*PEEL – Structure solution using separate PEEL methods for each side of the argument; [P] Identify the point, [E] expand on the point with a link to question asked, [Ev] apply evidence/examples, [L] linking sentence back to question.

Sample Answer

Benefits of Strong Athletic Identity:

• [P] Strong athletic identity enhances rehabilitation adherence.
• [E] Athletes who view sport as central to their identity demonstrate greater commitment to recovery.
• [Ev] Elite swimmers complete rehabilitation sessions religiously, pushing through discomfort to return to competition.
• [L] This demonstrates how athletic identity positively drives rehabilitation efforts.
    
• [P] Athletic identity provides clear purpose during recovery.
• [E] When sport defines self-concept, rehabilitation becomes meaningful rather than tedious.
• [Ev] Professional footballers maintain intense focus during ACL rehabilitation to restore their core identity.
• [L] Therefore, athletic identity sustains motivation throughout lengthy rehabilitation.

Challenges of Strong Athletic Identity:

• [P] However, exclusive athletic identity creates psychological distress when injured.
• [E] Athletes lacking alternative identities experience threats to their fundamental self-concept.
• [Ev] Tennis players defining themselves solely through sport develop depression during shoulder injuries.
• [L] This reveals how narrow identity focus negatively impacts mental health.
• [P] Conversely, athletes may rush rehabilitation when athletic identity dominates.
• [E] The psychological need to restore their defining activity overrides medical advice.
• [Ev] Runners frequently return prematurely, causing re-injury to hamstrings.
• [L] Consequently, strong athletic identity impedes proper rehabilitation when athletes prioritise identity restoration over recovery.

Overview Statement

• Self-confidence directly influences participation decisions, goal-setting behaviours, and competition performance.
• These components interact to create reinforcing cycles that determine long-term sport involvement.

Component Relationship 1

• Positive self-confidence encourages initial sport participation while negative self-confidence creates avoidance behaviours.
• Confident students volunteer for school basketball tryouts whereas unconfident students avoid team selections fearing embarrassment.
• This participation gateway leads to different levels of skill development and experience.
• Early participation enables further opportunities for growth and achievement.
• Therefore, initial confidence levels determine whether individuals enter sport environments.

Component Relationship 2

• Self-confidence affects goal-setting which directly impacts performance outcomes.
• Confident athletes set challenging goals that drive improvement while those lacking confidence limit themselves.
• Confident swimmers target state championships resulting in higher training intensity versus unconfident swimmers settling for participation certificates.
• Competition performance varies dramatically based on confidence under pressure.
• Consequently, confidence levels shape the trajectory of athletic development.

Implications and Synthesis

• Self-confidence creates self-perpetuating cycles that reinforce participation patterns.
• Success builds positive confidence encouraging continued involvement while failure reinforces negative beliefs causing dropout.
• Therefore, these interconnected components demonstrate how confidence becomes the primary determinant of sustained sport participation.

Sample Answer

Overview Statement

• Self-concept interacts with sport selection and performance through identity alignment, feedback interpretation, and commitment levels.
• The key components include initial sport choice, performance dedication, and learning capacity, all of which connect to create significant performance differences.

Component Relationship 1

• Self-concept directly influences initial sport selection by directing individuals toward activities matching their self-view.
• Students viewing themselves as “strong” are drawn to weightlifting while those seeing themselves as “graceful” choose dance or gymnastics.
• This relationship shows how personal identity acts as a filter determining sport participation.
• Athletic identity strength then affects performance through dedication levels. Marathon runners identifying as “runners” train through injuries while casual joggers may quit at first discomfort.

Component Relationship 2

• Performance feedback interpretation depends on self-concept strength and creates different learning outcomes.
• Elite swimmers with strong athletic identities actively seek technical corrections, viewing criticism as growth opportunities. Recreational swimmers typically avoid detailed feedback due to weaker sport-specific identity.
• This pattern reveals how self-concept shapes learning capacity and subsequent improvement rates across different participation levels.

Implications and Synthesis

• The significance is that self-concept creates reinforcing cycles affecting long-term sport involvement.
• Strong identity alignment enables peak performance during crucial moments, as basketball players deeply identifying as “ballers” report instinctive play without overthinking.
• Therefore, self-concept functions as both gateway and sustaining force. It determines initial sport choice and ongoing performance development through identity-driven persistence and learning receptivity.

Sample Answer

• Self-confidence directly influences performance under pressure because confident athletes view challenging situations as opportunities rather than threats. This leads to better decision-making and skill execution during crucial moments.
• Resilience enables athletes to recover quickly from setbacks as a result of their ability to maintain perspective on poor performances. Consequently, resilient athletes maintain consistent performance levels across an entire season.
• Goal-orientation creates structured training approaches because focused individuals prioritise improvement and outcomes. Subsequently, athletes develop more purposeful skills and enhanced performance capacity.
• High self-efficacy encourages athletes to attempt challenging techniques due to their belief in their abilities. Therefore, individuals with strong self-efficacy often achieve higher performance levels than those with similar physical abilities but lower confidence.

Sample Answer

• Families model values and attitudes toward sport through their own participation or viewership, which leads to active parents typically raising children who value physical activity.
• This foundation enables early sport exposure as parents provide practical resources including transportation, equipment and registration fees that facilitate participation opportunities.
• Family emotional support during setbacks and challenges helps athletes develop resilience and perseverance, which is essential for continued participation and performance improvement.
• Additionally, family expectations can create positive pressure that motivates athletes to excel. However, excessive expectations may generate performance anxiety that undermines performance.
• Furthermore, cultural sporting traditions within families often direct children toward specific sports, resulting in early skill development and establishing sport-specific identity that enhances long-term commitment.

Sample Answer

• Knowledge of available sports and their benefits provides individuals with options and motivation to participate, while lack of knowledge acts as a barrier.
• Positive attitudes toward sport, such as valuing physical activity for health benefits, increases likelihood of regular participation.
• Negative attitudes, such as believing one lacks time for sport or that it’s not important, reduces prioritisation of physical activity in daily life.

\(B\)

\(A\)

\(C\)