The process of planning for athletic competition with
the purpose of promoting optimal athletic performance.
These plans consist of detailed cognitive, emotional, and
behavioral strategies that are specifically designed to
bring an athlete to, and keep him/her in, his/her ideal state
for peak performance (Gould, Flett, & Bean, 2009).
Athletes have described the benefits of following competition
plans as allowing them clearly to know what they
must do, be totally prepared, and perform automatically;
these athletes were also more likely to experience flow
(Jackson, 1995). Competition plans are typically practiced
and become a routine (see routines) for the athlete. These
plans are commonly used by highly successful Olympic
athletes, while their less successful counterparts do not
implement a set plan (Orlick & Partington, 1988).
Though variation exists between sports, competition plans
generally consist of three elements: (1) precompetition,
(2) competition, and (3) postcompetition.
Precompetition plans are intended to assist the athlete
in reaching his/her optimal performance state in a consistent
manner. These plans should be designed to cover
the time from when the athlete wakes up on the day of
competition to immediately before competition begins
(Albinson & Bull, 1988). Though each athlete’s precompetition
plan should be individualized to fit his/her
specific needs and personality, some common preparatory
techniques used to reach an optimal performance
state include: self-talk, imagery, preselected music,
physical and technical warm-ups, and arousal regulation.
Other considerations commonly taken into account
include: precompetition meal, equipment checks, and
how early to arrive at the venue. While routine, these
plans must also be flexible, so as to not introduce stress
if part of a routine cannot be completed.
Competition plans are utilized throughout the competition
itself, with the purpose of maintaining optimal
athletic performance. These can allow athletes to maintain
optimal arousal, stay positive, and maintain or
regain focus in the face of distractions. This is often
accomplished using self-talk, attentional cues, and
relaxation techniques. In sports with breaks between or
during performances, such as tournament sports (e.g.,
wrestling) and shift sports (e.g., hockey), betweencompetition
plans can also be used. Similar to other
competition plans, attentional focus, arousal regulation,
and relaxation are emphasized. Competition plans can
also include technical or strategic components that are
general for all competitions or specific to the particular
opponent or competition venue. These technical and
strategic components allow the athlete to perform automatically
without having to think (e.g., in hockey, send
the puck down the ice when killing a penalty).
Postcompetition plans are aimed at evaluating the
effectiveness of the precompetition and competition
plans. During this time, athletes assess what they found
worked for them during the precompetition and competition
plans and what did not work. Following this,
changes to these plans can be made to either highlight,
downplay, or remove certain aspects. Competition plans
should be in a state of constant refinement to find that
which works best to assist the athlete in reaching their
optimal athletic performance.
