We interviewed the best athletes and coaches in the business to find out how they recognise psychological factors that prevent improvement in snowboard performance and the techniques they use to overcome them.
Interviews: Corinne Mayhew (August 2014)
Interview 5: Katie Ormerod - Professional Snowboarder
What would you say is the main thing that helps you to progress the most?
The main thing that helps me progress is having the determination to be the best, having the opportunity to travel abroad to good resorts and parks and having a good coach to help me learn new tricks.
How do you prepare for competition?
I prepare for competitions by spending many months abroad learning new tricks and then repeating them until I can do them confidently before putting them all together in a Slopestyle run. The more competitions I do, the more experience I gain which can also help me to prepare for competitions as I know how to tactically perform my run depending on weather or the course.
Do you have a 'game-plan' going into a competition?
I usually do have a specific run in mind going into a comp, but this can sometimes change depending on bad weather or an unusual course.
What is your main focus before any competition?
My main focus before a competition is going over my run and making sure it is consistent to land.
Do you prefer to be hyped up or super mellow just before dropping in at a comp?
I prefer to be nice and relaxed before dropping in at a comp as I hate the butterflies that comes with nerves and adrenaline and if I'm feeling relaxed it is easier to concentrate and stay focused.
Do you have a trainer?
I have a coach, Hamish McKnight who is the head coach of the British Freestyle snowboard team.
What is the most helpful way in which your trainer or close friends or family have helped you?
My family have always been really supportive with my Snowboarding by funding my trips abroad when I was younger and encouraging me to go away for competitions, which I have always been grateful for. My coach has helped me by teaching me new tricks and giving me the opportunity to compete in world cup and world championship events.
What other factors do you find have an affect on your performance?
I find that strength and conditioning also has a very positive affect on my performance as it helps me to get the strength I need to perform big tricks and reduce the risk of injury. Having fun also helps me because when I am staying and riding with friends when I'm training, it makes it more fun and then I find it easier to learn new tricks.
How much of your performance is affected by your psychological state?
All of my performance is affected by my psychological state . I have to be motivated and focused to be able to compete and train efficiently.
Most girls try tricks because other girls have done it before. How did you know you could complete a double cork 1080 when no other girls had done it before you?
I spent a lot of time training at Woodward in America with my coach, Hamish and this helped a lot as I learnt the right technique into foam pits and once I felt comfortable with them, we went to Stubai to try it on snow and I landed it. Learning the trick in a safe environment before doing it on snow made me believe that I could do it and all the encouragement and support from my coach, family and friends really helped so I just did it. At the time, I never really looked at it like no other girl had done it before, I just saw it as a stepping stone for my own progression but I guess it is pretty cool that I am the first girl to do one.
How much of the preparation to doing this trick was in overcoming your fear?
I wasn't really scared of doing it because I believed in myself after doing them into foam and my coach believed I could do it so I never really felt scared that it could go wrong. I tended not to think about it much as it may have cause fear. I did feel quite nervous on the lift up to the top just before I was going to try my first one, but I told myself that I just had to go for it first go and then it would become easier after that and it was.
