Anxiety level and football players' perception regarding the importance of psychological preparation
Anxiety level and football players' perception regarding the importance of psychological preparation

Summary/Abstract: Success in football demands a wide range of qualities, going beyond just physical abilities and technical proficiency. The purpose of our research was to investigate the perception of both male and female football players regarding the importance of psychological preparation, as well as to know their level of competitive anxiety. A total of 72 football players, aged between 14 and 37 years have participated in the study, 37 boys and 35 girls. To assess the football players’ perception regarding the most important characteristics that facilitate athletic performance, an opinion questionnaire PQ-F (Psychological Qualities Necessary in Football) was used and, in order to investigate the competitive anxiety, a modified version of the Competitive Anxiety Questionnaire in Sport (developed by Rainer Mertens) was applied. First, we investigated whether there are significant differences between football players (according to gender, age and sports performance) in terms of the perceived importance of different psychological qualities that condition performance. Next, it was verified whether the competitive anxiety of football players varies significantly based on the importance they assign to psychological training. The statistical analysis, using the t-test for two independent samples, revealed interesting findings depending on gender, age, and sporting achievements regarding the perception of the importance of various psychological qualities that condition performance and also, about the competitive anxiety level. The conclusions provide important information to athletes, coaches, sports psychologists, regarding the specific cognitive schemes of juniors and seniors, girls and boys, in connection with the psychic phenomena that condition performance in football.

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