Sport And Exercise Psychology: A Critical Introduction

One of the exercises which was the target of his derision involved the attempt by a sub-
group of players to balance a long bamboo cane on the edges of their fingertips before
lowering it to the floor. Canoeing and crate-stacking exercises were also used in an effort
to develop team spirit among the Lions squad members. As we indicated previously,
however, such techniques lack both a coherent theoretical rationale and evidence of
empirical validity.

Implication of team-building techniques for coaches

A number of practical implications for coaches may be identified from theories of
effective team-building (Weinberg and Gould, 1999). First, coaches should try to create a
team environment in which open channels of communication exist among team-mates
and between team-members and the coaching/management staff. The assumption here is
that clear communication processes foster mutual trust among team-members. Practical
ways of improving communication in teams include arranging regular team meetings to
discuss issues that can be filled into sentences such as “It would be better if...”. Second,
although many coaches proclaim that “there is no “I” in team”, it is essential that they
recognise the importance of individual roles within groups of athletes. At the very least,
all players should be told exactly how they can contribute to the success of the team.
Also, if individual players know what skills they have to work on, they are likely to work
harder for team objectives. Third, coaches must learn to set challenging group goals for
their teams. Fourth, a collective sense of team identity can be strengthened by
encouraging team-mates to wear similar team clothing. Finally, successful coaches tend
to spend a lot of time in getting to know their players as well as possible (see also
Estabrooks and Dennis, 2003, for some practical advice on team-building techniques).

School sports: helpful or harmful?

School sports are among the earliest and most powerful ways in which young people are
introduced to athletic activities. But what are the psychological benefits and hazards
associated with playing competitive sports in school? Let us now consider this question
briefly.
One the one hand, many people have fond memories of their youthful days on the
playing field. For example, Samuel Beckett, a Nobel Prize-winner for literature, wrote
fondly of the time he spent playing cricket for Portora Royal School in Enniskillen,
Northern Ireland. Similarly, the sheer delight of scoring a try is captured in the faces of
the junior rugby players in Figure 7.4.

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