Mental Toughness as Correlate of Athletes` Performance in Track And Field Events Among Secondary Schools in Osun State, Nigeria

Abstract

The study was designed to examine mental toughness as a correlate of Athletes` performance in track and field events. The study was carried out purposively selecting 300 student athletes of Osun state secondary schools.  The respondents had participated in intra-mural and extra-mural sports competitions, out which 300 athletes made of 150 track and 150 field events were purposively as respondents. An instrument, Psychological Performance Inventory (PPI) was used to measure the mental toughness levels of the athletes showing scores obtained, while the position ranking during competitions and marks allotted for each was used to measure the performance. Pearson Product Moment Correlation "r” was used to determine the relationship between mental toughness and performance of the athletes, with significance level set at 0.05 levels.

The result revealed that there was no significant relationship between performance of track event athletes and mental toughness, but there was significant relationship between performance of field event athletes and mental toughness, however, in overall both events showed significant correlation. The study concluded that mental toughness has relationship with performance and could enhanced performance if proper instructed by coaches to the athletes.