Sports Psychology Course (QQI Level 6) – New

Course details

Module & Programme Structures:

Over the duration of this QQI Level 6 Sports Psychology module you will cover the following topics:

Unit 1: Introduction to Sport Psychology and how it can impact performance in athletes and teams:

•  What is Sport Psychology
• The role of the sport psychologist 
• How Sport psychology can aid performance
• Types of psychological skills training: Confidence, Anxiety, Focus and Goal setting.
• How leaders can use and integrate sport psychology practices into their roles.
• How leaders are responsible for setting an environment which is inclusive of all types of athletes. 
• Gender Roles: examining the differences between coaching male and female athletes. 
• Sport psychology in practice. Looking at practical examples. 

Unit 2: Personality theories and their impact on performance:

• Define personality.
• Why it is important to understand personality when coaching / leading.
• Hollanders Interactionist approach.
• Psychological core, Typical responses, and role related behaviours.
• Trait theory of personality – The Big Five.
• Banduras Social Learning theory.

Unit 3: Motivation and the role it plays in performance and success. Understanding why people participate in sport:

• Definition of Motivation.
• Motivation theories: Self-determination, Achievement Goal orientation, Attribution theory.
• Ego v Task.
• Types of motivation (Intrinsic & Extrinsic) and their reliability to performance.
• The challenges with motivation.
• Understanding the role of gender on motivation. 
• Guidelines for improving motivation and a discussion of the Psychological Skills Training which can aid motivation: Goal setting, Reflection, Feedback. 
• The role of the coach / leader in helping athletes with motivation.

Unit 4: The importance of confidence and self-efficacy in performance and participation:

• What is Self-talk.
• The cognitive triangle.
• Ways to move from unhelpful to helpful self-talk: Framing, Cognitive restructuring and focus cues.
• What enhances an athlete’s confidence v takes away from it. 
• What are the ways to build and improve confidence?
• The use of goal setting and reflection techniques in improving confidence.
• The coach / leader’s role in athlete confidence: Building self-confident athletes.

Unit 5: The impact of anxiety and arousal and the roles each of these have on performance:

• What is anxiety and what is arousal – What do they look like in a performance arena? What happens if they are not controlled?
• Examine the types of anxiety (trait & state)
• Theories of anxiety & Arousal: The inverted ‘U’ hypothesis, Drive theory, Individual zone of optimal functioning.
• The key implications of anxiety and arousal for both participation and performance
• Pressure and nerves as anxiety issues.
• Methods to reduce the negative implications of anxiety: Relaxation techniques such as mindfulness, meditation, and breathing exercise (Box breathing, 5 breath), Pre performance routines, and focus cues.
• Tools to manage arousal: Warm-up, goals, self-talk and focus cues.

Unit 6: The role of focus and how it is critical to sporting performance:

• What are distractions which an athlete may experience? What does this look like?
• Are distractions bad?
• Internal v External focus.
• Circles of Control.
• Methods to improve focus: Goal setting, Focus cues and Routines.

Unit 7: The integration of psychology with leadership for improved athletic experience:

• Communication and effective leadership.
• Characteristics of successful leadership.
• Communication Styles – Males V Female Athlete’s/Leaders.
• Understanding of positive leadership on performance.
• Combining leadership and psychological principles while ‘staying in your own lane’.

Assessment Strategies:

The overall summative assessment strategy centres around a continuous assessment approach which emphasises the link between theory and practice.  Learners will undertake three assessments across the programme.

Over the duration of the programme, learners will have the opportunity to interact with online technologies and to reflect on the application of theoretical knowledge and how this relates to practice. Learners will undertake each of the following assessments across the programme;

• Online Discussion Forum
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Case Study.

Additionally, learners will also engage with a range on online activities which contributes to the formative assessment approach across the programme. Lecturers will provide timely feedback through live online lectures and tutorials as well as through ongoing communications. Learners may also avail of the opportunity of submitting a draft assessment that is also intended as another outlet for formative assessment and feedback.