastly.

Measure: Athlete X's competition at the weekend showed that they have confidence in themselve's which allowed them to think through the porcess as to what move they are going to make next. Their performance has been improved because of this which means that the skill of imagery has worked for this particular athlete.