ABSTRACT
To pass into this Holy of Holies is the aim of most creative artists. To gain entrance into this dream world is beyond all but the few and the lure of success a strong one; offering more than just a dream but often also a means of ‘escape’. Beattie (1996, p. 19) puts the point succinctly when he notes that ‘Fighters from the Bronx in New York, the Gorbals in Glasgow, the Markets in Belfast. They punch their way out of the slum, they dance their way out of the ghetto’. For many these potential escape routes offer the only realistic chance of success and wealth, however, for every successful artist, there are thousands of failed, aspiring, or just plain bitter ones. There may also be the need for enormous personal sacrifice. For sportsmen and women the discipline of training has become ever more onerous as preparation has itself become more professionalised. In order to maximise performance, greater attention is now being paid to pre-match work and certainly, with respect to football, there has been an increasing continental influence. Similarly, in cricket, new coaching methods, including the application of new technology, are being utilised to improve performance. Sports are also aware that they may be able to learn from other areas with respect to fitness and application.
