A TIME AND A PLACE
The Psychological Challenges of target shooting include, the mental concentration that is necessary for perfecting "performance" and the ability to withstand the pressures of competition, and last but very important is, "the desire to WIN".As a Judge, for both Smallbore Rifle and Shotgun, I was fortunate and privileged, to gain an appointment as an Official for both the 2000 World Cup, and the 2000 Olympics, both in the Clay Target events. This obviously gave me a golden opportunity to gain experience, not only as an official, but also to observe and when able, to discuss the different coaching methods and tactics, employed by overseas coaches.
As a coach, I always encourage athletes to accept that, "Wherever you are, be ALL there". Yet it never fails to amaze me, that after all the hard work and sacrifices, an athlete (and their coach) endures, to achieve the ultimate goal of being selected to compete at, be it State, National or Olympic level, only to have some of them leave the most important element, "Mental Discipline" at home, on the day of that Match".
We know that the purpose of Mental Discipline, is to enable a shooter to "reproduce, or exceed their previous best performance, under competition conditions, on demand".
During the last Olympic qualifying round of the Trap event, I observed what I considered to be the most glaring example of a complete lack of Mental Discipline, displayed by two, very well known and highly regarded exponents of the Trap discipline.
Both shooters were physically on the firing line but due to a hang up in the electronic scoreboard from the previous squad, the start was delayed by one or two minutes. Instead of these two shooters staying composed and focussed on their "Planned Mental Routine", they proceeded to share what apparently was a very good story, resulting in much laughter.
I pointed out my observation to my scoring colleague and stated that while I hoped to be proved wrong, I considered it would be unlikely that neither of the two shooters would perform well, because of their poor Mental Discipline.
Needless to say, I was not proved incorrect and both shooters returned a performance, which was not only well below their normal standard, but certainly cost one of them, any chance of a "Finals" berth. At the end of the Round, that shooter was seen to be visibly distressed and upset whilst being comforted by their coach (perhaps more sterner words would follow, at an appropriate time).
It is an accepted fact, that the Planned Mental Routine is a shooters plan of Mental Discipline and is developed and rehearsed during the training sessions and is designed to keep the shooters mind completely occupied, and that is one of its values, for it eliminates stray thoughts that lead to "Match Pressure".
Wherever one travels to competitions, throughout the world, it is always wonderful to form or renew old friendships, and to treasure those special moments, however, the firing line at an Olympic Games is Neither the Time, Nor the Place.
Kelvin Masters
Level 2 Coach