Abstract:

This research was carried out to determine the relationship between the mental training levels of the orienteering athletes and the competition performances. Research the 2018-2019 season in Turkey Orienteering Championships participating in 38 women (27.9%), 98 men (72.1%), including a total of 136 licensed orienteering athletes he participated voluntarily. In the research, scanning (descriptive) model was used as a model. ‘’ The Sport Mental Training Questionnaire (SMTQ)’’and personal information form, which was adapted to Turkish as the data collection tool, were used. In the statistical analysis of the data obtained in the study, firstly the skewness and kurtosis values for the normality test were examined and it was determined that the distribution was normal. The t-test was used to determine whether there was a difference between the inventory sub-dimensions according to the gender variable, Pearson correlation analysis to determine the relationships between the sports age variable and the inventory sub-dimensions, and simple linear regression analysis to predict long distance and speed competition grades were used. As a result of the findings obtained from the research, while there was a positive relationship between the mental training levels of the orienteering athletes and the sports age and competition performance, no significant relationship was found between the gender variable. As a result; the systematic and purposeful application of mental training in sports can positively contribute to the performance of the orienteering athletes. Instead of applying mental training skills and techniques to all athletes such as common prescription, it should be designed by considering individual differences, development levels and especially athletes who have reached abstract thinking maturity.