Here's An Idea: On More Time In The Middle and Reinvestment

When athletes are going through a rough patch, do they need to go back to basics, fight fire with fire or take a step back?

"There is always a well-known solution to every human problem — neat, plausible, and wrong." H. L Mencken

Now that the dust has settled and people have moved on to other stories, maybe it's time to have that talk again.

A little while ago Quinton De Kock came under fire from fans, writers and others for choosing to not take part in the CSA T20 Challenge that was held in Durban.

Quinton De Kock's decision received condemnation and applause in equal measure. His critics thought that he had not played "enough cricket to warrant a rest." Just seven matches, some said, seven matches where De Kock had struggled for runs, particularly in the Tests.

The implication being that De Kock was not physically and mentally tired enough because he had not played enough matches to make him tired. On the physical side, maybe he was not spent, but, when it comes to mental fatigue (which also affects the physical) it is not the number of matches that counts, but the circumstances around them.

Well, eventually, the noise sort of died down when arguments were made in regards to mental health, pressures of captaincy, the strain of bio-secure bubbles. But, even though the noises simmered down, the belief that De Kock needs more time in the middle to rediscover form is still very much alive. In fact, it is the belief of many that more time in the middle is the cure for bad form.

Poor Form

Traditional thinking has always been that a struggling player needs more time in the middle because they need just one good knock to rediscover form. What many did not, and still do not consider, is this: It is a philosophy that is not so different from the one that says, “if you find yourself in a hole, keep digging, because you might unearth a geyser that will shoot you to the surface.” Admittedly, there are some who unearth a geyser and are shot to the surface, but many never find it, and simply dig the graves to their international careers.

Poor form, or a slump, is not a physical thing like a slight niggle or little knock that one can walk or shrug off. Along with the "needs more time in the middle" philosophy, old school schools of thought tend to focus on the mechanics. "If an athlete is in a slump, then they need to reevaluate their technique, because they must have a technical deficiency," many assume. So they try to coach the mechanics.

Like spending more time in the middle, feedback such as "getting the technique right" is not the best for a professional athlete suffering a slump. Yes, if the athlete is having troubles because of technique, like constantly and consistently being dismissed by the same delivery or are struggling against certain bowlers (like spin), then they would need to work on that weakness. However, when it's a sudden loss of form, that is counterproductive.

Slumps are not a result of problems with the mechanics, they are a problem in the mind. To paraphrase what researchers Stephen Weiss and Arthur Reber say in their paper, "Curing the Dreaded 'Steve Blass Disease,'" a player cannot be coached out of a slump. In fact, there is the risk of prolonging the slump with overcoaching.

'A Full Mind Is An Empty Bat'

Sports psychologists have pointed to a few factors as contributors to athletes falling into a slump, among them:
               ● Low self-confidence
               ● Frustration from lack of production or improvement
               ● Lack of motivation
               ● Trying too hard to produce results
               ● External factors such as coaches, fans, family
               ● Pressure and expectation to lead, and win.

None of these can be rectified by spending more time in the middle or adjusting the technique. The only "cure" for them is getting the athlete in the right frame of mind, a clear mind. Now, a clear mind is very hard to obtain if the player is consistently out in the middle competing and contesting. While there is truth in saying that a batter is one cover drive away from regaining form, it is also true that they are one false shot from prolonging the slump.

A continued run of poor form also comes with unending criticism of the player. And more often than not, it gives rise to speculation that a player is probably past their prime. These external noises, this feedback, adds pressure onto the unsettled mind of the player. And if the murmurings persist, despite not willing to believe it, the player also has moments of asking themselves whether they are past it or not.

This is even more difficult for players with a high-achiever mentality because their identity is tied to their on-field excellence. Players like this, which is the majority, have a really difficult time when they are out of form.

"There are players that will not want to go out in public when they are not performing well," says CSK bowling coach Eric Simons. "Their identity is tied to excellence. They cannot separate the player and the human being."

For athletes in this group, those that have their identity tied to what they do, it is nearly impossible to separate one’s value as an athlete from one’s value as a human being. Thus, their esteem, self-worth is tied to how well they do on the field.

Taking A Step Back To Move Forward

Studies have noted that poor performance or slumps come with negative emotional states, reduced motivation, and decreased confidence, all of which further inhibit future performance. And if the player is not given time or space, but is asked to 'fight fire with fire', it only leads to a further spiral induced by deeper self-doubt, should they fail again.

In light of the advancements made in the understanding of the psychological states and mechanisms associated with performance slumps, maybe it is time to dump the old beliefs of coaching technique or driving athletes down the path of reinvestment, in attempts to help them deal with a slump. Reinvestment is whereby athletes try to consciously regulate their actions, movement while performing automatic skills.

Rather, it is time to help them foster what Christopher J. Brown and his colleagues call psychological resilience, in their paper, "Overcoming performance slumps: Psychological resilience in elite cricket batsmen."

Brown defines psychological resilience as “mental processes and behaviours that promote personal assets and protecting an individual from the potential negative effect of stressors." These processes and behaviours include taking time off to regroup and clear the mind. This will help the player return more refreshed, confident and motivated. Or setting up support structures for athletes, provide them with professional assistance, be it through coaches, psychologists or other forms of support. Psychological problems require psychological interventions.

A little while ago I had the honour of chatting with one of South Africa's longest-serving coaches, Grant Morgan. And this is how he prefers to help players navigate slumps: he gets philosophical with them.

"I get philosophical. I tell players that a dry spell is not pressure, life has other real pressures. So, I always remind the players I work with is that life is bigger than cricket... And every day we fail more than we succeed, so failure is as much a part of playing as is success," says Grant Morgan.

If you enjoy the content here and on Chadwick Drive, there are a couple of ways you can show your appreciation.

You can Buy Me A Coffee. You can buy several coffees if you like (simply change the number of coffees to your preferred amount). All coffees you buy will be greatly appreciated.

Alternatively, please encourage anyone you think may be interested to subscribe to this newsletter, the blog or both.