At the same time, as an indirect treatment process, it enables athletes to know more about their personality, the personal way of dealing with situations and the details that regulate both their daily and competitive behavior.
It helps the athletes to understand the way of their mental function, in order to seek their ideal performance according to their potential. It strengthens athletes and helps them to deal with situations in their daily lives, school, relationships with their peers and their families. It focuses on the search for the method through which the potential of each athlete will be highlighted and utilized. It studies the dynamics of groups and the interaction of members with each other.
Objectives:
The ultimate goal of psychological preparation is the”prevention” to deal with difficulties, so that when they occur the athlete will feel ready to respond. The spirit of Psychological Preparation refers to being active in avoiding problems and not just dealing with them when they arise, based on the “best intervention is preparation” approach.
The implementation of the program includes group meetings, with all the athletes and individual meetings with each one (where necessary). The support of athletes’ teams in terms of their development and evolution is referred to as holistic, as it includes the monitoring and support of athletes in general and in the activities they develop inside and outside the sports environment.
The Psychological Preparation Program is formed based on the special needs of the athletes and the teams.
The Psychological Preparation Program is developed and focuses on the requirements of each sport, the special conditions under which it takes place.
For example, in some sports, speed of thinking is the most important element or depending on the ability to predict, to maintain concentration for a long time, the ability of the athlete to include many factors in shaping his decision or the development of a functional communication framework.
The implementation of the program, in the first phase, includes the presentation of the Psychological Preparation program to the coaches, athletes, parents and club members, in separate meetings. This is followed by the collection of individual information from each athlete (individual information, marital status, important personal experiences) and the assessment of questionnaires for the evaluation of characteristics, which refer to both the competition and daily activity (eg general / competition anxiety, level of self-esteem and self-confidence, game worries, etc.). After data’s collection and the definition of the special needs, the meeting plan is structured.
The process includes weekly meetings (4 meetings per month) lasting 1-1.5 hours (the time is determined in the athletes’ free time, usually after training), with the athletes forming groups with a maximum number of 12-15 people. The formation of the teams is based on the age of the athletes, their level of competition and their competitive experience. The topics of the meetings are determined based on the proposals of the coaches, the athletes, the parents and the administration of the club. The Sports Psychologist has the ability to suggest the analysis and discussion of a topic, when he deems it necessary for the needs of athletes.
The program of meetings includes analysis and presentation by the Sports Psychologist of the topic, with the athletes participating in the discussion presenting their own game experiences. The presentation is made using a computer and a projector and the presentations are made in power point format. In the case of distance meetings, a program is used, which provides the opportunity for the athletes to watch at the same time (in real time) the presentation and the Sports Psychologist, while he also has visual contact of the athletes.
At the end of the meetings, the athletes receive forms on the topic of the meeting (possibly in the form of exercise), so that the cultivation of the topic continues during the daily life of the athletes.
In situations where the athlete’s parents are actively involved in their responsibilities, the program is likely to include them
