Debriefing in sports can be defined as an evaluation
of competitions, during which athletes and coaches
retrospectively analyze performance and performance
outcome in order to increase future performance.
Originally debriefing was used in the military to prevent
posttraumatic stress disorders of returned soldiers
and was later on extended to fields such as clinical psychology,
medicine, education/teaching, and competitive
sports (McArdle, Martin, Lennon, & Moore, 2010).
Referring to Hogg’s Debriefing-Modell (1998), this
process includes six steps: (1) agreement on time and
location for feedback; (2) (self-) reflection and analyses
of performance, (3) sharing information also of significant
others, (4) determining need for change, (5) resetting
and adjusting goals, and (6) revaluating and
monitoring future performance. Debriefing helps athletes
to gain awareness of what is necessary for a successful
performance development. Debriefing as an
optimized routine supports the mental and emotional
recovery as well as the performance of an athlete.
