Stress in College Athletics: Causes, Consequences, Coping

by Stevens; Robert E

• ISBN13: 9780789009357
• ISBN10: 0789009358
• Format: Nonspecific Binding
• Copyright: 2000-05-25
• Publisher: Routledge

Summary

As the arena of college sports continues to grow, so does the pressure to win and maintain a high level of performance. Containing insight from hundreds of student athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators, Stress in College Athletics discusses the specific strains on these individuals and provides easy and effective methods for reducing the many health risks associated with tension, anxiety, and pressure. This vital guide offers proven techniques that will identify and alleviate stress, such as meditation, muscle relaxation, and exercises that can be done at the office or in the classroom.

Author Biography

James H. Humphrey, EdD, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Maryland in College Park Deborah A. Yow, PhD, DHum, is Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at the University of Maryland William W. Bowden, EdD, PhD, is founder and president of Strategic Management Consultants

Table of Contents

Foreword	ix
Terry Holland
Preface	xi
Acknowledgments	xiii
Understanding Stress	1	(18)
The Meaning of Stress and Related Terms	1	(5)
Theories of Stress	6	(2)
Reactions to Stress	8	(3)
Classifications of Stress	11	(6)
Causes of Stress	17	(1)
Effects of Stress	17	(2)
Perceptions of Stress in College Athletics	19	(16)
Perceptions of Coaches	19	(6)
Perceptions of Athletic Directors	25	(3)
Perceptions of Athletes	28	(4)
Summary	32	(3)
Stress Among College Athletes	35	(14)
Gender Differences	35	(6)
Causes of Stress Among College Athletes	41	(1)
Consequences of Stress Among College Athletes	42	(2)
Coping with Stress Among College Athletes	44	(5)
Stress Among Coaches and Athletic Directors	49	(22)
Stress Among Coaches	49	(13)
Stress Among Athletic Directors	62	(9)
Dealing with Emotions in College Athletics	71	(22)
Factors Related to Emotional Stability	74	(10)
Emotional Reactivity of Coaches Under the Stress of Competition	84	(4)
Opportunities for the Development of Emotional Stability in the Athletics Environment	88	(1)
Evaluating Influences of the Environment on the Development of Emotional Stability	89	(2)
Emotionally Healthy Persons	91	(2)
A Healthful Stress-Management Lifestyle	93	(22)
The Meaning of Health	94	(5)
A Lifestyle That Encompasses the Health and Fitness Triangle	99	(16)
Reducing Stress Through Relaxation	115	(14)
The Meaning of Relaxation	115	(3)
Progressive Relaxation	118	(5)
The Quieting Reflex	123	(3)
Mental Practice and Imagery in Relaxation	126	(3)
Reducing Stress Through Meditation	129	(12)
Types of Meditation	131	(3)
A Procedure for Meditating	134	(2)
Scientific Evidence Supporting the Benefits of Meditation	136	(5)
Reducing Stress Through Biofeedback	141	(6)
The Meaning of Biofeedback	141	(2)
Biofeedback Instrumentation	143	(4)
Reducing Stress Through Self-Modification of Behavior	147	(20)
Toward an Understanding of Self	148	(3)
Self-Concerns That Can Induce Stress	151	(2)
Processes of Behavioral Adjustment	153	(1)
Some General Procedures for Self-Modification of Behavior	154	(7)
Systematic Self-Desensitization	161	(6)
Afterword	167	(2)
Notes	169	(6)
Suggestions for Further Reading	175	(2)
Index	177