Unit of competency details

Release 

Comments 

1

Replaces and is equivalent to SISSCGP310A Support athletes to adopt principles of sports psychology.

Updated and equivalent. No changes to competency outcome.  Unit re-categorised from Coaching General Principles to Sport Coaching to better reflect the intent of the unit.

ELEMENT 

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA 

Elements describe the essential outcomes of a unit of competency.

Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the required skills and knowledge section and the range statement. Assessment of performance is to be consistent with the evidence guide.

1. Analyse information.

1.1 Access and analyse relevant and current information from a range of sources on the application of principles of sports psychology for peak sporting performance. 

1.2 Identify support personnel  and resources  available to assist athletes  with sport psychology issues.

1.3 Assess athlete’s information needs in relation to psychological approaches to enhance peak performance  in relevant sporting activity.

1.4 Maintain and update information on psychological approaches for peak performance.

2. Liaise with sports psychology support personnel.

2.1. Select appropriate support personnel to assist athletes.

2.2. Consult with support personnel to identify specific psychological approaches for peak performance in the sporting activity.

3. Provide information to athletes.

3.1 Assess individual psychological needs and preference of athletes in relation to the sporting activity according to organisational policies and procedures.

3.2 Explain psychological approaches for peak performance in the relevant sporting activity to athletes.

3.3 Present information to athletes in a style appropriate to the needs of the athletes and the coaching setting.

3.4 Check understanding of athletes regarding psychological approaches  for peak sporting performance using appropriate approaches and encourage athletes to clarify information.

3.5 Clarify with the athletes, the role of the support personnel, including personnel who are experts in the field of sports psychology.

3.6 Encourage athletes to seek advice and support from selected sport psychology support personnel.

4. Assist athletes to implement psychological approaches.

4.1 Select implementation strategies to enhance peak performance in the activity in consultation with the athlete and sport psychology support personnel.

4.2 Support athletes to implement selected strategies in training and competition according to organisational policies and procedures.

4.3 Monitor implementation of psychological approaches during training or competition according to organisational policies and procedures.

4.4 Identify possible psychological characteristics  that act as barriers to enhanced performance and refer athletes to psychology support personnel for treatment.

5. Evaluate the effect of psychological approaches.

5.1 Analyse the performance of athletes in competition situations against expected performance.

5.2 Evaluate the effect of psychological approaches on performance in the activity in consultation with the athlete and psychology support personnel.

5.3 Adjust psychological approaches to better assist athletes to achieve peak performance in the activity in consultation with the athlete and psychology support personnel.

This section describes the skills and knowledge required for this unit.

Required skills 

• communication skills to:

• build rapport with athletes and support personnel
• access, analyse and convey information about sport psychology principles and approaches for peak performance to athletes using appropriate communication techniques
• negotiate appropriate strategies to achieve peak performance with athletes and seek feedback on the effectiveness of strategies

• language and literacy skills to access and interpret information on sport psychology principles and approaches for peak performance relevant to the appropriate sport
• problem solving skills to:

• assess effectiveness of psychological approaches to enhance performance and to modify accordingly
• recognise psychological barriers to enhanced performance and refer the athlete to support personnel.

Required knowledge 

• psychological approaches and techniques such as mental rehearsal, goal setting and self control strategies to assist athletes to prepare psychologically for competition and to enhance performance in a sporting event
• organisational policies and procedures to enable athletes to implement psychological approaches to enhance performance in a professional and supported manner
• motivational techniques to assist athletes to prepare psychologically for a sporting event
• psychological barriers to enable these to be recognised and addressed
• credible information sources regarding psychological approaches for peak performance to enable accuracy and currency of knowledge to be conveyed to athletes.

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the performance criteria, required skills and knowledge, range statement and the Assessment Guidelines for the Training Package.

Overview of assessment 

Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate competency in this unit 

Evidence of the following is essential:

• acquires, selects and adapts information in relation to sports psychology principles and approaches for optimal performance to develop and maintain professional knowledge for own sporting area
• works with support personnel to identify sport-specific psychological approaches for peak performance and selects and adopts communication strategies appropriate to the information needs of athletes
• consults with athletes and support personnel to develop, implement and review psychological approaches to support them in a coaching setting
• monitors psychological approaches of athletes and refers psychological barriers to appropriate support personnel
• develops a rapport with athletes and encourages them to clarify information and access supporting resources.

Context of and specific resources for assessment 

Assessment must ensure participation in multiple interactions with athletes and support personnel that involve the provision and discussion of information and the implementation, monitoring and review of psychological approaches to enable optimal performance to demonstrate competency and consistency of performance.

Assessment must also ensure access to:

• a sport-specific training or competition setting
• athletes and sports psychology support personnel
• sources of information about sports psychology principles and approaches for peak performance
• current organisational policies and procedures that impact on the implementation of psychological approaches for peak performance.

Method of assessment 

A range of assessment methods should be used to assess practical skills and knowledge. The following examples are appropriate for this unit:

• observation of interaction with athletes and sport psychology support personnel including discussions and implementation of psychological approaches for peak performance
• observation of consultation with athletes to review strategies to support them to apply psychological approaches to achieve peak performance
• oral or written questioning to assess knowledge of the principles of sports psychology
• third party reports from coaches or other support staff detailing examples of interactions and discussions with athletes and support personnel such as the implementation of strategies to support athletes with sports psychology.

Guidance information for assessment 

Holistic assessment with other units relevant to the industry sector, workplace and job role is recommended.

• relevant sport specific coaching units of competency.

The range statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. Essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) may also be included.

Principles of sports psychology for peak sporting performance  may include:

• establishing mental routines
• motivation
• stress management.

Support personnel  may include:

• psychologist
• classifiers
• disability specific
• sport administrators
• team managers
• other coaches
• sports physician
• sports doctor
• parents or guardian
• physiotherapist
• accredited exercise physiologist
• sports scientist
• remedial massage therapist
• accredited sports dietician.

Resources  may include:

• audiovisual
• multimedia
• information kits.

Psychological approaches to enhance peak performance  may include:

• performance planning
• pre-performance and performance routines
• mental rehearsal
• goal setting
• self control, arousal and anxiety techniques
• relaxation techniques
• visualisation
• self-talk
• stress management
• time management
• intrinsic and extrinsic motivation
• self-reflection
• concentration.

Approaches  may include:

• discussions
• open questions.

Psychological characteristics  may include:

• loss of concentration
• loss of motivation
• consistent under performance
• aggressiveness.