Psychological Preparation for Peak Performance in Sports Competition

Abstract

This paper attempt to make an overview of various techniques, sport psychologist adopt in psychological preparation of athletes for peak performance. To attain peak performance in sports competitions, coaches and athletes should not base their prospect on physical training on sport skills alone rather should integrate both the mental and physical aspects of performance. During sport competitions athlete should enter the competition with the proper mindset so as to achieve optimum performance. The importance of a sport psychologist to athletes or sports team in this respect cannot be overemphasized, therefore the sport psychologist is in a position to provide the needed therapy to athletes who have been psyched-out by personal, motivational and environmental factors. The paper therefore recommended among others that athletes should be advised for practice mental and psychological skill training and, faster rehabilitation of an injured athlete should be done as this would help to achieve success in peak performance.

Keywords: Peak Performance, Sports Skills, Psychological Skills, Attention and Personality.