Monthly Archive for September, 2017

Higuain’s problem: An opportunity to improve

The problem with Higuain is that in this last period he did not score any goals and the question who certainly he’s asking himself regards  how to get out of this situation. Expressed in this way, the question seems easy: what to do to take more efficient shots. If he was a machine the problem would be easy to solve since it would be simply a question to change some parameters (speed, accuracy, timing, type of shot) to get the desired result. Being a human player there are instead many aspects to cope with: the player, teams and environmental expectations, to accept that a champion shows this problem, the footballer’s tendency to react by moving away from game or moving impulsively, to undergo the influence of teammates who instead continue to score.

It would be useful, for himself and for the team, live this moment as an opportunity for improvement and not as a kind of attacker’s syndrome. To accept the difficulties is the only way to overcome them. At this regards I agree with Arrigo Sacchi when he says that to win you have not to have the issue of winning. We can to paraphrase this thought by saying that to score a goal, you don’t really need the obsession to make goals, because otherwise you will play always on the defensive or impulsively and the footballer will never be innovative and effective as all expect from a champion.

A new scientific Journal in the world of sport sciences

A new scientific Journal in the world of sport sciences.

“We wanted to focus on a quality journal, a prestigious publication that could, in some way, convey to a wide readership our point of view on the evolution of training, and, in particular, on the evolution of strength training applied to weightlifting …

Strength was a major element in standing up to observe and do- minate the surrounding area and beyond: slowly and steadily or with bursts of strength, mankind has come a long way. Strength was also paramount to the develop- ment of man’s cognitive abilities, the ability to move in his immedia- te surroundings, to interact with the environment and to process the ensuing stimuli …

We must invest in culture, the vehicle with which we can spread knowledge and experience. The world of sport needs to reflect on the importance of culture and we feel it is our duty to set the ball rol- ling and continue on this journey.”

(Source: Editorial Antonio Urso EWF President)

 

 

Coaches’ competences to improve

Mental coaching for coaches, analogous to that of managers, is a project not yet so widespread in the world of sports. This article highlights the main areas of improvement required to coach and how to organize an individual improvement plan.

(Source: European WeitghtLifting Federation Scientific Magazine, Alberto Cei, Coaching Skills, 2016, 4, 16-23.

Tor des Géants: Photos

Tor des Giants photos: a 330 km journey on the Alps.

oliviero bosatelli

Alberto Madella Award 2017

Alberto Madella ha rappresentato un punto di riferimento nel campo della ricerca scientifica applicata allo sport. Il contributo più rilevante del suo lavoro è stato il tentativo, efficacemente riuscito, di conciliare la centralità del metodo di ricerca con la necessità di spendere i risultati della ricerca nell’esperienza del campo.

Il Coni, per ricordare l’importanza di tale figura, ha istituito questo Premio che, giunto alla sesta edizione è rivolto ai campi di ricerca che il Professor  Madella ha contribuito a sviluppare:

- Metodi, mezzi e valutazione dell’allenamento e dell’insegnamento nello sport
- Le scienze sociali applicate al contesto sportivo
- La gestione, l’organizzazione e la valutazione delle organizzazione sportive

Le finalità del concorso  sono:
Valorizzare e promuovere le attività di ricerca nell’ambito delle scienze dell’esercizio fisico e dello sport, sia in campo professionale, sia in campo accademico, nelle discipline scientifiche  applicate allo sport di cui si è occupato il prof. Alberto Madella, nello spirito della multidisciplinarità che ha contraddistinto la sua vita professionale

- Stimolare la comunità scientifica nazionale ad approfondire gli studi in campo sportivo per lo sviluppo di una pratica sempre più di qualità che, nel rispetto dell’etica, tenda al miglioramento di tutti quei fattori che concorrono alla performance sportiva intesa nel suo senso più ampio, scientifico, sociale ed umano

Il Premio mette in palio tre borse di studio e un invito a partecipare ad uno dei seminari organizzati dalla Scuola dello Sport. Scadenza improrogabile per la presentazione: 30 settembre 2017.

Mental disorders among rugby players

Another study showing again that the mental disorders are very common in the professional sports.

Abstract. The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders among professional rugby players across countries. A cross-sectional analysis of the baseline questionnaires from an ongoing prospective cohort study was conducted. Nine national players’ associations and three rugby unions distributed questionnaires based on validated scales for assessing symptoms of common mental disorders. Among the whole study sample (N=990; overall response rate of 28%), prevalence (4-week) of symptoms of common mental disorders ranged from 15% for adverse alcohol use to 30% for anxiety/depression. These findings support the prevalence rates of symptoms of common mental disorders found in previous studies among professional (i. e., elite) athletes across other sports, and suggestions can be made that the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety/depression seems slightly higher in professional rugby than in other general/occupational populations. Awareness of the prevalence of symptoms of common mental disorders should be improved in international rugby, and an interdisciplinary approach including psychological attention should be fostered in the medical care of professional rugby players. Adequate supportive measures to enhance awareness and psychological resilience would lead not only to improved health and quality of life among rugby players but arguably to enhanced performance in rugby.

(byVincent Gouttebarge et al., Int J Sport Med)

Children, sport, family income

This new survey shows most clearly how children’s sporting activities are closely related to the economic possibilities of their family, confirming the trend that a low income  reduces the frequency of participation in team sport. Do sport half of children with a household income less than 25,000 $US (34.6%), if compared with children who come from families with an income of at least 100,000 $US (68.4%).

Very often the athletes don’t have someone to talk about their fears

The need to use an humanistic psychology approach to sports it comes out, in my opinion, continuously in demands that athletes do to psychologists. It regards, not so much in teaching specific strategies and psychological techniques like to manage the competitive stress to stay focused on the tasks or to know how to collaborate with the mates. It regards some aspects of the sport life, that for these people is not just a job to do at the best but it has become an all-encompassing experience that gives meaning to their existence, where the value of oneself as a person is measured on results to reach. For many athletes it is not enough to do their job professionally,because they want always, even in training, be committed at the top and get in the race results of the highest level.

The relevance of the humanistic approach stems from concerns that arise from the athletes’ performance. The mother of all questions is for young people: “I will achieve the results for what I am working?”. That for older athletes becomes: “I shall be able to repeat these results?”. But these are just some of the possible concerns, arising in the minds of most of the best athletes, those who have managed to move their youthful passion into an ambitious and satisfying job, which for many it has become so overwhelming do not to leave space for very little else, with the joys and sorrows of this condition. The athletes, with rare exceptions, do not have qualified people to talk about these subjects. Rarely talk about coaches or mates, more often with their partners or parents.

The sports psychologists should be the most qualified professionals to address these issues but they must possess a well developed training and a personal sensitivity to help the athletes in dealing with these issues.