Sports psych - debriefing

What is debriefing?

A process of review of performance which should highlight both positives and negatives and all factors which influenced the performance

What is included in a debriefing?

• What went right?

• What went wrong?

• What was a good idea but didn’t work?

• What needs to be done differently?

• Provide athletes with answers to enable them to move forward

What are the guidelines for a debriefing?

• Do it promptly – while the performance is fresh in everyone’s mind.

• Include the athlete – encourages responsibility and develops critical thinking.

• Identify what was missed – what should have happened but didn’t.

• Reinforce what went well – build on strengths.

• Adapt or adjust strategies – when plans or tactics fail, figure out why and fix it.

• Review all stages – include pre-competition, competition, coping, and past debriefing notes.

Why does debriefing matter?

Helps athletes and coaches:

• Understand what influenced performance.

• Make decisions for future improvement.

• Build trust in the training program.

• Develop self-analysis and independent thinking.