This is the reference for the reading
Loughead, T. M., & Dorsch, K. D. (2016). Aggression and moral behaviour in sport. In P. R. E.Crocker (Ed.), Sport and exercise psychology: A Canadian perspective (3rd ed., pp. 139-167).Pearson Canada Inc.
CASE STUDY #1 There were sixteen weeks remaining before the Regional Figure Skating Championships, when Lexi and her mother called a mental performance consultant, Lisa. Lexi’s mother was concerned about her daughter’s mental readiness and wanted someone to assist her in getting some things sorted out before the competition. “Why don’t you start by telling me what the problem is,” Lisa suggested. “I feel like I’m a rubber band that is totally stretched out. My coach and our trainer have one end, and my mom and Audrey, my physical therapist, have the other. I’m getting yanked from side to side, which is totally freaking me out. I’m afraid that I’m going to bomb at the Regional Championships.” Lexi proceeded to describe how stressful her training environment had become, and her words became punctuated by weak, but audible, sobs. Lisa, Lexi, and Lexi’s mom met the next day to provide Lisa with some more information. Lexi, a 12-year-old, was a little ball of fire on the ice. Her mother described her as “Fearless. She goes out on the ice and will attempt any jump. Even if she falls down, she will immediately get back up and try again. She loves the sport and loves to practice. Sometimes we even need to force her off the ice to come home and do her homework. She doesn’t want to do any other sports and she dreams of being in the Olympics. We all believe, and so does Lexi, that she has the talent to get there.” Lexi had started taking lessons from her coach, Karen (a former competitive figure skater) at the age of five and had been with her ever since. Karen had a reputation as a very driven, overbearing, and disciplined coach whose control over her athletes was taken to the extreme. Karen believed in home schooling and off-ice training in ballet, weight lifting, and jazz dance. Whenever possible Karen had her athletes live with her. If one athlete did not follow her regimen, then none of the athletes would be coached until the athlete (or his or her parents) conformed. Her control extended to the wallets of the parents, as well. Karen’s agreement was that no parent would ever receive a bill from her unless an athlete tried to change coaches. Everything had been fine until Lexi suffered a torn hamstring injury four months ago. The sport medicine doctor told her to stop skating for a couple of weeks to allow the tear to heal. Unfortunately, the rest wasn’t enough and Lexi immediately reinjured the muscle when she began training again. The doctor referred Lexi to Audrey, a well-known physical therapist, for additional treatment. Audrey began working with Lexi three times a week and revised her training schedule to eliminate all stretching, ballet, on-ice jumping, and weight training with the trainer. To maintain her endurance, Audrey had Lexi ride an exercise bike in place of running. Lexi’s mom was completely supportive of the rehabilitation regimen. Lexi was pleased with the improvements she was making. She was beginning to regain her confidence and started to think that maybe she had the strength to make it through this challenge. Karen, on the other hand, was considerably upset. She insisted that Lexi continue with her ballet classes if she wanted to maintain her coaching services. Lexi and her mom trusted Audrey’s advice and decided to follow her revised training program. After two weeks, Karen approached Lexi’s mom in the lobby of the rink. “This treatment is nonsense,” she told her. “All skaters need to stretch. The ballet will keep Lexi’s muscles loose. I insist that she join the ballet classes again, or I will refuse to train her.” After Lexi’s mom tried to tell Karen that she believed Audrey knows what she is doing, Karen continued, “I know what’s best for my skaters, and I don’t need someone like Audrey trying to ruin all I’ve done to make Lexi the skater she is today! Since I’m not getting any support or cooperation from you or your daughter, I’ll take this up with Audrey. I feel like I’m the only one concerned about Lexi’s future.” Karen’s anger was visible as she stormed back toward the rink, muttering under her breath. Lexi’s mom was not the type to back down when it came to Lexi’s well-being. Though Lexi loved figure skating with an almost obsessive passion, her mom was a significant driving force behind Lexi’s success. During the conversation between Karen and Audrey, Karen became defensive as she realized that she wasn’t going to easily regain control over Lexi’s life. Audrey had an alternative recommendation for every suggestion that Karen made. In an attempt to calm Karen, Audrey explained to her that she wasn’t a threat but was only trying to do her job. As the weeks passed, Karen became more critical and emotional, frustrated by her lack of control over Lexi. The young skater couldn’t help but feel the pressure and anger from her coach’s feedback. Karen made a point of telling Lexi each day how this change in her training was destroying all the progress they had made and would ultimately result in a very poor showing at the Regional Championships. Lexi trusted her mother and Audrey completely and wanted her leg to be 100 percent for the competition as much as her coach did. Karen, however, tried to make Lexi feel guilty and disloyal at every turn. “I’ve given you so much of my time and energy,” Karen said, “and this is the thanks I get? I could have been spending my time with a skater who wants to win. You won’t have a chance against the other competitors unless you allow me to guide your training. Just stop wasting my valuable time!” Lexi was in tears by the time Karen finished her angry lecture. Although Lexi was healing physically, she was deteriorating emotionally. After Lexi completed her eighth week of rehab, Audrey gave her permission to begin working on her double axel jump again. Karen was outraged when she learned that Lexi was not given clearance to perform any flexibility moves – spirals, camel spins, etc. Karen showed her displeasure by refusing to work with Lexi on her double axels. In fact, Karen wasn’t coaching Lexi on much of anything. There was a local competition about four weeks before the Regional Championships, which Lexi and her mom decided to use as a dress rehearsal for the more important regional competition. They decided that Lexi would only skate her long program. They agreed that to skate the short program as well might cause too much strain on her leg and they wanted to play it safe with the Regional Championships so close. When Lexi and her mom informed Karen of their decision, Karen stated, “It doesn’t really matter what she skates, she is not going to go anywhere anyway.” Lexi was devastated by this final comment from her coach and she started to believe some of the comments Karen had been making. Even though Audrey had reassured Lexi that she was physically ready to compete, if Karen thought she was going to do so poorly at the Regional Championships, why should she even try? 1. Describe and explain the main issues in this case with respect to the two main protagonists, Lexi and Karen. 2. How do the factors interact to explain both Lexi’s and Karen’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviours? 3. What advice could you provide to Karen regarding her coaching strategies and why? 4. What advice could you provide to Lexi and Lexi’s mom regarding her continued participation in figure skating and why? 5. Add and explain any other information you feel is important and why. Loughead, T. M., & Dorsch, K. D. (2016). Aggression and moral behaviour in sport. In P. R. E. Crocker (Ed.), Sport and exercise psychology: A Canadian perspective 3rd ed. Pearson Canada Inc.