Assignment Question
Overview The final project for this course is a case study analysis of a real-world athlete who is having issues with his or her athletic performance. The case study will have a sports psychology focus—the role of emotions, the role of stress, different coping techniques, and so forth—and will focus on individual or multiple areas that an athlete would want to address to improve his or her performance. The project is divided into two milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold learning and ensure the quality of the final submission. These milestones will be submitted in Modules Two and Five. The final submission will occur in Module Seven.
Outcomes This assessment will evaluate your mastery with respect to the following course outcomes: Evaluate common problems in athletic performance within the context of psychological issues related to athletic competition Relate key theories from multiple areas of psychology including personality, motivation, and biopsychology to major concepts in the field of sport psychology Analyze the relationship between athletic competition and the pursuit of excellence in other human endeavors Critically evaluate current research relevant to sport psychology and theories of athletic competition
Prompt Case
Introduction Provide general information on a current athlete, including his or her full name, age, gender, sport, current team affiliation (if applicable), and a summary of his or her achievements. Briefly describe background information of the athlete—any notable developmental concerns, educational issues, medical problems, or substance abuse that might be affecting the athlete’s performance. Evaluate the athlete’s current issues regarding his or her athletic performance. To what extent are psychological issues impacting his or her athletic performance?
Evaluation To what extent are issues of personality at play in the athlete’s performance problems? Defend your claims with specific examples and major concepts in the field of sport psychology. To what extent are issues of motivation at play in the athlete’s performance problems? Defend your claims with specific examples and major concepts in the field of sport psychology. To what extent are issues of biopsychology at play in the athlete’s performance problems? Defend your claims with specific examples and major concepts in the field of sport psychology. To what extent are other aspects of psychological theories or concepts influencing the athlete’s athletic performance (e.g., addiction, disorders)?
Plan of Action What specific recommendations should be made to improve the athlete’s psychological well-being? Relate each recommendation to a concept or theory in sport psychology and substantiate each recommendation using a scholarly resource. What motivational theories could one utilize to help improve the athlete’s performance? Substantiate each recommendation using a scholarly resource. How would the recommended plan of action help the athlete regain his or her elite status? Discuss potential improvements related to each problem identified in the case introduction.
Implications To what extent is your plan of action applicable to an “average” athlete struggling with a similar problem? In what ways might the problem and plan of action relate to other human endeavors outside of athletic competition? Provide specific examples to illustrate your claims.
Milestones Milestone One: Topic Submission In task 2-2, you will submit your topic selection. Your topic selection should include at least two references. State the rationale used to choose this topic. Your submission should be one to two paragraphs in length. This milestone is graded with the Milestone One Topic Selection Rubric.
Milestone Two: Annotated Bibliography In task 5-2, you will submit an annotated bibliography that contains at least five references. Also complete the title page. This milestone is graded with the Milestone Two Annotated Bibliography Rubric. Final Submission: Case Study In task 7-2, you will submit your case study. It should be a complete, polished project containing all of the critical elements of the final project. It should reflect the incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course.
Case study length: cover page, 4–7 pages of text, 1–2 pages for references, 6–10 pages total What to Submit Written components of projects must follow these formatting guidelines when applicable: double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, 1-inch margins, and APA citations.