Saturday, November 06, 2010

Head Games

had a chance to do an online survey which offered some feedback on my mental game

Coping With Adversity
This will give you an idea about how well you will perform even if you experience setbacks during competition.
0-4 Below average - You better hope nothing goes wrong.
5-9 Average - Improve and you'll be more consistent.
10-12 Above average - You're well prepared for whatever comes your way.

Your Score: 10 / 12 I think I'm fairly resilient ...

Peaking Under Pressure
This can tell you about how performing during your most important events makes you feel.
0-4 Below average - You run the risk of choking at important events.
5-9 Average - There's room for improvement. Sometimes the pressure can get to you.
10-12 Above average - You're at your best when it's all on the line.

Your Score: 11 / 12 - frightening but true. I have yet to experience anxiety about a particular run - the last run at regionals was our best run - I knew I could have about 20 faults and still qualify (my goal) and we ran a smoking clear that got us bonus points and a 6th place!

Goal Setting & Mental Preparation
This gives you an indication of the preparation you have invested in your training and performances.
0-4 Below average - You may experience ineffectual practices and a plateau in your skill level.
5-9 Average - You may find that you struggle with motivation and often have slow starts in competition.
10-12 Above average - You have efficient, focused practices and you're persistent in the face of obstacles.

Your Score: 7 / 12 - no shock - despite my agonizing in this area I get nowhere! I think actually my motivation and performance goals are reasonable - where I fall apart is training goals for EACH and EVERY time I do agility with the dogs. It's too easy to just play with them sometimes.

Concentration
This will show your ability to focus your attention and fight off distractions.
0-4 Below average - Distractions easily affect your performance.
5-9 Average - You may experience a loss of concentration especially if you're fatigued.
10-12 Above average - You have laser-like focus.

Your Score: 8 / 12 - most of the time I'm OK - and when it's big and important I'm fine but I have had some off courses that are nothing but my fault and Sally's attack rattled me badly - I still hear dogs squabbling when I'm running

Freedom from Worry
This tells you if you view your performances as positive or negative experiences.
0-4 Below average - You experience lots of negative thoughts about your performance.
5-9 Average - Sometimes you focus too much on the consequences of a poor performance to have fun.
10-12 Above average - You chose to enjoy your performance over worrying what others think.

Your Score: 12 / 12 - isn't that ridiculous? However my competitive streak is alive and well and I do this for pleasure - I find it interesting that the test picked that up

Confidence & Achievement Motivation
This can give you an idea about your confidence in your skills and how motivated you are to achieve your goals.
0-4 Below average - You often doubt your abilities and consider quitting when faced with difficult obstacles in your training.
5-9 Average - You're confident to a point. Sometimes tough challenges can make you doubt your skills.
10-12 Above average - You aren't afraid to push your limits and unsuccessful performances drive you to work harder.

Your Score: 10 / 12 - I don't know what I think about this one - I can say I know I run GREAT dogs - and the errors made are mine ...there is no doubt screwing up makes me work harder ...

Coachability
This is about how well you handle criticism and your ability to make changes to improve your performances.
0-4 Below average - Improvement during training is slow, you have trouble managing your emotions when criticized.
5-9 Average - You benefit from your coach's comments but can lose motivation during practice if there is a lot of criticism.
10-12 Above average - You make adjustments quickly and enjoy the challenges of training with a demanding coach.

Your Score: 8 / 12 I am a little sad to see this - I'd like to be more "coachable" but I know I get frustrated at times with some of the coaching I've had ... don't know how to change this one
I don't like being nagged -but my coaches don't nag me ... something to work on ...


Athletic Coping Score
The combined score on the ACSI can help identify those athletes who are at risk of underachieving, as well as those athletes who have prepared themselves for peak performance.
0-39 Psychological skill set needs improvement - Risk of underachieving
40-60 Average psychological skills - Average performances
61-84 Solid psychological skills - Opportunities for peak performances

Your Score: 66 / 84 - obviously brought down significantly by coachability and goal setting ... and that darn concentration thing .. I do know I have opportunities for peak performance - thanks to the gang nice to see I might be able to contribute to their success too!

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