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During sports competitions athletes experience anxiety, frequently intense, which can affect performance and well-being. The first aim of this study was to test the predictive power of pre-performance expectations for intensity and direction of multidimensional components of state anxiety. The second aim was to test the predictive power of direct and interactive effects of intensity and direction of anxiety symptoms on performance. The sample consisted of female basketball athletes (N= 58) with an average age M=15.68±.99 and average sport experience M=5.85±2.23, during the final tournament. Within an hour before the match, they completed the CSAI-2, CSAI-2-d, three single items about performance expectations, and four single items addressing performance assessment. After the match, the players answered three single items aimed to assess performance. After the match the teams' head coaches (n=5) also assessed individual player's performance. The regression analysis revealed that Expectation of a good performance emerged as the only negative predictor of Intensity of cognitive anxiety, Intensity of somatic anxiety, and positive predictor of Intensity and Direction interpretation of self-confidence. Only the Intensity of cognitive anxiety is a negative predictor of Satisfaction with performance. The obtained results suggest that dominance of Expectation of a good performance can be possibly viewed as a protective factor that has the potential to decrease anxiety and increase self-confidence and perceived self-confidence as more facilitative to performance. Other tested predictions of anxiety-performance measures are not significant. More studies are needed to investigate other potential antecedents and moderators of anxiety components. Also, further empirical development of performance measures and tests of anxiety-performance relationships would enhance comprehensive understanding of such complex relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a common practice among female athletes of artistic swimming to execute a dry-land drill of their routine just before its final execution in the water. The potential advantages of this established procedure have never been confirmed on an experimental basis. This study aimed at providing statistical evidence vindicating the dry-land drill. Forty seven Greek athletes of artistic swimming (seven of whom belong to the Greek National team) were given a routine containing standard figures, positions and movements. This routine was performed twice, with and without prior dry-land drill, executed in a random order with a lapse of one week between the two performances. The same three international judges were recruited to rate the performances in the standard three panels of execution, difficulty and artistic impression. The ratings of the performance including a dry-land drill were significantly better (paired t-test, p<0.001) than those without it. This improvement was consistent in all categories and levels of athletes. The enhancement in the performance brought about by the execution of a dryland drill was more pronounced in younger athletes. The improvement in athletes' performance when they execute a dry-land drill may play an important role in the ranking of the athletes in national and international events. Dry-land drill should be recommended as a standard operating procedure in artistic swimming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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