Berlin Germany

Coleman Griffith

Here are five of the leading sports psychology professional organizations in existence today.

• Association for Applied Sports Psychology.
• International Society of Sports Psychology.
• American Psychological Society, Division 47.
• National Collegiate Athletic Association.
• International Institute for Sport and Human Performance.

Research in sport psychology began in the late 19th century, furthered by the work of such psychologists as Norman Triplett, who in 1898 found that cyclists who rode with others performed better, thanks to the social and competitive aspects of groups.

Sports

Sport psychologists help professional and amateur athletes overcome problems, enhance their performance, and achieve their goals.

Skills

• an interest in sport.
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• active listening and reflection skills.
• patience and the ability to motivate others.
• flexibility in order to work in a range of settings with different clients.
• problem-solving skills.
• decision-making ability.

Sports psychologists are not limited to work with dedicated athletes, however; they may also work with entertainers who have mental performance issues, such as stage fright, or with regular people who wish to improve their physical fitness or recover from a sports injury.

The practice of sport psychology is also finding fans beyond athletics. “There’s increased demand for sport psychologists to address sports performance as well as mental health concerns, which is fantastic not just for the field of sport psychology but for athletes and for the general population.”

Most positions require a master’s or doctoral degree in clinical, counseling or sport psychology. Even then, additional classes in kinesiology, physiology, sports medicine, business and marketing are required. Direct training and experience in applying psychology to sports and exercise is a must.

When it comes to how to become a sports psychologist, a bachelor’s alone is not enough — a graduate degree is required for licensure. While a Ph. D. is necessary for some positions, you can qualify for others with a master’s.

Fitness is just one of the factors, and for many sports plays a major role in success. In addition, there are psychological factors, then many more minor factors including supply of equipment, opportunity for training, expertise in coaching and skill teaching, nutritional status, a good support network, funding etc.

7 Skills Athletes Can Put to Use in the Workforce

1. Dedication. There is no doubt that every proud athlete has dedicated a large amount of time and energy to their passion for athletics.
2. Communication. Most sports are team sports, or at least there is someone else involved, like a coach or trainer.
3. Perseverance.
4. Discipline.
5. Teamwork.
6. Leadership.
7. Resilience.

Some of the many benefits of sport is it’s capacity to develop self-esteem, regulate behaviour and habits, learn leadership and communication skills, learn patience and develop resilience when things don’t go to plan.

Development from sport goes beyond learning new physical skills. Sport helps children develop better ways to cope with the highs and lows of life. When they’re playing sport, children learn to lose. Playing sport helps children learn to control their emotions and channel negative feelings in a positive way.

Check out these five ways that sports can develop life skills:

1. Teamwork. The ability to work within a team is a skill that will serve you well for your entire life.
2. Adversity.
3. Dealing with Authority.
4. Concentration.
5. Confidence.

Examples of basic skills are running, jumping, throwing, catching and striking. Complex skills are more difficult. They include complicated movements that require high levels of co-ordination and control. They are usually sport-specific.