Concentration

Concentration is the ability to stay fully focused on a task for the full period of time that task is happening. This may be following a tactic, marking a player or carrying out a skill repeatedly.

A volleyball player with good concentration will be able to repeatedly move into the correct position based on a visual signal from the opponents (such as an attacker moving into an area ready for a spike).

This means the player will be in a position to make a block, giving his team a better chance of remaining in the point.

A goalkeeper in football or hockey with good concentration will be able to deal with long periods of play where their team is dominating the game. Their concentration means they are ready to react with well-judged thought and movements to an attack or shot.

As a result, they have a much better chance of making a save.

A tennis player with low levels of concentration will start to react and move with much less efficiency to shots. This will reduce the chances of a successful return.

This will in turn cause frustration, further mistakes and missed points.

Poor concentration means that a rugby forward who is a front jumper in a line out may miss the opponents trying a quicker, shorter lineout. This will allow them to break the gain line.

As a result, their team may be unable to structure a defensive line quickly enough, meaning more chance of conceding a try.