Examining the use of psychological skills throughout soccer performance

The present study examined the effects of a soccer-specific psychological skills intervention comprising self-talk, relaxation and imagery, on three performance subcomponents specific to midfield players throughout performance. Using a modified multiple baseline across individuals design, three participants had three performance subcomponents (passing, first touch and tackling) assessed across first and second half of performance, for a period of eight competitive games. The results showed the intervention to be effective in enhancing performance in the second half of performance for all participants in at least two of the performance subcomponents. As such, the findings provide some evidence to suggest that psychological skills may affect performance in differing ways throughout competition. Given the findings, potential applied implications and future research directions are discussed