PSYCHOLOGICAL PREPARATION IN THE OLYMPIC VILLAGE: A FOUR-PHASE APPROACH

The purpose of this article is to examine the psychological preparation provided to athletes during their stay in the Olympic Village at the Olympic Games. A four-phase approach of psychological preparation is presented-the habituation phase, the psychological routine phase, the specific psychological preparation phase, and the psychological recovery phase. The conceptual roots of this approach, as a part of the four-year psychological preparation for the Olympics, are discussed. The objectives, psychological programs, and framework of consultations for each phase are described, using examples from two summer Olympic Games, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. Lessons learned from the psychological preparation provided at the Olympic Village and practical recommendations for sport psychology consultants are offered.