Bill
Beswick
answers your sports
psychology questions
Bill Beswick is the former England
Football Team Sports Psychologist. He
answers your questions on the importance of
good leadership and how it is not necessarily
the best players that always win games but
those that have the right mental preparation
and attitude.
For more information please visit
www.billbeswick.com
SPORTS PSYCHOLOGY
W
hat role did you play within the England
football team and what did this involve?
I was very honoured to be the first ever Team
Psychologist appointed to the staff of the England Football
Team. I believe this marked a breakthrough in our
understanding of the impact of psychology on performance.
Fortunately I had worked alongside the new Manager, Steve
McClaren, for many years and we both believed that:
‘Performance Follows Attitude’
At the lower levels of performance players often fail
physically, technically or tactically. However at the highest
levels – when the expectations are demanding and the
game is played before vast audiences – the cause of
player/team failure is often psychological.
My role was to create a positive and motivational
environment for the players that constantly reinforced their
desire to play for England and their self-belief that together
we could achieve ‘a prize worthwhile.’
DISCUSS: How much impact do you think the
mental side has on a sports performance? Does this vary
if the performer is in the cognitive, associative or
autonomous stage of learning? Is strong mental
preparation and attitude more important for some sports?
14 Sport IQ : September 2008