MIND AND BODY
Sports psychology examines the processes and effects of sport from a psychological perspective. Highly-skilled sports stars at the peak of fitness may be outstanding physically, but is this enough? Experts broadly agree that it is not.
It takes an exceptional individual to perform in any high-stakes tournament and to compete under enormous pressure and scrutiny, but that is what professional athletes do for a living. In spite of their dedication and skill, even the best of sportspeople can be plagued by doubts and fears. The need to be in the right mindset to perform, unhindered by nerves, has paved the way for a relatively new role in the sports sector, that of the sports psychologist. The field of sports psychology has grown rapidly in recent years and has become a mainstream element of professional sports. Now, when sports celebrities thank their manager, their coach, and their supporters, it is not unusual for them to single out their sports psychologist for special praise. It seems unthinkable that any serious player or team would be without one today.
1) So, what do sports psychologists actually do, and what qualifies them to do it? In terms of qualifications, degree courses in sports psychology are widely offered at universities around the world. Alternatively, those with an undergraduate degree in psychology may add to it by pursuing specialist postgraduate studies such as sports medicine or physiology. The discipline typically combines research and theory with the applied practice of psychology in physical exercise and sports. Qualified sports psychologists help sportspeople to be mentally prepared for effective training and optimum performance, but let us look in more detail at how they do this.
2) Sports psychologists use strategies that help players to focus on their aims. These may include goal-setting or visualisation, which are techniques that have been shown to improve concentration and performance. Professional sportspeople require extensive resilience, which sports psychologists help them to maintain, as well as strategies for being positive or remaining calm in difficult moments. They also teach coping skills for dealing with anxiety and intense career stress - for example, using muscle relaxation, breathing exercises and meditation. When players get injured, the sports psychologist supports them through their recovery with a customised programme for their physical pain management as well as their mental wellness. If a player’s confidence becomes eroded by an injury they have sustained, the sports psychologist works closely with them, strategically building the player back up to a position of self-belief.
3) Sports psychology, in most major team sports, has been something of a game changer. The sports psychologist not only works with individual players, but with the team as a whole, and also liaises with the coaches. In professional football, tactical analysis of play has long-been used as part of any club’s methodology. Teams rewatch past games to study the mechanics of each move and sequence. With the addition of sports psychology, they monitor the replays for the psychology behind certain actions, too. At Chelsea FC in London, they extensively reviewed players’ moves to analyse whether they reflected psychological focus or confidence or motivation and, in this way, were able to identify patterns of play which led to success on the pitch. One professor of sport sciences, after observing more than 250 players, was able to conclude that play was more successful whenever players ‘scanned’, that is, quickly glanced around, before receiving a pass. The same psychology professor also studied 45 years’ worth of penalty shoot-outs, measuring the winning games against the length of time a player took to take the penalty kick. The conclusion, in psychological terms, is that waiting too long causes overthinking, which often results in no score.
4) These examples demonstrate a dual aspect of the sports psychologist’s contribution: a commitment to protect and improve the well-being of the client and, in turn, the greater probability of favourable outcomes in their chosen sport. It is a winning formula of care channelled into measurable results. After all, when we feel our best, we are more likely to do our best. For this reason, even though most of us will not embark upon a career in professional sports, and may never experience the terrifying exhilaration of performing in front of millions of people, and being judged for it, we all stand to benefit from the overall process of sports psychology. In our daily lives, we would all benefit from paying closer attention to our goals and not losing sight of them; relaxing and sleeping well; celebrating important occasions; remaining calm in a crisis; thinking positively; praying and believing we can do our best.
Questions:
Q1. Why has the role of the sports psychologist become important in professional sports?
Because even highly-skilled athletes can be plagued by doubts and fears, and sports psychologists help them be in the right mindset to perform, unhindered by nerves.
Q2. What qualifications are needed to become a sports psychologist?
A degree in sports psychology, or an undergraduate degree in psychology with postgraduate studies in areas like sports medicine or physiology.
Q3. What strategies do sports psychologists use to help players focus?
They use goal-setting, visualisation, resilience-building, positive thinking, staying calm, coping skills like muscle relaxation, breathing exercises and meditation.
Q4. According to the professor who studied penalty shoot-outs, what psychological factor often causes players to miss?
Waiting too long, which causes overthinking and often results in no score.
Q5. How can ordinary people (not professional athletes) benefit from sports psychology in daily life?
By paying attention to their goals, relaxing and sleeping well, celebrating important occasions, remaining calm in a crisis, thinking positively, praying, and believing they can do their best.
