Monthly Archive for July, 2024
Talking about performance at the Olympics means, more often than at any other competition, talking about excellence. This term refers to rare, unusual, and difficult-to-repeat performances.
In an age of rampant narcissism, where many seek originality by disguising it as creativity and personal uniqueness, the Olympics confront us with the reality of truly exceptional performances that only a few manage to express in this competition involving the best athletes in the world.
I would like to focus on this idea: among all participants, just over 10% will win a medal, and of these, about 3% win gold. Excellence is a rarity, but in daily life, this term is almost always used for much inferior human performances.
It would be appropriate for the word excellent to be used in everyday life for activities and performances that truly are excellent, not just fairly good, good, or even very good.
Unfortunately, this will not be the case, as social media rewards those who manage to reach more people, thus popularity, rather than the content of the performance.
So let us be content with this event that occurs once every four years, which reorders the value of the quality of execution (the content) and not the popularity of the protagonists.
This article clearly explains the probable reasons for Jannik Sinner’s tonsillitis and the reasons why it is strongly discouraged to participate in competitive events during this illness: Keaney LC, et al. The impact of sport-related stressors on immunity and illness risk in team-sport athletes. J Sci Med Sport (2018).
Athletes are continually exposed to stress factors that have the potential to depress immune functions and increase the risk of infections, particularly upper respiratory tract infections or the common cold. In fact, it is the most common infectious disease reported by elite athletes. The illness is of great concern to athletes because it can disrupt training and performance.
To understand why athletes seem to have a higher risk of infection, the field of exercise immunology has emerged. Studies in this area have primarily focused on identifying immune markers that can be used to predict athletes’ susceptibility to illness, mainly in endurance athletes. In particular, mucosal immunity and T-lymphocyte cytokine responses have been found to be key determinants of infection risk for these stress factors include training, competition, travel, extreme environments, psychological stress, sleep deprivation, poor nutrition, and excessive alcohol consumption.
Common symptoms include sore throat, headache, runny nose, and cough, and they can result from infectious causes (viral, bacterial, or fungal etiology) or non-infectious and inflammatory causes (such as allergies, asthma, and trauma to the respiratory epithelial membranes).
The Paris 2024 Olympics are beginning, and many athletes, to fulfill their dreams, will find themselves in the position of having to deliver a performance that defines their sporting life. The Olympic Games are the most important competition for every athlete; it is the event that can change their sports career, much more than a world championship. This holds true for those who have already won and wish to repeat their success, as well as for those athletes who are starring for the first time. Despite doping scandals, winning an Olympic medal continues to be every athlete’s dream, and for those with a realistic chance of achieving it, it represents everything they dared not think about, for fear that the desire might not come true.
What athletes must manage these days is their panic, oscillating between peaks of confidence in their abilities, bolstered by their past sports results, and moments of pure terror where the worst-case scenarios seem to take over. These emotions are less common among athletes who are not podium contenders, those aiming for a respectable finish, who are already happy to be competing in the world’s greatest sporting event.
For others, the medal hopefuls, those in the top positions of the world rankings, the waiting can be exhausting. They must know how to manage this waiting period, accepting this underlying emotional noise in all its nuances, reducing destructive emotions with constructive states of mind and thoughts. The race with themselves doesn’t begin at the ready-set-go; it has already started these days. Because the before determines the after; how they handle the days immediately preceding the event determines how they will perform on the day of the competition.
often ask athletes about the mental part of their final warm-up just before the race. For many, it consists of mentally rehearsing the event they are about to face or using chosen words to reach an optimal level of emotional activation. This mental work creates a mix of feelings, physical sensations, and thoughts that allow them to focus solely on their performance. In this way, they arrive at the moments just before the start, within their bubble, completely absorbed in what they are about to do. Then they start, and everything happens, or should happen, seemingly spontaneously.
Of course, it’s not like that. Every sport requires a balance between aggressiveness and competitiveness and the ability to stay on task without becoming impulsive. It’s like in Formula 1; you need to dare and attack without falling into the trap of doing so at all costs, regardless of the situation.
In a few days, the Paris 2024 Olympics will begin. Since the Atlanta 1996 Games, I have worked with athletes participating in the world greatest sporting event. Sometimes I have been with them, while other times, as it will be for this one, I have followed them from afar.
Working with people who strive to give their best and win an Olympic medal is a great responsibility and a great emotion. Competing in the Olympic Games is the realization of every athlete’s dream, built on long preparation that transforms their lives and gives them visibility almost unimaginable for most sports.
Working with them is a significant responsibility, as you are required to prepare them to be mentally ready when the time comes to compete. Being ready is not easy, and it is probably not easy to explain. It’s not just about having prepared in the best way, but it’s something that goes beyond the psychophysical condition achieved through months of training and competitions. Winning an Olympic medal means entering the history of world sport forever, and just this idea can take anyone’s breath away. Even athletes from sports less followed by the media and on social media, these days are interviewed and achieve much greater visibility than they are used to, for example, when competing in the world championships, which for everyone is the second most important sporting event.
At the Olympics, those who can best manage this type of stress, in addition to the competition stress, win. There are athletes and teams that fail precisely for this reason; they are not prepared for these situations, and the Olympic village itself can be a source of distraction that takes them away from focusing on themselves. Among professional athletes, many like tennis players and cyclists participate not so much because their careers might change in case of success, but they want to be there precisely for the value this event represents; they want to be remembered as part of this history.
In just a few days, everything will begin, with enthusiasm and fear. It will be a beautiful spectacle, and so, may the best win.
