A coach perspective on the use of planned disruptions in high-performance sports.

Abstract

In elite sports, a case is increasingly made for the structural inclusion of what we label as planned disruptions. These are structured and deliberate training activities whereby athletes are exposed to increased and/or changing demands under controlled circumstances. Despite the growing body of evidence in support of planned disruptions (e.g., Sarkar & Fletcher, 2017), there is a lack of knowledge on which strategies coaches use in an applied context and why they use them. The present study, therefore, aimed at exploring the different types of planned disruptions high performance coaches use and the desired outcomes of these disruptions. To this end, thematic analysis (Braun, Clarke, & Weate, 2016) was used to analyse semi-structured interviews with nine talent development and elite level coaches (Mage = 42.9, SD = 8.3; 6 male, 3 female). Results indicated that coaches use a combination of nine types of planned disruptions (i.e., location, competition simulation, punishments & rewards, physical strain, stronger competition, distractions, unfairness, restrictions, and outside the box). These strategies were used to familiarize athletes to pressure, create awareness, develop or refine personal resources, and promote team processes. Three additional themes emerged, namely the surprise use of planned disruptions, periodization, and the impact on personal relationships. The findings in the present study can guide further applied and theoretical explorations of the use of planned disruptions.

A Process Evaluation of a Performance Psychology Intervention for Transitioning Elite and Elite Musicians

“…Similar results have also been found for pressure training through the use of augmented reality in music (Williamon et al, 2014) and are consistent with findings from other performance domains (e.g., Oudejans and Pijpers, 2010;Nieuwenhuys and Oudejans, 2011). This workshop used the planned disruptions framework (Kegelaers et al, 2020) to explore how musicians can create pressure situations within their own practice, considering manipulation of demands in relation to the individual, the environment, or the task at hand.…”

A Mixed Methods Evaluation of a Pressure Training Intervention to Develop Resilience in Female Basketball Players

“…Following the increased attention for pressure training in recent years, some scholars have examined how coaches can use this principle in an applied context (e.g., Kegelaers, A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t Wylleman, & Oudejans, 2019;Stoker, Lindsay, Butt, Bawden, & Maynard, 2016). Kegelaers et al (2019), for example, explored coaches' use of planned disruptions. These are structured and deliberate activities whereby athletes are exposed to increased and/or changing demands under controlled conditions.…”

“…Within this broader approach, planned disruptions specifically aim to increase the demands and challenge levels of practice and to elicit a psychological stress-related (i.e., perceived imbalance of demands and resources) or pressure (i.e., perceived importance of performing well) response (Fletcher & Sarkar, 2016b;Stoker et al, 2016). As such, planned disruptions and pressure training move beyond the original focus on motor skills development per se, but also aim to let athletes develop the resources to deal with reallife pressure situations (Kegelaers et al, 2019).…”

“…When setting up pressure training through the use of planned disruptions, it is crucial to consider which other facilitative factors have to be present (Kegelaers et al, 2019). It has previously been argued that the stress exposure in and of itself will not necessarily lead to positive development (Collins, MacNamara, & McCarthy, 2016;Sarkar & Fletcher, 2017).…”

“…In this regard, metacognitive strategies, such as self-reflection, are an important resilient quality A c c e p t e d M a n u s c r i p t as it allows athletes to identify personal strengths and weaknesses and facilitates learning from stressful experiences, and as such contribute to resilience (Cowden & Meyer-Weitz, 2016;Crane, Searle, Kangas, & Nwiran, 2019;Fletcher & Sarkar, 2012). Kegelaers et al (2019) found that coaches did not simply use planned disruptions as a way to familiarize athletes to pressure, but also used these training strategies as formal reflection moments to create awareness of athletes' responses under stress. Through these reflections, planned disruptions might be used to promote team processes, develop personal resilient qualities (Kegelaers et al, 2019), and, perhaps most importantly, provide athletes' with the opportunity to develop confidence in their own ability to withstand pressure (Collins et al, 2016).…”