Judokas need to be resilient
Published On November 22, 2014 » 2094 Views» By Davies M.M Chanda » Features
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Spectrum - newWHEN all is said and done, finishing on the podium is what matters most for the Zambian contingent that is currently preparing for the 2014 African Union Regional Five Youth Games billed for next month in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
In last week’s edition, I delved into the secret weapon that great athletes have always used from time immemorial to reach the pinnacle in their respective sports codes and singled swimmers as needing self-confidence to unlock the key to success.
In every competition, big or small, winning medals is what counts and as we countdown to the Regional Five Games, it will be vital to point out the deficiencies in our representatives at the feat because only then, can we see an upward trend in performance.
I am today focusing on the Judokas who will be among Zambia’s flag carriers in next month’s competition.
One of the inhibiting factors that endlessly pull down our Judokas at international competitions even when we have massive talent is the lack of resilience in their quest for silverware.
The component of being resilient in modern sports is becoming exceptionally prominent and the more resilient an athlete gets to be, the closer they draw to achieving the best as the ultimate benefit of resilience is triumph.
It took Judoka Boas Munyonga a great deal of resilience for him to mint a bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games staged in the Glasgow City of Scotland when almost all the members of team Zambia had fallen by the way side.
Veteran Shapa Wakung’uma earned his reputation as one of the best Judokas of all time in Zambia’s history, all because of resilience that saw him sweep through various silverware in a number of continental championships during his time.
For the young crop of judokas, who have embarked on a long journey of seeking glory and making a mark in the sport to a larger extent,
resilience is a quality they should never ever pay a deaf ear to. Looking at the calibre of a team that has been given a nod to represent the country in Zimbabwe, with no doubt, one would say they are capable of shining.
Team judo has Glasgow Commonwealth Games participant Abigail Chindele who will take part in the 52kg event, Mary Kanyembo (48 kilogrammes), Naomi Zungu (63 kilogrammes), Lungowe Chindele (57 kilogrammes), Joshua Nyondo (60 kilogrammes) and David Chisenga (66 kilogrammes).
The Bulawayo feat is fast approaching and as the team goes into camp today at the Olympic Youth Development Centre (OYDC), it is important for the technical staff to inculcate the quality of resilience in each judoka ahead of the trip.
Resilience in its simplest form is the idea of focusing on one’s strengths and how their prowess can benefit the performance, optimism, vigour and self-determination.
Individuals, who are resilient, possess the ability to bounce back and rebound in the face of hardship and this earns them metal strength.
Many a time the judokas have taken part in big tournaments on the continent, only to get back home with nothing to show, but now is the time to end the year on a high.
One common thing that all athletes in Zambia have encountered during competitions is performance error. A false start or slight mistake in a match could lead to enormous consequences that at times could be failing to emerge winner.
An academician once said: “Falling is not failing, but failing to rise when one falls is indeed failing.” All athletes make mistakes because it is a natural way of learning to be competent at any activity.
However, since mistakes are normal and part of the game, what matters most is how swiftly athletes accept their errors and devised mechanisms of making amends for their dismal performance in order to forge ahead in the spirit of resilience.
If anything is to be taught to our judokas in camp, I propose that it should be about resilience because it will facilitate their ability to accept mistakes and use these errors as a catalyst for optimising performance.
With resilience, a Judoka will have the ability to remain composed, confident, and consistent in the face of errors, but in the absence of resilience, a Judoka will dwell on the mistake, be unable to stay in the present, and their performance will be inconsistent.
An American psychologist Gloria Solomon created a four-step process ARSE which athletes can use to deal with performance errors. The sequence is as follows.
A = Acknowledge the error and the frustration it has caused. R = Review the play and determine how and why the error occurred.
S = Strategise a plan to make the necessary corrections for the future. E = Execute and prepare for the next play.
Indeed, teaching athletes this sequence will give them a tool for managing the emotional response which comes with making mistakes and help them to step up their game.
Therefore, there is need for sports bodies in the country to improve the technical aspect of coaching.
In Judo, we need enthusiastic coaches that are eager to continuously update themselves to the changes in the rules and techniques of the sport as it has become too competitive and physical training alone will not help to produce better players.
The coaches should be able to dig into the psychology of their players as well.
In all fairness, Judo offshoots have performed pretty well this year and there is urgent need for the Zambia Judo Association (ZJA) to start looking at the psychological aspect of preparing players for local and international tournaments.
Focusing on strengthening the sport on the grassroots is indisputably a brilliant idea as it serves on time for talent hunt. Incorporating the scientific training methods on fresh players would also go a long way in answering the question of lack of resilience.
Exposure is a Judoka’s imperative and it will be prudent to ensure that these youngsters attain the experience needed to deliver, for without exposure and resilience, winning medals is unthinkable.
ZJA must start planning big from now on to realise that dream.

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