Ainsley Deer | Value of personality testing in sports

While psychometric testing has been successfully used in the world of work and education, it has yet to make an impact on the world of sports. Given Jamaica’s dominance in track and field activities, it is, perhaps, time for us to seriously consider further exploring the benefits of the use of psychometrics in the world of sports.

Champs begin this week, and, perhaps, it is an opportune time to target some of our rising stars for objective assessment to predict future performance.

In 1998, under the then Technical Director, René Simões, some of the national players were assessed psychometrically before the team was selected for the 1998 France World Cup. Also, assessed were the members of Jamaica Cricket squad, prior to the 1999, 2000, 2001 regional Busta Cup, Shell Shield, and Red Stripe Bowl competitions respectively (all of which they won). However, with the exception of these two examples, there has been no widescale use of the science of psychometrics in Jamaican sports.

Other regions seem to be surging ahead of us by incorporating psychometric testing of athletes to compete globally. Some years ago, Trinidad and Tobago had their National Heavyweight Champion, Kertson Manswell, and Olympic hopeful, Kirt Sinnette, tested. They saw the value of psychometric testing and physical-training programmes, complimenting each other.

CRIPPLING EFFECTS

There are also the crippling effects caused by politics in the major governing sporting bodies, and as one leading executive from a prominent local university puts it: “Coaches do not like anyone to steal their thunder.” The question, therefore, remains, “Are we all playing for Team Jamaica or merely protecting our turfs?”

One might ask, “What on earth has sports got to do with personality questionnaires?”

Surely, in football, players should be in the business for kicking a ball and scoring goals – not filling in circles with a pencil! – a view shared by managers and even some sports psychologists.

But according to Alan Smith, a former deputy manager of Crystal Palace Football Club: “When you look at young players, there is usually very little to separate them in terms of skill. What separates those who will succeed from those who won’t is usually some aspect of personality, temperament, or attitude.”

In the case of controversial sports personalities like George Best, Paul Gascoigne, and Mike Tyson, their abilities are irrefutable, but their challenges turn out to be in their personality, which accounts for 70 per cent of success.

While physiological limitations are important to an athlete, psychological factors are decisive for winning or losing. It could even be argued that for a club, which, perhaps, lacks the financial resources to pick and choose the best athletics in the country, personality becomes especially important as exemplified by Wimbledon’s victory over Liverpool in the 1988 FA Cup final. Few would claim that they had the skill of the Liverpool players. Former Wimbledon player and now screen star Vinnie Jones’ autobiography, Confessions of a Bad Boy, details the team’s mindset going into that FA Cup final. When their skill was waning in comparison to Liverpool, the tough mindedness’ of the players kept them in the game and saw them through to victory. Personality and skill brought triumph!!

OTHER REASONS

There are other reasons why personality assessments may be very well suited to sports. Many athletes exist in a notoriously uncommunicative culture. Therefore, the information gleaned is invaluable for managers and coaches. In areas such as propensity for injuries and arguing with referees and other team members, tests can determine their level of competitiveness, emotional control, and even their longevity in the sport. People tend to be more honest in questionnaires than they are face-to-face with the doctor.

Current research already tells us that people who play no sports are the opposite of what an employer is likely to be looking for in a recruit. They are less persuasive, controlling, and mentally independent while being more modest, traditional, and worrying, to name a few.

In terms of profile matching, there is nothing to distinguish the personality of most players from the general population – with one exception: Players admit to being much more competitive. It may also be counterproductive because competitiveness may also result in them competing with one another and not the opponent and also co-relates with lower happiness and self-esteem.

In management, persons of lower emotional control are generally perceived as more interpersonally skilled, their openness working for them. However, on the pitch, it can be a real danger, leading to conflicts with referees, other players, and injuries. With a player of high emotional control, how would a manager - particularly one who doesn’t use personality questionnaires - know how worried or scared that player feels? Thus, he or she may select a penalty-taker who is very tense – far more so than the level needed for optimal performance – but is holding it in while appearing very calm on the surface. Selection of penalty-takers could be greatly enhanced by constructive use of personality questionnaires rather than trial and error – especially if that error can cost you the World Cup.

Psychometric tests have shown that the older players are known to be more caring, tolerant, better at forward planning, not surprisingly (as they have fewer playing years left), cooperative, and more interested in the welfare of others. Footballers become better team players as they get older. In tennis, Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic, two of the best tennis players of all time, are renowned for exhibiting these traits towards younger players on the International Tennis Federation circuit while consistently maintaining their world rankings.

Ainsley Deer is founder and CEO of Training Dynamics and Consultants Limited and a Member of the British Psychological Society. Send feedback to ardeer49@yahoo.ca.