Dr.Hab., Professor L.D. Nazarenko¹
A.S. Kovalenko^1
1Ulyanovsk State Pedagogical University named after I.N. Ulyanov, Ulyanovsk

Keywords: football, mental conditioning model, model testing experiment, physical fitness, technical fitness.

Background. Precompetitive mental conditioning methods and tools are known to be more efficient when the upcoming competitive performance is closely modeled to test the actual physical, technical, tactical, theoretical and mental fitness for the event, with a special priority given to the potential competitors’ fitness test data for comparisons and match planning purposes. When all the other competitive fitness elements are virtually equal, the highest priority will be given to the precompetitive mental conditioning tools.

Objective of the study was to test benefits of a new mental conditioning model for the 15-17 year-old skilled football players to facilitate their training and competitive progress.

Methods and structure of the study. We designed our new mental conditioning model customizable to the following psychological factors of influence:

- Player’s interest in the sport, cognitive activity and competitive success motivations;

- Competitive determinations;

- Motivational aspects on the whole including the need for special systemic knowledge, leadership ambitions and resource etc;

- Responsibility including self-discipline and self-restrictions dictated by the competitive progress agenda; and

- Progress facilitating climate including support from families and surrounding people.

The mental conditioning model was designed to:

- Cultivate good stress tolerance for the athlete to be able effectively cope with the external stresses by special concentrating, attention focusing, self-disciplining and mental/ emotional balancing skills;

- Help the athletes master modern ideomotor conditioning and competitive performance modeling methods;

- Advance and excel the individual mental control skills to effectively cope with fatigue and mental stressors by the timely and focused volitional resource mobilizing efforts;

- Improve the performance self-rating and self-analyzing skills to timely detect and correct errors;

- Improve the teamwork harmonizing skills; and

- Make the athlete fully fit for competitive encounters and versatile enough to employ the most efficient and unexpected techniques and tactics for success.

We sampled for the mental conditioning model testing experiment the 15-17 year-old Class I-II football players (n=36) split up into Experimental and Control Groups (EG, CG) of 18 people each with equal numbers of forwards, defenders and midfields (n=6 in each subgroup). The CG was trained using the traditional training method; and the EG training and precompetitive cycles were complemented by the new mental conditioning model.

The general and special physical fitness tests prior to the model testing experiment were as follows: 15/30m high-start/ interval sprint; standing long jump; standing high jump; triple jump; and stuffed ball throw tests. The pre-experimental physical fitness tests found insignificant intergroup differences (р>0.05). The pre-experimental technical fitness was tested by the ball control, passing and repossession; head shots; shots on goal; penalty shots; and long shots tests. The pre-experimental physical fitness tests found insignificant intergroup differences either (р>0.05): see Table 1.

Results and discussion. To rate benefits of new mental conditioning model for the physical and technical fitness aspects, we run post-experimental test – that showed progress in both of the groups with a significantly better progress in the EG.

Table 1. Pre- versus post-experimental general/ special physical fitness test rates of the CG/ EG

Note: CG in numerator and EG in denominator

The pre- versus post-experimental 15m high-start sprint test found the CG making progress from 2.50 ± 0.19 to 2.48 ± 0.21 s (p> 0.05); versus the EG progress from 2.49 ± 0.17 to 2.41 ± 0.18 s (p> 0.05). In the standing long jump test, the CG made progress from 2.12 ± 0.13 to 2.16 ± 0.17 cm (p> 0.05) versus the EG progress from 2.11 ± 0.18 cm to 2.23 ± 0.20 cm (p <0.05). The higher special physical fitness progress rates of the EG showed benefits of the mental conditioning model facilitated by the reasonably versatile training and competitive conditions including the multiple locations of the training/ competitive sites, widely variable workloads, reasonable changes in the climatic conditions etc.

The pre- versus post-experimental technical fitness tests found the following progresses. In the long pass test, the CG made progress from 4-6 to 5-8 passes (p> 0.05) versus the EG progress from 4-6 to 10-16 passes (p<0.05). In the penalty shots on goal test, the CG made progress from 3-4 to 5-6 shots (p> 0.05) versus the EG progress from 2-4 to 8-10 shots (p <0.05): see Table 2.

Table 2. Pre- versus post-experimental technical fitness test rates of the CG/ EG

Note: RG in numerator and EG in denominator

Meaningfully higher progresses of the EG versus CG in the technical fitness tests may be interpreted as indicative of the new mental conditioning model being beneficial for the training and precompetitive fitness systems. The EG players were also tested with progress in confidence, movement coordination and emotional balancing skills; plus the players showed more enthusiasm for self-reliant technical excellence trainings and improved motivations for competitive progress.

Conclusion. The new mental conditioning model testing experiment showed benefits of the special mental conditioning tools in the training and precompetitive settings as verified by the EG progress in sport mastery, stress tolerance, attention focusing on techniques, teamwork harmonizing and other aspects. The mental conditioning model benefits were rated with consideration for the model sensitivity to the actual competitive settings and challenges; training performance and accuracy; precompetitive fitness self-rating accuracy; practical performance efficiency; anxiety controls etc. Based on findings for the mental conditioning model testing experiment, the model may be recommended for application in the football excellence training systems.

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Corresponding author: ld_nazarenko@mail.ru

Abstract

Objective of the study was to experimentally substantiate the effectiveness of the methodology of psychological adaptation of qualified football players to training and competitive loads.

Methods and structure of research. When developing the methodology of psychological adaptation to training and competitive loads, we considered the psychological factors. The effectiveness of the developed methodology was assessed in an educational experiment, which involved 36 qualified (Class II and I ) football players aged 15-17 years. They were divided into 2 groups: Control (CG) and Experimental (EG) Groups, 18 players of different positions each: forwards, defenders and midfielders, 6 players each, respectively. In the CG, the training sessions were conducted according to the generally accepted methodology. In the EG, the developed methodology of psychological adaptation to various training and competitive loads was used.

Results of the study. The analysis of the results of the educational experiment showed that under the influence of systematic training loads, the indicators improved in both groups with a pronounced advantage in the EG. A more significant improvement of the technical fitness level in the EG subjects was associated with the inclusion in the lesson plan of psychological training. This contributed to an increase in the athletes’ self-confidence, formation in them of skills of self-control of motor actions; psychoemotional self-control skills; motivation for additional independent classes aimed to improve the individual technique of execution of the elements of motor actions that make up the content of football.

Conclusions. Psychological adaptation to changing training and competitive loads is a significant factor in increasing the level of sport mastery of qualified football players of 15-17 years of age, which ensures improved stress resistance under the influence of adverse environmental factors; focusing on the technique of execution of motor actions, etc.