Sports Science continues at CCCU

On Tuesday 5 February BTEC and A Level Sport Science students attended Canterbury Christchurch University as part of their university centred learning programme. This was the third visit for the students and was focussed on Sport Psychology.

The students had the opportunity to work alongside a sports psychologist who discussed the mental side to sporting performance. Students discussed arousal theories, anxiety, stressors, goal-setting and mental skills training techniques. Students were able to ask questions and relate theory to their own sports.

Students also had the opportunity to trial some mental skills training interventions. First students took a situation that they perceived negatively and considered how they could put a positive spin on this in order to produce a more positive performance. Next up students were able to set detailed outcome, performance and process goals – with some aiming as high as becoming national champions! The third activity encouraged students to reflect on their most successful performance in order to create an imagery script that they could use to help them gain confidence before a performance. Students had to consider all the senses relating to this experience, with some even remembering the smell of the changing rooms before a fight or the emotions of friends and family celebrating their successes. Students were very creative and detailed in what they produced.

The students finished their visit by completing a progressive muscle relaxation exercise which can be used by athletes suffering from somatic anxiety. The students certainly seemed quite relaxed when the session was over.

Everyone is looking forward to the next session in March.