Effectiveness of Athlete's Coping Strategies in Stressful Situations During Competitions

The specific objective of this study is to detect effective coping strategies for sportsmen during competitions. The sample consists of 100 hockey players (M=16,6), was divided into two groups based on success of the transition to professional team. It was hypothesized that effective coping strategies will probably predict the group of successful transition to professional team hockey players. Second hypothesis: high hardiness and self-efficiency, optimism and internal locus of control will predict the effective coping strategies. Results show that confrontative coping and seeking for social support are effective coping strategies for hockey players. Moreover, planful problem-solving, escape-avoidance and positive re-appraisal are ineffective strategies for hockey players. Internal locus of control predicts the self-control, the acceptance of responsibility, the planful problem-solving and positive re-appraisal coping strategies for the group of successful transition to professional team hockey players.