Chapter 3 Competitive Drive: Embracing Positive Rivalries By Cal Botterill

1. Chapter 3 Competitive Drive: Embracing Positive Rivalries By Cal Botterill

2. Competition • The basis of natural selection and evolution. • Competition is the drive to excel. • But competition can also make us • self-centered, • judgmental, • envious, and • negative about rivals.

3. Total Fitness Model From Botterill and Wilson, 2002.

4. Irrational Beliefs in Sport • My self-worth is on the line in the next few moments. • I must perform for others. • I must be perfect. • The world must always be fair.

5. Intrinsic Motivation • Intrinsic motivation gives a competitive edge due to • task-relevant focus, • setting of process goals, and • self-acceptance (not worrying about self-esteem).

6. Extrinsic Motivation • Extrinsically motivated athletes are more likely to be • distracted and • affected by competitive conditions and outcomes. • Emphasizing extrinsic rewards can undermine or destroy intrinsic motivation.

7. Setting the Mental Stage for Competition • The essence of the competitive challenge in life is learning ways to “keep one’s desires greater than one’s fears” (Doug Newburg). • Being the “favorite” can lead to “playing not to lose” rather than “playing to win.”

8. Maintaining an Effective Perspective in Sport • Canadian research by Matt Brown et al. (2001) • Best performers: • Diverse identity and strong self-acceptance • Strong, meaningful relationships with persons who were unconditionally supportive • Strong personal values and attitudes

9. Competition Skills That Enhance Performance • Competition and cooperation involve complementary skills and values; they are not polar opposites. • Even the argument that competition automatically leads to excellence is lost if lack of cooperation results in no strong opponent to compete against.

10. Peak Performance • Charles Garfield studied the common traits of top performers in various fields and found they shared these traits: • A sense of mission • Work ethic • Wise use of resources • Superior preparation • A love of challenge and change • A desire to work as a team

11. “The great thing about sport is that it enables us to care passionately about something that doesn’t really matter.” --Scott Taylor, Winnipeg Free Press

12. Teaching Effective Competition Skills • The key to effective competition is perspective. • Strategies to develop perspective include • emotional management—the acceptance and processing of feelings, and • emotional preparation—the anticipation of possible feelings in competition and rehearsal of effective responses. (continued)

13. Teaching Effective Competition Skills (cont) • Team-building can be an effective strategy for overcoming individual differences. • “Pseudo” teams: the “disease of me” • “Real” teams • embrace competition and positive rivalries, and • are committed to open, genuine, caring communication.