Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l'Océan Indien (CJSOI) Games 2022   |19 August 2022

PS Jean-Louis launching yesterday’s session with the coaches

Coaches learn more on mental preparations

Mental training prepares the mind to help one perform at one’s best, mentally and physically, while mental factors such as confidence, focus, self-belief, and motivation are crucial to athletic performances.

To better illustrate the above factors, a session was organised yesterday for the coaches preparing our athletes for the 12th Commission de la Jeunesse et des Sports de l'Océan Indien (CJSOI) Games scheduled to take place between December 4-11, 2022 in Mauritius.

Jointly hosted by the Youth and Sports department and the National Sports Council (NSC), which took place at the Olympic House at Roche Caïman was conducted certified mental coach Maurice Denys and professional basketball player Abdel Sylla.

Launching the gathering, principal secretary for Youth & Sports, Ralph Jean-Louis, highlighted that most of our local sportsmen focus on the competitive aspect of competitions and tend to ignore the most crucial part which is the mental preparation, and that, he said, include adapting at a Games village which is often the cause of losing medals even before the competitions begin.

On his part, based on his observations, especially in relation to the recently-held 2022 Commonwealth Games, in Birmingham, England, Mr Denys explained that he noticed a certain lack of mental preparations on behalf of athletes, and with the upcoming CJSOI Games, he wants things to be done differently.

Mr Denys explained that most of the time, the young athletes have difficulties in performing, simply because they have not properly mastered the correct techniques of the sports.

He said it is the duty of the coach, through mental evaluation techniques, to evaluate and identify athletes who have mastered good techniques.

Simulation training in sports is another lacking area which Mr Denys said is a crucial part of preparations since it helps athletes achieve greater efficiency and optimal body position in sports.

He also covered self performance-evaluation while athletes maintain their confidence.

This includes identifying positive aspect of athletes’ own performances, and how they reinforce those actions in future trainings.

As for Sylla, he gave an insight into his mental preparations prior to every match as a professional basketball player.

Seychelles will be represented in ten confirmed sports disciplines, namely athletics, beach handball, futsal, boxing, weightlifting, swimming, petanque, tennis, table tennis, yachting, and basketball, alongside the Comoros, Djibouti, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, and Reunion.

Roland Duval