Self-Directed Coaching Manual: Introduction

SDCM, Self Directed Coaching Manual, is a teaching manual for athletes, with special focus on adult elite athletes.

At some point, elite athletes will find themselves on their own in terms of integrating their athletic training package. There are usually many specialists helping the athlete, but it is often up to the individualathlete to decide the relevance and importance of this information. The Goal Setting Section introduces problem solving methods to help the athlete decide their personal direction. Then more specifically, the athlete can target an area of development in the controlled interventions sections of the manual: Control of Physical Behavior, Control of Emotions and Environment

This manual is based on the science of psychology, which studies the brain and nervous system. The main question in psychology is “How does an individual react in a specific situation?” Human behavior (what we do) takes into account the thoughts, emotions, psychology and situation of the individual. This manual attempts to apply psychological models of human behavior to help athletes in their sports and training performance. I have designed this manual so no previous education in psychology, physiology or kinesiology are required to understand the content. Relevant principles in science of psychology are presented in How the Brain and Nervous System Work section.

Most interest and research in psychology, as in medical sciences, is on fixing problems, while little emphasis is on prevention and reinforcement of positive capacities. This manual’s primary focus is on the latter. Research in sport psychology attempts to find similarities amongst groups of people. This is called demographics. For example, elite athletes are demographically different from regular athletes. In finding sport interventions for regular athletes, one can study the demographic similarities of the group and design a program. In finding sport interventions for elite athletes, demographic similarities have little value. It is the uniqueness of the athlete, that makes them stand out. This manual focuses on problem solving strategies that help elite athletes find what is special about them in their sport. I consider elite athletes, not as a group different from regular athletes, but as individuals. Throughout the manual, there will be paragraphs discussing special considerations of elite athletes.

PREFACE

Creation of Self-Directed Coaching Manual

Most summers, I spend time behind the scenes with the Canadian water ski team. I have trained alongside them, sometimes recreational, sometimes more seriously. The Canadian water ski team has had a unique reputation of breaking world records and winning world championships for decades, starting in the 1970s.

In the summer of 1995, I’d recently finished a degree in psychology, and spent that summer alongside Judy McClintock Messer, as she trained for and won the world overall title in water skiing. My first reaction was “great”, but a couple of months later it hit me. Why is it that members of this club are always winning? Why are we winning and not others? The thing is, there is nothing spectacular about us. We look average. We function like a typical extended dysfunctional family; however, when we start water skiing, everything falls into place and good things happen. The other thing that hit me, was the disproportionate amount of club and team members who actually win a world title. I reflected on this: what it is to win the worlds. I started to think of a number of people in the world - billions, and then the proportion that try waterskiing - a lot, and then the number that train, and then the ones who manage better than anyone else. What was always a casual summer activity for me, all of a sudden felt surreal, and this got my head spinning.

Later in 1996, I had some time to put my thoughts down on paper. Initially, I jotted down what I found intriguing about all of this. Then I decided to focus in what was done right on the water ski team. I jotted memories of what had happened, constantly reminding myself to avoid observational bias, as I was taught in university. Then, I took these observations and integrated them into psychological platforms that were used at the time. These platforms were still fresh in my mind from university studies. The result was a visually-orientated, point-form document called Self-Directed Coaching Notes: How Elite Athletes Can Coach Themselves, or SDCN. Later, I added more visual aids for the notes, and started a manuscript for the notes, but the written pedagogical version was not coming along well, so I stopped. In 2007, the first manuscript trial was written, called Self Directed Coaching Manual, and in 2011 the final manuscript was completed.

Meanwhile, back on the water ski dock, the newest generation, who I had been with since birth, had won the worlds. In 2009, Whitney McClintock won the Slalom, Trick and Overall titles at the World Water Ski Championships, breaking tournament records in the process. Along with her brother, Jason McClintock, they helped team Canada win an overall title as well at the same championships. Many others who train with them, are also winning other international titles. So the good tradition continues.

The practical process of learning and performing are in Section 3, especially, end points as stimulus control. The reader may want to start there, and refer to the other sections for supportive information as needed. I wrote this in logical sequence, but it is to be used as a reference manual, accessed anywhere, and parts would probably need to be re-read and reviewed a few times to understand to the point that the reader can apply themselves. Take your time. Be patient. It's all very simple once figured out.

SELF DIRECTED COACHING MANUAL
How athletes can coach themselves

by Anda Vitols 2011

research and content 1996
visual learning design, cartoons 1997-98, 2002, 2011
first manuscript 2007
final manuscript 2011

Dedicated to: All those with a curiosity on what it means to excel
Thanks to: Academic community in science of psychology, for providing me with a platform on which I could soundly build this psychological application.; Canada’s competitive water ski team, for being so successful, especially when I was there to witness.

COPYRIGHT STATEMENT

Information may be reproduced without permission subject to the fair dealing provision and the exceptions set out in the Canada Copyright Act, R.S., c. C-30, s.1. The source or the work must be fully acknowledged. Information may not be re-distributed or stored for the purpose of serving through any other retrieval system without written permission by Anda Vitols. No guarantee or warranty, expressed or implied, is made about the value or stability of the information or links made herein. However, the reproduction of this work, in whole or in part, for the purposes of commercial use, resale or redistribution requires written permission by Anda Vitols.

DISCLAIMER

Anda Vitols is referred to as "I" in this disclaimer.

Sport psychology is an ever-changing science. As new research and coaching experience broadens our knowledge, application of sport psychology methods change and evolve. I have used sources that I believe are reliable and valid. However, the possibility of human error or change in psychological sciences may occur. Hence, I do not warrant that the information contained herein is in every respect accurate and complete, and I am not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. Readers are encouraged to confirm the information contained herein with other sources. In summary, Anda Vitols, the author of this web site, accepts no responsibility for damages resulting from its use.

[end of introduction and preface]

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