Psychosocial Skills in a Youth Soccer Academy: A Holistic Ecological Perspective

Abstract

Psychosocial Skills in a Youth Soccer Academy: A Holistic Ecological Perspective Objectives: The latest research in talent development show that more varied psychological and especially social and cultural circumstances play an important role in talent development. This study assumes an ecological approach to explore which psychosocial skills are important in a youth soccer academy and how psychosocial skills are practiced in this particular environment. Method: The research takes the form of a case study. Data were collected from multiple perspectives (in-depth interviews with managers, coaches and players), from multiple situations (observation of training, competitions and meetings) and from the analysis of documents. Results: The findings reveal explicit (being practiced and talked about) and implicit (indirectly practiced and talked about) psychosocial skills in the youth soccer academy and a differentiation between internal and interpersonal psychosocial skills. Conclusions: Important explicit psychosocial skills are motivation, self awareness and the ability to work hard. However, even more important for the young soccer players dealing with the transition to professional soccer seem to be implicit psychosocial skills such as managing performance and process outcomes (internal) and the ability to utilize team skills and general social skills (interpersonal). Despite the fact that the environment expects the young players to display these skills, they are only indirectly practiced. This study demonstrates the interweaving of psychosocial skills and practice in the talent development environment, and thus underlines the social construction of psychosocial skills in elite sport.

Categorising and defining popular psychological terms used within the youth athlete talent development literature: a systematic review

“…Psychological skills and techniques on the other hand were described as dynamic, learned, and not predisposed (e.g., Holland et al, 2010;Larsen et al, 2012). To conclude, some psychological components are trait like.…”

“…Psychological characteristics serve an explanatory role for individual differences in consistently observable behaviours (e.g., choking under pressure) (Reber, 1995) and distinguish individuals' behaviours from each other as they influence and determine physical behaviours Reber, 1995). They are relatively stable, enduring and consistent across a wide range of situations (Kent, , 2006, but can, just like physical skills, be enhanced or strengthened through systematic development and training Larsen et al, 2012;MacNamara & Collins, 2011;Weinberg & Gould, 2011). Psychological characteristics can be represented as a two-dimensional continuum (e.g., determined-non-determined) on which individuals can move and be measured on (Kent, 2006).…”

“…They represent an individuals' ability to use learned strategies to accomplish specific results (e.g., the ability to reflect on a piece of work to make it better) (Kent 2006;Reber, 1995). Within the reviewed literature, psychological skills are used to regulate or enhance psychological characteristics either immediately (e.g., getting in the zone before a match) or over time (e.g., building confidence) Larsen et al, 2012;MacNamara & Collins, 2011;Reber, 1995;Weinberg & Gould, 2011). Being able to use and retrieve the complex psychological strategies effectively at appropriate times makes it a skill that athletes can acquire through systematic long-term practice (Kent, 2006).…”

“…To a certain degree, they are innate predispositions or personality traits Reber, 1995). Nevertheless, social and contextual (e.g., athletes' performance domain or age/stage of development) influences, as well as performance challenges experienced by athletes, may strongly impact upon their development and operationalization (Henriksen, Stambulova, & Roessler, 2010;Larsen et al, 2012;Wynn & Williams, 2012;MacNamara & Collins, 2015). Psychological characteristics serve an explanatory role for individual differences in consistently observable behaviours (e.g., choking under pressure) (Reber, 1995) and distinguish individuals' behaviours from each other as they influence and determine physical behaviours Reber, 1995).…”

“…Further, Lindsay et al (2014) suggest that a common shortcoming of our discipline is a lack of agreed definitions and conceptual clarity. In the context of talent development, this lack of agreed definitions is readily visible and seemingly accepted in various introductory narratives (e.g., Larsen, Alfermann, & Christensen, 2012).…”