The Toolkit
Sportoolkits: Recognizing Psychology was formed in 2007. The founders Amanda D'Arrigo and Vanessa Forcella are constantly working together with other professionals and practices to develop toolkits, or that similar to an educational resource that target sport-related psychological issues. These psychological issues vary and the toolkits are designed to target specific age groups, however can be altered to adapt to those other ages and maturity levels.
The focus within this tool kit is sport self-confidence and is designed for 10-12 year old primary school students. Previous studies have revealed that self-confidence is one of the most frequently cited psychological factors thought to effect sport performance and considered to be a key factor to successful performance.
Due to the increase in youth sport participation and competition, we feel it is necessary to take an active approach to minimize the effects it can have on talented young athletes. Often young talented players lacking self-confidence regret missed opportunities in performing well and competing to their full potential. Putting in place a tool kit from a young age is more beneficial and will equip these student-athletes with the skills necessary to face their self-confidence in future years.
The toolkit has already been adopted into the PDHPE school curriculum and season training for sport clubs around Australia. Both the feedback of this toolkit alone and its affects have proved positive outcomes. The toolkit is a great learning tool for all students regardless if they experience sport self-confidence, as the psychological skills adopted in this tool kit may be manipulated to suit other life aspects of self-confidence.
The toolkit, although a main focus of sport self-confidence interrelates various other psychological skills to aid in the enhancement of sport self-confidence. It is crucial to recognize other skills that in a way form the strategies that are necessary to increase sport self-confidence.
This tool kit is designed for the use of teachers/coaches, parents/caregivers, and students/players that embraces various questionnaires, activities and strategies which focus on down-playing competition and working on ways to assist the student athlete.
Sportoolkits will continue to strive and work towards increasing participation in physical activity.