THE ATHLETE’S
THE ATHLETE’S
STORY:
STORY:
SARAH THOMAS –
SARAH THOMAS –
BRITISH OLYMPIC
BRITISH OLYMPIC
HOCKEY PLAYER
HOCKEY PLAYER
The thoughts and feelings: “I felt really emotional.
The solution: “I had worked with a sports psychologist
Doubting my ability and being aware that people were
previously on visualization and positive self talk and as I was
watching whereas I normally don’t notice the crowd or hear
walking to take the stroke I was just talking myself through
the sounds or get that nervous. I feared that I would miss and
what I was about to do and how it felt to do it. I knew where I
ruin the chance of a gold medal, and promotion to the B
wanted to put the ball so it was just a matter of putting it
division”
there.”
Greatness requires the control of emotions. Watching the Euro
Sport is anxiety provoking, it is scary! That moment before the
2008 semi final match between Spain and Italy, I put myself in
whistle blows in a football match or the instant you receive the
Cesc Fabregas’s expensive football boots. He could put his
ball from the scrum half. These moments cause butterflies in the
country in the final of a major championship and rid his country
stomach, worrying thoughts and cause mental mayhem that
of the great underachievers of European football. I doubt I
makes you forget any game plan you had. Imagine what this
would have made the short walk to the penalty spot, let alone
must be like when Johnny Wilkinson received the ball on his right
kick the ball goalwards. The little Spanish maestro, showed
foot to win the 2003 rugby world cup!
glimpses of greatness. He showed no worry and kept all his
thoughts under control and calmly slotted the ball home. As
Stressful! Not for Johnny. He had practiced this moment since he
Kipling one wrote “if you can keep you head whilst all those
was four. He had lived this moment until it was automatic, until
around you are losing theirs, yours is the world my son, and
he felt as though he was on the Newcastle training ground with
everything in it.”
only his coach watching. There was no worry, no negative
thoughts; all he could see was the ball flying through the middle
of the posts. He took the most anxiety provoking situation,
TASK: Watch http://www.blinkx.com/video/moscow-missed- turned it onto a positive and not only kicked the winning points,
penalties/l63Q4GOxW18lo4Foe9_KcQ imagine you are the but kicked the Aussies where it hurt! Sporting greatness beckoned
penalty taker. Close you eyes and imagine what you are thinking
with not an anxious thought in sight.
and feeling before the penalty is taken.
24 Sport IQ : September 2008