The Relationship between Athletic Abilities of Japanese High School Soccer Players and Their Psychological Skills in Both Athletic Club and School Life Settings

Abstract

To examine the relationship between students’ athletic ability and their psychological skills in the athletic club and the school life setting, 99 players from high school soccer teams were administered with the Psychological Skills Inventory for Athletic Clubs and the Psychological Skills Inventory for School Life. Five coaches of the soccer teams evaluated the players’ athletic ability, using the Technique, Intelligence and Insight, Personality, and Speed (TIPS) evaluation framework. Structural equation modeling was conducted to test a series of structural models. Psychological skills in the school life setting have a direct effect on athletic ability. In addition, psychological skills in an athletic club setting have an indirect effect on athletic ability through psychological skills in the school life setting. In conclusion, the coach’s belief that players who have life skills and can control their daily life must have a high athletic ability was not wrong.