My goal while conducting my research is to find out how mindfulness plays a role in the decision making of soccer players while making decisions about a play like a penalty kick. The goal of this research is to delve deeper into the mindset of soccer players and determine whether “mindfulness” directly improves their playing skills while in a game. I will speak of different mindfulness programs such as PST to reinforce my point. I will also speak of the direct relation between focus, decision making in high anxiety situations such as making a penalty kick and mindfulness in athletics. I will use clinical trials and research articles as sources.

Source 1: Mindfulness in Athletes

This source explains how mindfulness is used in the athletic field. While practices such as mediation are considered a mindfulness practice, this research article dives deeper into the “mental training” aspect of the sport industry. Not only is it important to train your body to make the right moves, it is important to train your mind as well.

How will this source be used? 

This article furthers my range of knowledge surrounding my hypothesis. I will use details in this article such as the mention of psychological skill training (PST) to strengthen my hypothesis and reiterate how mindfulness is used as a way to change the reactions to your thinking patterns in fast moving situations such as making a penalty kick in a soccer game.

Source 2: 

Relationship between Mindfulness, Psychological Skills, and Mental Toughness in College Athletes

This article describes the positive correlation between mindfulness and mental skills necessary to be a successful soccer player. The study has five sub-scales, motivation, coach-ability, concentration, confidence,  and peaking under pressure. Each of these aspects is studied and it is shown at the end of the study that athletes with “higher mindfulness status may focus better on their sport itself”

How will this source be used?

This source will be used to further the knowledge behind my hypothesis. It will be used as evidence that mindfulness is indeed used to make decisions and successful plays under pressure. This source will also be used to discuss the pos. correlation between mindfulness, decision making, and focus.

Source 3: What Makes an Elite Shooter and Archer? The Critical Role of Interoceptive Attention

This research article discussed the importance of introspective attention within sports. It explains that introspective attention. They point out that attention is a significant part of being a successful athlete. There is also mention of exteroceptive attention and the ability to respond to external signals around you. There was a study conducted where athletes partook in mindfulness training. The results showed an improvement in accuracy while aiming and increased perception to signals around the individual.

How will this article be used? 

This article will be used to help strengthen the hypothesis that mindfulness is a key component in the decision making of a soccer player while doing a penalty kick. Decision making and perception of signals is a fundamental part of making a successful penalty kick and being a good athlete as a whole. Soccer players have to take advantage of all of their senses in order to calculate the best way of making the play.

Source 4: The impact of Mindfulness and Mental Skills Protocols on Athletes’ Competitive Anxiety

Many athletes experience competitive state anxiety. This is described as the anxious feeling that occurs when in a highly competitive environment, such as a soccer game. This article walks readers through how mindfulness allows athletes to cope with this and be level headed on the field.

How will this article be used?

This article will be used to provide another example of the many benefits of mindfulness with athletes. I will use this article to help readers get into the mindset of soccer players and athletes, and understand how mindfulness is beneficial.

Source 5: Mindfulness Mechanisms in Sports: Mediating Effects of Rumination and Emotion Specific Regulation on Sport-Specific Coping

This source discusses the relation between rumination and emotion regulation functions as essential mechanisms in the relation between dispositional mindfulness and sport-specific coping skills. It also explains the importance of increased dispositional mindfulness and improving capacity to regulate negative emotions. Doing so might enhance athletic performance.

How will this source be used?

This source will be used to focus on sport-related coping skills and their enhancement of athletic performance. It also focuses on PST and details specific sports psychology mindfulness practices. It will help to explain both the negative and positive processes that come with playing sport, and how athletes work through it, thus, enhancing performance.