Mental health is one of the most important aspects of a holistic performance-driven sports approach. This is something the Centre for Health and Human Performance (CHHP) at the North-West University (NWU) will want to build on with the South African Olympic team in preparation for the 2021 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The CHHP has recently joined forces with the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) to support Team South Africa as a preferred provider in its preparation for the Games. According to an NWU press release, The CHHP will offer mental health screening and advisory services to all athletes, focusing on improving well-being and performance. The process will begin in the first week of February and allow all athletes to attend the programme over the following two months.

The CHHP was created at the NWU after combining the expertise of the Institute of Psychology and Wellbeing, the Institute for Sport Science and Development and the Institute for Biokinetics.

The CHHP’s focus is on rendering comprehensive, quality, evidence- based services in the field of health and human performance, underpinned by neuroscience and cutting-edge technology. According to Prof. Pieter Kruger, the director of the CHHP, some services on offer include assistance in understanding the mechanics of anxiety and why the brain struggles with uncertainty.

“This topic is extremely current and relevant in our uncertain, mid-pandemic world. We will also help the athletes explore the psychological challenges of Covid-19 that may affect their well-being and, subsequently, their performance. The principles we will be discussing are very relevant to well-being and performance under pressure. Although the main aim would initially be to provide the athletes with evidence-based tools and techniques, specifically for dealing with anxiety and uncertainty, the skills are equally applicable in a high- performance competition environment. We will also discuss the application of specific functional behaviours to support the athletes during difficult times,” added Kruger.

The athletes will undergo a brief psychometric assessment before the programme commences. This will allow the clinicians to adjust the programme content to the specific needs of the athlete. The CHHP will host nine workshop programmes to ensure that the entire 219-strong Olympic and Paralympic group gets an opportunity to undergo the training. The athletes will also get additional resources and referral pathways for those who feel they need more support after the programme.

“We look forward to collaborating with Sascoc and supporting our Olympic and Paralympic squads to maximise their performance at the Games later in the year. We have an exceptional team of practitioners across the spectrum of health and human performance; I trust we will be able to make a meaningful difference to the athletes,” he said.