11th Indian Ocean Islands Games |31 August 2023

Pastor Payet and Reverend Christine Benoit supporting the men’s basketball team (Photo: Roland Duval)

Psychosocial team has been busy, says sports chaplain Terrence Payet

In its effort to deal with negative impacts on athletes, their coaches, and their capabilities of attaining maximum performance, for the first time in the history of the Indian Ocean Islands Games, Team Seychelles is also made up of a psychosocial team.

Psycho sociology is a crucial element for both athletes and coaches prior, during and after any sporting competition, which most of the time comes as burden on the shoulders of athletes and coaches, especially from high expectations of the whole nation.

It also deals with other issues, including personal and social-related issues, health-related issues, injuries, dependence on substance, inability to maintain the right nutrition because of insufficient funds, among others.

Emotional effects, such as sense of loss, lack of motivation, discouragement, mental fatigue, and discouragement also feature under psycho sociology, along with behaviour, which includes inability to focus, not being able to meet set goals, lack of concentration and premature exit from sport.

Pastor Terrence Payet, along with Reverend Christine Benoit have been appointed sports chaplains for Team Seychelles, and according to the former, they have been much occupied dealing with issues involving many local athletes at the Games.

Pastor Payet explained that they have been called to deal with issues such as anxiety and fear to compete.

He said the most common cases are related to the various hiccups of the Games, including lodging, food and transportation which lowered the athletes’ spirits and will to compete.

Pastor Payet said through counseling, they made the athletes understand that most of the time, such barriers are put in place on purpose to bring down the morale of athletes, thus weakening their performances which in return turns into an advantage for their opponents.

He explained that the right way to deal with the situation is to turn negativity into positivity, thus using the bad situations as motivation to prove themselves and compete better.

“Turning on each other and pointing fingers is not the ideal way to deal with these situations,” added Pastor Payet who also noted that follow-ups will be done post Games to ensure continuity of the process.

Roland Duval