S3 Ep.3 - COACHING: Performance under pressure: How to create clutch performances and prevent choking

Lee Pooley speaks with Lucy Boyce, who is a Coaching Adviser at British Canoeing, a recent masters graduate in Sports and Exercise Psychology at Loughborough University and a keen canoe polo player. 

They discuss Lucy’s research into the subjective experiences of athletes of choking and clutch performance in order to reach a better understanding of the factors that can impede or promote superior sport performance. Lucy explains the importance of creating a psychologically safe training environment for athletes to reduce choking performances to improve their mastery and performance. Lucy and Lee also explore what is involved in creating that environment, the factors that can lead to choking performance and how coaches can identify and support those likely to choke in pressurised situations. She also makes very practical suggestions on how to capitalise from choking and clutch performances.

Lucy's dissertation is available from the British Canoeing Awarding Body Digital Library here.