The Psychology of Sport

The Ashes series is currently hard to understand. The amazingly fragile English batting has reached the depths that I remember all to frequently from our younger days. The quality of England has been over state;, when they managed to to bowl very well for a few overs to take lots of wickets, but otherwise were average. However, they came into the test with the advantage and with more pressure on Australia. So what has happened, and why have they crumbled so precipitously? At the same time the Australians are obviously finding batting to their liking, but then I would fancy my chances at the moment against the England attack.
How are the minds working in the team? Is it all in the head? The “top two inches”.

The insight can come from unsuspecting sources: Joseph’s rugby team, who as previously mentioned are not setting the rugby world alight. Last week they were hammered-the ton was conceded. How do you improve when your confidence is so low? At the same time, when you have had so little of the ball during games you do not learn what to do with the ball when it occasionally comes your way. Yesterday the team were going a familiar way against St. Pats Silverstream. The first half was 40-0, so much of down to fear of contact and tackling in particular. All so disheartening, and the sense of pain on the touch line uniform amongst the regular parents and the coaches. Then in the second half the team changed. They were within 2 minutes of winning the second half 5-0. It seemed just to take commitment form a few of the boys to drag the performance up of the rest of the team. Where did it come from? I am not sure, but it shows that there is more within a team than is always to come to the fore.
I suppose successful coaches are paid lots of dosh because they can connect with the team and pull the performances out of the team that the greater than the constituent parts.