Visualization and victory: A study of sports imagery abilities among female hockey players at state and national levels in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh

Abstract

This study explores the sports imagery abilities of female hockey players at the State and National levels in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. The research investigates whether significant differences exist in the sports imagery abilities between these two groups and aims to shed light on the implications for athlete development, coaching, and sports psychology practices. Sixty female hockey players, comprising 30 at the State level and 30 at the National level, participated in the study. The participants' ages ranged from 21 to 26 years. A sports imagery ability questionnaire developed by S.E. William and Jennifer Cumming was employed to assess the athletes' ability to create mental images related to their sport. Participants rated their ability to form these images on a 7-point Likert scale. The findings of this study challenge the conventional wisdom that National-level athletes possess superior sports imagery abilities compared to their State-level counterparts. The mean scores for both groups were remarkably similar, with State-level players scoring an average of 5.432 and National-level players averaging 5.893. Furthermore, Levene's Test for Equality of Variances indicated that the variances in sports imagery abilities were not significantly different between the two groups. The t-test results supported these findings, revealing a p-value of 0.069, which did not reach the conventional significance level of 0.05. This suggests that there is no statistically significant difference in sports imagery abilities between State and National level female hockey players in Gwalior. These findings carry several implications for athlete development and sports-related professions. Firstly, the study underscores the importance of mental preparation in sports, irrespective of the competitive level. Coaches and sports organizations should consider incorporating mental imagery training programs into their coaching curricula for athletes of all levels. Secondly, access to sports psychology services should be provided to athletes, especially at the National level, where the competition and pressure are intense. Individualized mental training programs should also be developed to cater to the unique needs of each athlete. Lastly, future research should focus on the relationship between sports imagery abilities and actual performance outcomes, providing concrete evidence of the benefits of mental training. Overall, this study highlights the need to rethink preconceived notions about the mental skills of athletes at different competitive levels and emphasizes the potential for growth and improvement in the realm of sports imagery abilities among female hockey players in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh, and beyond.