Canoe Wales is the national governing body for paddle sport in Wales. We:

  • Manage the National White Water Centre which is located on the river Tryweryn in Bala, North Wales
  • Represent the interests of our club and individual members
  • Advocate on behalf of the interests of the sport in Wales
  • Provide coaching and development programmes from local to international level
  • Stage national and international competitions.

Coaching the Mind

Level:

Aimed at Level 1 and 2 coaches, but can be attended by anyone

Time:

3 hours

BACKGROUND / AIMS:

To introduce paddlers to the role of mental skills in paddlesport development and performance and to relate the area of mental skills training to coaching and paddler development, providing some working definitions.
  • Introduce the concept of mental skills training to coaches in the paddlesport environment.
  • Introduce the basic concepts of imagery training
  • Introduce the basic concepts of concentration training and styles.
  • Introduce the basic concepts of optimal arousal and arousal control strategies.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

By the end of this module participants should be able to:
  • Understand the place and value of mental skills training in paddlesport
  • Understand processes and practices necessary to develop mental skills
  • Describe applications of imagery in paddlesport training and performance arenas.
  • Understand multi sensory nature of imagery & internal/external perspectives
  • Experience exercises in imagery training.
  • Understand the various styles of attentional focus and the appropriateness to paddlesport situations.
  • Experience exercises in concentration training.
  • Understand the concept of optimal arousal and its application within paddlesport.
  • Explore strategies for lowering arousal and practice a basic relaxation technique.
  • Explore strategies for raising arousal and practice a basic ‘psyching up’ technique.