Research

License – CC-BY. Abst: A Group of elite athletes discuss their relationship with food and feeling pressure from society to look a certain way and pressure from their sport to have muscle and skill to compete. Message: ‘Don’t just look at my body. See my game’.

REF: The Players' Tribune. (2018, September 27). USC Athletes on What Makes a Body Beautiful [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6ab3hdUXis 

License (CC-BY). Abstract. Fara Williams spent six years being homeless before making it to England's Women's National football (soccer) team. Fara tells her story of surviving hardship and using football to build a new life—Key Words: People who experience homelessness, judgment, sports as motivation. 

Citation: Creighton, J. (2014). England midfielder Fara Williams: I was homeless for six years. BBC Sport, 31 May. https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/27644997

License (CC-BY). Abstract: The story of Efe Obada who was abandoned on the streets of London, England at age 10, to becoming a star football player for the Carolina Panthers of the NFL. Key Words: England, foster care, escaping gang violence, NFL, belongingness.

Citation: Reynolds, T. (2019). Efe Obaba: The NFL star abandoned on London's streets at age of 10. BBC Sport, 5 April. https://www.bbc.com/sport/american-football/47819317

Lesson Overview: Exploring concepts of low and high perfectionism in athletes' interactions with coaches, parents, and teammates.

Citation: Williams, L. (2025). Take the MIPS Challenge. KOREN.  https://1drv.ms/w/c/05c3b684e98188d3/ETS25yNQw0JHsUPsFjeTRt8BLrNNwsCcDfk5QYCykpRGNQ?e=AGE81e

Lesson Overview (Class Exercise time: 20 -25 minutes) - Students are encouraged to write down and discuss passages from the article, that relate to healthy and unhealthy experiences of perfectionism in sport. Suggested resource to support the class exercise –  Perfection(ism) in Sport audio-video by Dr. John Dunn.  

Citation: Williams, L. (2025). Johnny Wilkinson - Defining Healthy Perfectionism. KOREN.  https://1drv.ms/w/c/05c3b684e98188d3/EQ3MguSLM9VKny0NkaiTZ5MBxqScXF62SqVmSaNH2Di8pg?e=xtnS66

Lesson Overview (Class Exercise - 15minutes): Engaging students in class discussions regarding critical points of the video and their perspectives on what is healthy and unhealthy perfectionism during Coach Gaines’ pep talk.

Citation: Williams, L. (2925). Coach Gaines' PEP Talk. KOREN. https://1drv.ms/w/c/05c3b684e98188d3/EUmm5uWRfeFJvjaDeNswGTwBjJFB419zSHicDiXmO1sJaw?e=yT05WW

Lesson Overview - The audio-video material is organized by dividing key points into separate topics, which include learning outcomes and suggested class exercises. It also provides guidance for instructors on how to use the MIPS questionnaire in relation to Dr. Dunn’s research on perfectionism in sport. This approach aims to help students understand the concepts, factors, and definitions of perfectionism, as well as its potential impact on performance.

Citation - Williams, L. (2025). Perfection(ism) in Sport - Instructor Guide. KOREN.  https://1drv.ms/w/c/05c3b684e98188d3/Ee1ePsgS5HVGpAkf127aJJ8BVaNiARXWIiwqhNiGelFjRA?e=sBmXLd 

License (CC-BY): Abstract: Healthy/Unhealthy Perfectionism; Perfectionism strivings and concerns. Impacts of different kinds of perfectionism on sports performance (compliments psychology module).

Citation: Dunn, J. (Host). (2021, May 28). Perfection(ism) in Sport. Audiovisual. University of Alberta. https://drive.google.com/file/d/1amRLVblEQ65LcCVQ6VET_7eNIZ9DpJsx/view?usp=sharing 

OER Lesson Plan: Instructor's Guide to Perfection(ism) in Sport.

Learning Objectives: Developing an understanding of perfectionistic strivings and concerns, and how these factors influence healthy (adaptive), and unhealthy (maladaptive) perfectionism, and how these behaviours impact sport performance.  

License (CC-BY). The MIPS Questionnaire poses a series of questions to athletes regarding Perfectionism and Non-Perfect performance during training and competitions, and perceived pressure from coaches, teammates, and parents. 

Citation: Stöeber, Joachim., Otto, Kathleen., & Stoll, Oliver (2006). Multidimensional Inventory of Perfectionism in Sport (MIPS): English version. School of Psychology, University of Kent. (Unpublished).https://kar.kent.ac.uk/41560/1/MIPS%20-%20English%20Version%20%28Nov%202006%29.pdf

OER Lesson Plan: "Take The MIPS Challenge" 

Learning Outcome of Lesson Plan: For students to become more self-aware of how perfectionism can affect the different sporting contexts they are in as training or competition, and how others (i.e., coaches and teammates) play a role in creating these feelings of perfectionism during athletic performances.

 **The MIPS is also included within the OER Lesson Plan for Perfection(ism) in Sport**

License (CC-BY). Themes: Fear of failure, perfectionism is outcome-based, injuries, and identity loss.

OER Lesson Plan: Johnny Wilkinson - Defining Healthy Perfectionism (Class Exercise time: 20 -25 minutes).

Learning Outcome – Students will identify examples of maladaptive (unhealthy) perfectionism in the article, as well as describe how Johnny Wilkinson developed a healthier approach towards perfection in his sport. 

Citation: Moss, S. (2010, May 10). Johnny Wilkinson: 'I had to be perfect in everyone's eyes. It was so tiring'. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/may/10/jonny-wilkinson-rugby-injuries-toulon

License (CC-BY).  Abstract: Coach Gaines’ halftime speech about ‘Being Perfect’. 

Movie clips. “Coach Gaines on Being Perfect”. YouTube video, 3:27. 2004.

OER Lesson Plan: Coach Gaines' Final "PEP" Talk

Learning Outcome – In the video, students are asked to consider examples from Coach Gaines' PEP Talk that may lead to healthy or unhealthy perfectionism, as Coach Gaines reflects on what it means to be perfect. Concepts are related to Perfection(ism) in Sport audio-video by Dr. John Dunn.

License (CC-BY). Abstract: Dr. John Dunn discusses the motivations behind healthy and unhealthy perfectionism and explains how athletic identity is closely related to performance. Short Extract: Research by Dr. Dunn and University of Alberta graduate students examined American collegiate athletes, concluding that unhealthy perfectionism is associated with lower self-esteem in both males and females.

Citation: Anonymous. (2008, January 25). A perfect 10? Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. https://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/society-societe/stories-histoires/story-histoire-eng.aspx?story_id=37