What is Resilience? Resilience is the ability to bounce back after challenges and tough times. Why Is Resilience important? Building mental resilience helps young people to deal with difficulties that are a part of everyday life, it also helps them develop the basic skills and habits to deal with challenges later in life as they move into adulthood. Young people with greater resilience are better able to manage the stress that is a common response to difficult events. Stress is a risk factor for mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. How Sport Can Build Resilience Dr Martin Turner, Senior Lecturer in Sport and Exercise Psychology at Staffordshire University has been investigating what it is that helps people react well to adversity. His research has shown that "the beauty of sport at any level is that it provides a test for us to see how well we can react to adversity. It provides the perfect challenge for the way we think and feel under pressure." Dr Martin describes how he has worked with many amateur athletes and how these athletes were better able to handle exams and interviews because they have performed in-front of crowds of people in their sport. These athletes proved to themselves through sport that pressure won't kill them, and that they can cope with scrutiny and evaluation on the field of play, just like in an exam or interview. Dr Martin goes on to say that some parents believe that the pressure of competitive sport should be avoided and that it could be emotionally painful and difficult and that sport should be purely for fun and enjoyment. Dr Martin argues that "resiliency is developed from childhood, and therefore young people should be challenged and tested." But he also adds that "these challenges have to be met with strong support structures (such as positive parenting as well as positive coaches) that help young competitors realise that their adverse experiences are non-life threatening learning opportunities." Dr Martin also suggests " we challenge ourselves." The sports psychology lecturer proposes to not just think of sport in terms of its health or social benefits (which is a great reason to participate) but also as a means to build a resilient mindset helping our children to deal with life's many challenges. AuthorJohn Sortwell |
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April 2024
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