Mental Preparation for Officials - Concentration & Self-Reflection

Michael Lloyd 

Psychological Consulting 

Mental Preparation for 

Officials - Concentration & 

Self-Reflection 

SLSA Coach & Official Conference 

Jupiter’s Hotel and Casino 

4 th April 2011 

Presenter: Michael Lloyd

Understanding Optimal 

Performance 

Michael Lloyd 


• The 4 Elements of Optimal 

Performance: 

‣ Physical 

‣ Technical 

‣ Tactical 

‣ Mental 

• The Mind Complimenting and 

Enhancing the Body 

(c) Michael Lloyd 2011

Mental Preparation & 

Optimal Performance 

Michael Lloyd 


Perceived Perceived Potential for 

Demand Ability Optimal Performance 


Managing the 

Demand 

• The Performance Shopping List…Creating Certainty & 

Excuse Free Performance: 

‣ Do I know what to do? 

‣ Do I know how to do it? 

‣ Do I know when to do it? 

‣ Do I have the resources & ability to do it? 

‣ Do I want to do it? 

Michael Lloyd 


‣ Am I doing everything I possibly can in order to be successful? 


Creating the Ability 

• Setting Clear Goals 

‣S.M.A.R.T 

‣Long Term & Short term 

‣Process Oriented 

‣In the moment 

‣Consistent with Values 

‣Acknowledge Success 

Michael Lloyd 



Creating Optimal 


• Self-Awareness & Role Intellect 

Michael Lloyd 


– Know your role (i.e., what works, what doesn’t and 

what changes) and show commitment 

– Model correct attributions 

– Use effective self-talk (clear, direct, affirming) 

– See yourself executing successfully 

– Manage your activation levels (energising or 

relaxing) 

– Manage your attention and concentration 

– Act with intent 


Concentration & Elite 


Michael Lloyd 


Elite officials: 

• Are less likely to become distracted by irrelevant factors; 

• Maintain a more task-oriented attentional focus; 

• Develop exceptional concentration abilities appropriate to 

their sport. 

• Are absorbed in the present; 

• Are mentally relaxed and have a high degree of 

concentration and control; and 

• Report a state of extraordinary awareness of both 

themselves and the external environment. 


Concentration & Elite 


• Concentration is NOT an all-or-nothing phenomenon. 

• Various types of attentional focus are appropriate for 

specific sports and activities. 

• Research (Nideffer, 1976; 1981) on the role of 

attentional style in sport views attentional focus along 

two dimensions: 

– width (broad or narrow), and 

– direction (internal or external) 

Michael Lloyd 


• By combining width and direction of attentional focus, 

four different categories emerge, appropriate to 

various situations and sports. 


Concentration & 

Optimal Performance 

External 

Michael Lloyd 


Broad-external 

Narrow-external 

Broad 

•Peripheral awareness 

•Ability to read and react to the 

environment 

•Scanning 

•Required in open-skill sports 

•Focused targeting 

•Block out distractions 

•Remain focused on Target 

Narrow 

Broad-internal 

Narrow-internal 

•Analysis 

•Problem solving 

•Planning 

•Creative thinking 

•Focus on a single thought or idea 

•Enhanced body awareness 

•Following instructions 

•Sticking to a game plan 

Internal 


Shifting Attentional 

Focus 

Michael Lloyd 


• Given these four attentional categories, it is not 

uncommon, and often necessary for officials to adopt 

different forms of attentional focus during different 

aspects of performance. For example: 

– Broad External (e.g., monitoring a number of 

competitors or crafts through the break) 

– Narrow External (e.g., focusing on a specific 

competitor) 

– Broad Internal (e.g., analysing and event planning) 

– Narrow Internal (e.g., making a specific decision) 


Concentration & 

Attentional Problems 

• Most officials recognise that they have difficulties 

concentrating for the duration of a performance (or 

at specific times). 

• Usually, concentration difficulties are caused by 

inappropriate attentional focus or an ‘attentional 

mismatch’. 

Michael Lloyd 


• Rather than focusing on appropriate cues, officials 

become distracted by thoughts, other events, and 

emotions. 

• These distractions can be both internal and external 

in nature. 


Internal Distracters 

• Living in the past 

• Worrying about the future 

• Self-talk 

• Increased arousal and state anxiety 

• Choking 

• Fatigue 

• Pain/discomfort 

Michael Lloyd 


• Hunger & dehydration 


External Distracters 

Michael Lloyd 


• Visual distracters 

– Crowd, media, environment, etc. 

• Auditory distracters 

– Crowd noise, PA system, environment, etc. 

• Physical interactions 

– Athletes, team officials, weather 

conditions, etc. 


Strategies for Improving 

Concentration 

Michael Lloyd 


• Simulation training (including imagery) 

• Cue words 

• Positive self-talk 

• Mindfulness and non-judgemental thinking 

• ‘Parking’ thoughts 

• Performance routines 

• Staying in the present 


Concentration Exercises 

• Shifting attention (internal/external, 

broad/narrow) 

• Concentration grids, puzzles, sudoku 

• Playing video/computer games 

• Clock face exercises 

• Mindfulness exercises 

Michael Lloyd 



Creating Optimal 


Michael Lloyd 


• Performance Routines 

1. Identifying each aspect of your role 

2. Positive self-talk/encouragement 

3. Images of perfect execution 

4. Self-regulation (physical and emotional) 

5. Execution (and related cues) 


Performance Analysis 

and Self-Reflection 

• Date 

• Competition 

• Role/s & Performance Focus 

• What went well 

Michael Lloyd 


• What could I improve (+ what was missing) 

• What did I learn about myself and/or my 

role/ the competition/environment 

• General comments 


Questions? 

Michael Lloyd

Mental Preparation for Officials - Concentration & Self-Reflection

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