Basics of Sports Psychology

Psychology is everywhere, sports is not an exception for it. So what does it mean by sports psychology? Sports psychology is an applied field of psychology, where theories of psychology are used to better the performance of the players, motivate them, help in dealing with pressure, etc. Sports psychology is about maximizing on yourself, it’s about your own doubts, fears and anxieties, about letting the positive you defeat the negative you. “Psychology is a battle of you v/s you” – said Billy Beswick, one of the most respected sports psychologist. Sports psychology is a growing field of interest. In recent years lot of research has been conducted on how sports affect mental health, studies have been conducted on dealing with pressure, winning and losing, etc.

What exactly is the definition of psychology?

To give a formal definition of sports psychology – “sports psychology is a branch of psychology that applies psychological theories and principles to sports and physical activities.”

Importance of Sports Psychology

Sports can build up immense pressure on the athletes. The pressure can be in different forms like winning the game, being the best, not letting the team down, staying focused, etc. This pressure can put the athletes under a lot of stress which can take a toll on their physical and mental health as well as affect their game. Sports psychologists help the athletes in identifying their issues and then provide them necessary assistance. They also lend a hand in improving the mental health of the players and their performance in the game. Sports psychology not only helps dealing with stressors inside the game but helps in all areas of life. From injuries on the field to family problems that could affect the game of the athlete, sports psychology encompasses everything.

Key concepts

Some of the key concepts in sports psychology include –

1. Goal setting

Goal setting is important for every sportsperson. It helps in improving the performance of the player. Sports psychologist assists the player in setting achievable, clear goals. These goals help the player in strategizing and creating a clear map of the way that would lead them to success. Setting a goal also helps the player in staying motivated.

Read More: 6 Tips to Gain Motivation: Be Motivated Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

For example – an athlete would set the long term goal of completing the upcoming marathon in 2 hours. To make this happen, he would then break this into smaller goals like – reducing the time in covering a particular distance or practicing more. This would help him in staying motivated, having a proper roadmap for achieving his long term goal and even tracking his own progress. Goal setting also helps in achieving consistency and increasing the dedication towards the game.

Read More: What Is Goal Setting And What Do We Learn From It?

2. Confidence

Imagine a cricket player, batsman playing the last over in the world cup and the team needs a six in next two balls to win. What do you think the player must be feeling? Pressure is like complimentary gift that comes with sports. Sportspersons need to be able to properly handle this pressure and also give their best shot under that pressure. Sports psychology prepares the players for dealing with the pressure and even thriving in it. Psychology helps in building the confidence on self. It even lends a hand in improving the self-esteem of the player which can have a positive impact on the player’s performance.

3. The Technique of Visualization

Visualization is the technique of imagining the entire game in your mind, visualizing every detail. This technique helps the athletes in making the competitive environment of the game feel familiar as you have already imagined it. It improves the confidence of the player potentially increasing the chances of winning in the final game. Visualizing also reduces the anxiety and stress of the final game. It also comes in handy while handling pressure. Sports psychology helps athletes develop and use the technique of visualization to improve their performance.

Role of Sports Psychologist

Now let us take a look at what exactly the work of sports psychologist look likes – Even though the work responsibilities of sports psychologist may differ from their work place, some of the common duties include –

• Diagnosing and helping in the treatment of emotional problems of the athletes which may lead to their poor performance.
• Assisting them in managing stress and anxiety that sports bring.
• Helping players in increasing their confidence
• Improve teamwork, compatibility and communication between the members of the team.
• Helping players stay motivated
• Lending a hand in setting goals for the sportsmen.
• Improve attention and focus of the athletes to improve their performance
• Helping the coaches and officials in communicating better with the players.
• Mentally preparing the athletes for the game
• Helping the players coping with injuries.

Qualifications of a sports psychologist

A sports psychologist has bachelor’s degree. Mostly sports psychologists are also required to have a Master’s degree in counseling, clinical or sports psychology. A Doctorate can be an additional perk. Sports psychologists also essentially have knowledge about subjects like sports medicine,
physiology and kinesiology. They also have to practice under the guidance of a professional, licensed psychologist for 2 years minimum. Apart from this different places have different rules and regulations for licensing. Only psychologists who have a valid license can practice and can be referred to as psychologist.

Hear it from the athletes

Mental health has been the talk of the town. Let’s look at what athletes think about mental health in the field of sports.

P. V. Sindhu (badminton player)

In one of her interviews on world mental health day, talking about mental health P. V. Sindhu emphasized on the importance of conversations about mental health. Talking about the need of mental health professionals in sports, she further added that a lot of performance pressure can build up. She also said that getting the right help at the right time can make a big difference.

Novak Djokovic (tennis player)

Novak Djokovic said that mental strength is not a gift; it is not something that can be bought or sold. He said that mental strength takes a lot of work. He also says that he uses the power of visualization and imagines the entire game in his mind before going on the field. This helps him practice for all the possible scenarios. Djokovik said that he practices, consciousness, mindfulness, meditation, journaling, etc. to overcome the distractions.

Virat Kohli (Cricket player)

Virat Kohli, heartthrob of the India’s cricket fans himself admitted that he struggled a lot with mental health during his career. He said that the pressure of the games took a negative toll on his mental health. He also emphasizes on the importance of taking rest and recovering from the pressure that the game brings.

Read More: Navigating Hard Times: Effective Strategies for Resilience and Coping

Conclusion

“Gold medals aren’t really made of gold. They’re made of sweat, determination, and a hard- to-find alloy called guts.” – Dan Gable

The need for psychology is everywhere. Sports is one of the field that requires psychologists for various reasons. Sports psychology is the field that practically applies the theories of psychology to help the athletes deal with issues like – motivation, performance pressure, overall mental toughness, etc. it assists the athletes using variety of techniques including visualization, goal setting and confidence building.

The role of the sports psychologist includes responsibilities like helping the player deal with the stress and anxiety of the game, improving confidence, increasing the team communication and cohesiveness, helping the athletes deal with injuries, etc. sports psychologist is an interesting field and has a lot of future options like sports psychology educator, athletic coaching, licensed sports psychologist, performance psychologist and many more.