Managing the competitive stress of participating in the Olympics is crucial for any team aiming to excel in this high-level competition. Here are some steps and strategies a team can adopt to manage stress effectively during the Paris Olympics:
Psychological Preparation
- Professional Psychological Support: Hire sports psychologists to work with the athletes, helping them develop stress management techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, and meditation.
- Mental Training Sessions: Integrate regular mental training sessions into the training routine, focusing on strategies to maintain concentration and calm under pressure.
- Pre-Competition Routines: Help athletes develop pre-competition routines that include relaxation techniques and activities that help them feel centered and prepared.
Physical and Logistical Support
- Adequate Recovery and Rest: Ensure athletes have enough time for recovery and rest between competitions, including proper sleep management and training schedules.
- Balanced Nutrition: Ensure athletes follow a balanced and adequate diet, supported by sports nutritionists, to maintain optimal energy levels and reduce physical stress.
- Injury Management: Have a medical team ready to intervene in case of injuries, providing immediate treatment and effective recovery plans.
Emotional and Social Support
- Positive Environment: Create a positive and supportive team environment where athletes feel appreciated and encouraged, thus reducing individual pressure.
- Open Communication: Foster open and honest communication between coaches and athletes, where concerns and issues can be discussed freely and addressed together.
- Involvement of Families: Allow, where possible, the support of families, who can offer significant emotional comfort to athletes.
Technical and Tactical Preparation
- Competition Simulations: Conduct simulations of competition conditions, including high-pressure scenarios, to accustom athletes to managing stress in competitive situations.
- Opponent Analysis: Study opponents and develop detailed tactical plans, reducing uncertainty and increasing athletes’ confidence in their abilities.
- Constant Feedback: Provide constructive and continuous feedback to athletes throughout the preparation process, helping them improve constantly and feel more secure.
Logistical Preparation
- Advance Planning: Organize every logistical aspect well in advance, including accommodations, transportation, and access to training facilities, to reduce organizational worries.
- Adapting to Time Zones: Arrive in Paris well ahead of time to adapt to the time zone and new environmental conditions.
- Minimizing Distractions: Minimize external distractions, such as interviews and promotional activities, allowing athletes to focus on their performance.
Conclusion
Managing the competitive stress of the Olympics requires a holistic approach that integrates psychological, physical, emotional, and logistical support. Through comprehensive and targeted preparation, a team can face the challenges of the Paris Olympics with greater serenity and confidence, maximizing their chances of success.
There are only a few days left until the start of the Paris 2024 Olympics. Let’s try to describe the mental characteristics demonstrated by athletes who have won a medal in previous editions.
1. Determination and Toughness
Olympians are extremely determined and do not give up in the face of difficulties. Their tenacity pushes them to continue training and improving, even when they encounter obstacles or moments of discouragement.
2. Concentration
The ability to stay focused on their goal and maintain concentration during training and competition is crucial. Olympic athletes manage to block out distractions and concentrate entirely on their performance.
3. Resilience
Resilience is the ability to quickly recover from setbacks or injuries. Successful athletes can overcome adversity, learn from their mistakes, and continue to improve.
4. Self-discipline
Athletes who win a gold medal exhibit a high level of self-discipline. This is reflected in their ability to strictly follow training programs, diets, and daily routines necessary to reach the peak of their performance.
5. Self-esteem and Self-confidence
Believing in their abilities is crucial for achieving success at such high levels. Olympic athletes have strong self-esteem and confidence in their skills, which helps them perform at their best under pressure.
6. Stress Management
The ability to manage stress and the pressure of international competitions is vital. Olympic athletes develop techniques to maintain calm and mental clarity even in the most stressful situations.
7. Intrinsic Motivation
Olympians are often driven by intrinsic motivation, a deep personal desire to excel and achieve their goals, rather than external motivations like awards or recognition.
8. Visualization Skills
Many athletes use mental visualization techniques to imagine their perfect performances. This practice helps them prepare mentally and improve their confidence in their abilities.
9. Growth Mindset
Successful athletes embrace a growth mindset, believing that their skills can be improved through hard work and continuous learning. This mindset drives them to seek new challenges and not fear failure.
10. Passion and Love for the Sport
A genuine passion and deep love for their sport are common characteristics among Olympic medalists. This passion motivates them to dedicate countless hours to practice and training.
These mental characteristics are fundamental for achieving excellence and success in the highly competitive context of the Olympics.
10 actions that a team sports coach can implement to promote unity and cohesion within their team:
- Organize team-building activities: Plan days or events dedicated to activities that help team members get to know each other better and build mutual trust.
- Communicate clearly and transparently: Ensure that all players understand the team’s goals, expectations, and their role within the team.
- Promote a culture of respect: Encourage mutual respect among players, avoiding favoritism and treating everyone fairly.
- Create common goals: Define clear and shared goals for the team so that every member works towards the same objective.
- Involve all players: Ensure that every player feels like an integral part of the team, giving everyone opportunities to contribute and express themselves.
- Support and encourage: Offer emotional support and encouragement to players, especially during difficult times or after a defeat.
- Provide constructive feedback: Give honest and constructive feedback that helps players improve rather than criticizing them destructively.
- Promote respect for the rules: Ensure that all team members respect the rules and shared values, maintaining proper behavior both on and off the field.
- Organize regular meetings: Hold regular team meetings to discuss progress, issues, and solutions, encouraging everyone’s participation.
- Lead by example: Be a model of positive and professional behavior, demonstrating commitment, dedication, and passion for the game, so that players can be inspired by their coach.
By following these actions, a coach can create a positive and cohesive team environment where every member feels valued and motivated to give their best.
