Below is a model answer which gained full marks in the prelim exam.
Question: By making reference to the MENTAL factor and one other from either: Physical, Social or Emotional a) Explain some of the challenges you may face in the period leading up to this event. (8)
Some mental challenges you may face leading up to your event are Anxiety over losing this event may prevent you from concentrating on your performance and technique which would result in errors and possibly losing at the event. Low mental toughness could result in you being unable to push through and beat your opponent if they are beating you in the early stages of the event, having low mental toughness would mean that you wouldn’t be able to motivate yourself to play better and you would continue to lose points. If your level of arousal is low and you feel like you don’t need to worry about who you’re competing against, you may be unprepared if you come across a challenging competitor which means you could end up losing, or not winning at your event. If your motivation is low then you may not be able to perform to the best of your ability due to not being able to set goals or get yourself excited for the challenge which could result in losing at your event.
Some physical challenges you may face building up to your event could be a lack of muscular endurance. If you have low muscular endurance then you will become fatigued earlier on in the event which means your standard of playing will drop due to errors being made because you are unable to perform the correct technique due to fatigue and low muscular endurance. Timing may also be a challenge. If your timing is off say in a swimming race, your dive at the start will be mistimed causing you to have a bad start which will increase your time or get you disqualified. Your tumble turns during a race may also be mistimed which would further increase your time. If you had a lack of agility this could affect your performance. In a game of hockey, if you had a lack of agility, you would not be able to turn with the ball quickly to dodge defenders or attackers which could result in your team losing possession of the ball or giving your opponents an opportunity to score. Accuracy could be a challenge you face as well. If your accuracy is not well developed it could mean that you are not able to, in a game of badminton, accurately hit the shot to where you want it to go which means it may go out or your opponent may have an easier chance of returning it and winning the point.
Below is a model answer that gained full marks in the prelim exam.
Question: 3b) Evaluate two benefits of the methods you used to monitor and evaluate the impact of the PHYSICAL factor on performance. (4)
Two benefits of the training diary is that you can look at it when you want so it is a permanent record and can be accessed whenever it needs to be and can help to see how you are finding your sessions which meant that I could change anything around that I felt was not working. Another benefit is that it can have no limit and you can be true to yourself about how you feel and if you feel you’re improving or not. You can also attach different pieces to the diary and you can look back on it to see how far you have come which helped me to see how I was doing.
Two benefits of Standardises test is that they have small, informal instructions, can be found online and can be explained so that they can be performed correctly so you can get the correct set of results so your monitoring is accurate, this helped me to see how I was in comparison to other which was useful as it showed me what I had to do. I could also see that I had improved my overall performance by comparing two sets of test results which would help me to see that my training was working, this was important as if I was not doing good enough then I would not have improved. Another benefit of monitoring using tests is that I could compare my results with the national norms so I could see how well my training was working so if not I could change something around so in training I could then win more games which was the overall outcome of my training. This helped a lot as it meant I improved faster and I could then put my training to good use where I could now beat my opponents more as my training was proving to be useful.
Below is a model answer that gained full marks in the prelim exam.
Question: 3a) Explain why it is important to monitor your progress when carrying out a programme of work to develop the PHYSICAL factor. (4)
To monitor my progress I can use a training diary. This is a good way to find out what other factors are affecting my performance, i.e how I was feeling before performing. I can set appropriate targets for each session, this will help me improve my weaknesses. I can identify my strengths and weaknesses and make changes to my training programme in order to improve. I can set appropriate targets and can adapt my programme in order to improve my performance. I can record all of the information in one area and can refer back to it at a later stage to make comparisons and see what worked best for me.
I can also monitor and evaluate by retesting. I could re-test using the same methods to gather data as before which would increase the reliability. This would allow me to make comparisons to see what my strengths and weaknesses were, to see if I had improved and to see If the approaches to develop performance had worked.
Below is a model answer which gained full marks in the prelim exam.
Question: 2b) Analyse the advantages and disadvantages of using these approaches to develop the MENTAL factor and your overall performance. (6)
An advantage of using positive self talk to develop mental toughness was that I was able to maintain a high level of motivation and focus throughout my performance a I was able to counter negative mistakes with positive reinforcement. Another advantage was that I was able to counter the negative criticism from external factors (crowd, opposition, parents) with positive self talk therefore not allowing external factors to affect my performance. A limitation of positive self talk is that is requires a confident personality and can be heard to be positive in the middle of a poor performance, it requires strong will power to keep going and not give up. Many performers rely on external factors for encouragement (crowed, parents, coaches).
An advantage of visualisation is that it increases the performer’s understanding of the skills that are required to be performed during the game or performance. It also allows the performer to increase mental toughness before a performance. Another advantage of visualisation is that it allows performers to maintain a high level of motivation by referring back to previous successes when they make mistakes or lose focus. A limitation of visualisation is that it can take experience and maturity to be able to perform it effectively. The performer must be aware of the surroundings and may be required to find a private location in order to concentrate fully.
Below is a model answer that gained full marks in the prelim exam.
Question: 2a) Describe how you developed your performance in relation to one MENTAL factor. (2)
Positive self talk – I used positive self talk to help improve my levels of anxiety before and during a performance. This is where I use phrases that trigger positive thoughts. I use it when I am playing rugby and begin to doubt my skill level and ability. I say things like “I can do it” and “I have trained hard” which allows me to think positive and focus on playing. If I don’t use it then it becomes a vicious cycle of negative thoughts that will throw me off and ultimately lose me the game.
Below is a model answer that gained full marks in the prelim exam.
Question: 1b) Analyse the benefits and limitations of the method(s) you used to gather data on performance? (4)
The benefits of using video is that once I have videoed my performance then I am able to view and analyse my performance and this can help me to see what improvements I need to make which was good as it helped to improve certain areas of my technique. Another advantage is that the video can be viewed at any time and can also be re-winded, fast forwarded or slowed down which was useful as it meant I could view my technique a lot and in slow motion which would give me a better view. The limitations of video is that it can require a lot of money to first set up which meant that I would have to take up some time and make some purchases. Another limitation is that it could take a long time to do if there is a lot of people that need videoed so it can limit training time.
The benefits of a scattergraph is that it is easy and simple to understand so it can easily be executed and carried out. Another benefit is that it provides valuable and valid information that can then be referred back to in the future. A limitation of the scattergraph is that if the shot is high paced it might be hard to see exactly where it lands so it may not be as accurate.
Below is a model answer that achieved full marking in the prelim exam.
Question: 1a) Explain the method(s) you used to gather data on the impact of the PHYSICAL factor on performance? (4)
One method I used to gather data on my performance was the Sit and Reach Test in order to gather data on my level of flexibility. The Sit and Reach Test allowed me to gather data on my flexibility. The benefits of the Sit and Reach Test are that; it is held indoors so in a controlled environment, easy to make comparisons to national norms and the test is quick and simple to conduct as I do not require any specific knowledge of flexibility therefore; accurate results will be maintained. It is also easy to understand.
Another method I used to gather data on my performance was the Standing Vertical Jump. This test measured my power. The benefits of this test are that; it is simple, quick, and easy to conduct as you don’t require much specific equipment. Also, I can make comparisons to national norms/averages and the test is easy to understand.
Welcome to your new Higher PE blog. We will be using this over the coming weeks to share learning resources model answers that have been submitted by pupils in class.
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