Boosting Football Excellence: The Impact Of Psychological Skill Training
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Abstract
This study explored the impact of Psychological Skills Training (PST) on the performance of football players, focusing on mental toughness, self-talk, imagery, perception of success, and motivation. The sample consisted of 32 midfield players aged 20-25, recruited from Forman Christian College, Lahore, using purposive sampling. None of the participants had prior knowledge of sport psychology or had undergone PST. Instruments included the Sports-related Mental Toughness Questionnaire (SMTQ), Automatic Self-Talk Questionnaire (ASTQ), Sport Imagery Ability Questionnaire (SIAQ), Perception of Success Questionnaire (PSQ), and Sport Motivation Scale (SMS). A three-day PST program was administered, comprising relaxation techniques, imagery exercises, and self-talk strategies tailored to the role of midfield players. The study employed a pre-test/post-test control group design, with data analyzed using paired sample t-tests and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Results indicated significant improvements in the experimental group across all psychological variables and performance metrics. The SMTQ, ASTQ, SIAQ, PSQ, and SMS scales demonstrated high reliability, with Cronbach's alpha values exceeding 0.89. Statistical analysis revealed substantial effect sizes for the experimental group, indicating the efficacy of the PST program in enhancing football performance, particularly in first touch, passing, and tackling percentages. The findings underscore the importance of psychological skills in sports performance and suggest that incorporating PST into regular training regimes can significantly enhance the mental and physical aspects of athletes' performances. The study highlights the potential of PST as a crucial component in sports training, warranting further exploration and application in different sports contexts.