Exploring the utility of an online post event reflection tool in elite sport: A case study

Abstract

In elite sport environments, coaches and sport psychology practitioners work to optimize individual and team performance. One strategy is the use of athlete self-awareness, identified as a key to optimal sport performance (Ravizza & Fifer, 2014). The purpose of this study is to investigate the utility of a novel, online post-event reflection (PER) tool (Chow & Luzzero, 2019) used in the context of an elite sport team. Specifically, we sought to test the efficacy and effectiveness of the PER as a self-awareness tool to track individual and team outcomes over time (e.g., performance, mental skills). Participants included 21 members of a Canadian University Women's Ice Hockey Team who completed the PER following 24 games across one season. Athletes were provided a personalized summary of PER results at midseason and postseason during individual meetings with the head coach and mental performance coach, and could request a PER summary at any time during the season. In terms of efficacy, the PER provided tailored insight used as a basis for discussion with the athletes, complementing other objective, analytical performance-related feedback. As evidence for effectiveness of the PER, narrative visual examples will be presented to illustrate specific ways the PER was used, along with significant team-level associations between self-reported mental skills and overall performance (.49 ? r ? .91, ps < .001). We conclude the presentation with a series of recommendations for future applied practice in order to optimize the use of the novel online PER in the context of elite sport.