Social and psychological aspects of image of dragon boat paddling team and their impact on sports performance

Aim. To assess the connections between all components of the image of sports team and their impact on performance. Materials and Methods. The study involved 13 dragon boat paddlers aged 23-43. Methods included surveys aimed to reveal and estimate problems associated with external and internal image components, and control tests - 200 and 1000 m distances. Results. Changes within the sports crew and changes in external image components were assessed. Survey and analysis of final tests revealed a range of problems concerning internal environment directly influencing the performance of the team (instable attendance of training in winter, discipline problems, and lack of motivation). Test showed finishing time differences: 11 seconds for 200 m and 1.47 minutes for 1000 m. By the end of the research, results improved: 200 m finishing time difference was 4.9 seconds, and 1000 m finishing time difference - 97 seconds. Conclusion. Thus, positive effects of work on social and psychological aspects as well as their direct influence on performance were revealed.