Sports Psychologists - Helping Athletes Get Back On Track
In sports, where a fraction of a second can make all the difference between winning and losing, the impact of psychology has become more and more an area of focus and for this reason sports psychologists are beginning to find themselves in great demand. Starting with Norman Triplett, a psychologist from Indiana University who discovered that cyclists rode faster in groups than when cycling solo, the discipline has since grown to encompass a range of terms and theories and has found its way in to most professional sports today from football to sprinting. Even Olympic curling benefits from sports psychology…
The role of the sports psychologist then is to provide consultation to help train the mental state of the athlete or team (as well as their coaches) thereby increasing their endurance, conscientiousness, confidence and the effectiveness of their training. Additionally they must manage emotion in a very high-pressure arena and try to minimize the psychological impact of injury or illness. Finally they will teach athletes to utilize techniques and ‘tricks’ such as goal setting, visualization, self talk and concentration; for example, sports psychologists teach that visualization can be useful both as a way of practicing and boosting confidence. Some studies suggest that when we ‘imagine’ ourselves performing the perfect golf swing our neurons fire in much the same way as they do when we actually perform the action, making it almost as valuable as ‘real’ training. Meanwhile, concentration and relaxation techniques can be utilized leading up to and during a game or event increasing their mental clarity and eliminating nerves or jitters. Athletes will then asked to practice these techniques on a regular basis in order to perfect them much in the same way that they practice their physical skills. This is known as ‘Psychological Skill Training’ or PST.
While these are the mains role of a sports psychologist ‘in the field’ (no pun intended); they will also be required to fulfill the roles of teacher and researcher. This means passing their knowledge down to the next generation of sports psychologists as well as breaking new ground by carrying out experiments and research projects to test new theories and techniques. This will also require you to be able to write up your results and calculate correlations for significant findings by using statistical programs such as SPSS, after which they will usually be published in a peer reviewed journal such as the Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology.
In order to become a sports psychologist many universities are now offering degrees that cater specifically to that career. In order to work in the field you will need to obtain at least a masters or preferably a PHD to enable you to carry out research and work with the most high profile clients. You can also get certification from an accredited source such as the ABSP (American Board of Sport Psychology) or AASP (Association for Applied Sports Psychology), for which you also need a masters degree or doctorate in a clearly related field (PE, psychology or even sports psychology). For this reason becoming a sports psychologist represents a fairly large commitment in terms of your time and requires a certain amount of dedication.
For those who stick at it however, job satisfaction undoubtedly comes from having a hand in creating the winning team or athlete and in helping them to go from bronze to gold through your consultation and guidance, and there’s also something satisfying about having your research published in psychological or sports journals. Sports psychology presents an interesting blend of sports and academia and an interest in both will benefit you greatly. It’s a job that’s suited well to those who are interested in pushing the boundaries of human performance, who like working with people and who are maybe looking for something a bit different to the typical office job.
Explore Online Sports Psychology Degree Programs
Explore Online Psychology Degree Programs
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University of Phoenix
Campus
As the largest private university in North America, University of Phoenix has more than 200 locations, and is available online in most countries around the world. Whether you're seeking a college degree at an associate's, bachelor's, master's, or doctoral level, we can help you reach your academic goal—and sooner than you might think.
Programs:- BS in Psychology
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- Lathrop
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- Online
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- Livermore
Walden University
Online
Balance your personal and professional commitments while earning a respected Ph.D., master's degree, or bachelor's degree online at Walden University. Programs offered in management, education, psychology and health and human services.
Programs:- B.S. in Human Services - Psychology
- B.S. in Psychology - Psychology Applied in Everyday Life
- M.S. in Psychology - Crisis Management & Response
Post University
Campus
Getting your Online degree does not have to be impersonal. At Post University Online, you will engage in meaningful career-oriented programs with like-minded students and receive personal attention from our dedicated faculty within a caring and supportive learning environment. Earn your bachelor's degree, associate's degree, or certificate in one of the many programs offered by Post University entirely online.
Programs:- B.A. in Psychology
- B.S. in Human Services / Psychology
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- Waterbury
Argosy University Online
Campus
Argosy University offers doctoral, master's, bachelor's and associate's degree programs to students through its five colleges: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Education, Business, Health Sciences, and Undergraduate Studies.
Programs:- Sport-Exercise Psychology (MA)
- BA Psychology
- Phoenix
Argosy University
Campus
Argosy University offers doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degree programs to students through its five colleges: Psychology andBehavioral Sciences, Education, Business, Health Sciences, and Undergraduate Studies, as well as certificate programs in many areas.
Programs:- Sport-Exercise Psychology (MA)
- Psychology (BA)
- Counseling Psychology (EdD)
- San Bernardino
- Orange
- Santa Monica
- Alameda
- San Diego
Baker College Online
Campus
Baker College Online is fully accredited and offers over 40 programs that will help you earn your Certificate, Associate, Bachelor, Master's or Doctorate degree affordably. Learn more now.
Programs:- Bachelor of Science in Psychology
- Lisle
Northcentral University
Campus
Earn your degree online and boost your career at Northcentral University. We offer online doctoral, master's, and bachelor's degree programs in education, behavioral and health sciences, and business.
Programs:- General Psychology - PhD of Psychology
- Prescott Valley
Golden Gate University
Campus
For more than 110 years, non-profit Golden Gate University (GGU) has been helping adults achieve their professional goals by providing undergraduate and graduate education in Accounting, Law, Taxation, Business and related areas.
Programs:- Psychology - Masters
- San Francisco
- Santa Clara
University of the Rockies
Online
Join the community of thought leaders at University of the Rockies. Pursue your graduate degree from the University’s School of Professional Psychology or School of Organizational Leadership.
Programs:- Doctor of Psychology, Sports and Performance Psychology
- MA in Psychology, Sports and Performance Psychology Specialization
- Doctor of Psychology, Criminology and Justice Studies
The University of Liverpool
Campus
Advance your career and increase your earning potential with a masters or a doctoral degree from the University of Liverpool. Study online in small groups of business professionals.
Programs:- MSc in Applied Psychology (General Psychology)
- Online
Grand Canyon University
Campus
Don't Miss a Day of Your Future! Grand Canyon University is offering Bachelor and Master degrees through our College of Education, Ken Blanchard College of Business, College of Nursing & Health Sciences, College of Liberal Arts, and College of Entrepreneurship. Classes start soon!
Programs:- M.S. in Psychology: General Psychology
- Ph.D. in General Psychology with an Emphasis in Cognition and Instruction
- B.S. in Psychology
- Phoenix
Ashworth College
Campus
Get the hands-on training and skills it takes to succeed with Ashworth College, a respected, worldwide leader in distance education. Study at the times and places most convenient for you.
Programs:- Associate of Science Degree in Psychology
- Norcross
Career Colleges of America
Campus
Get your career started with Career Colleges of America. We have four campuses in the Los Angeles area offering a wide variety of allied health training programs.
Programs:- Fitness Trainer
- Gardena
- San Bernardino
- South Gate
- Los Angeles
Stratford Career Institute
Online
Stratford Career Institute can help you earn your diploma from home in as little as six months, thanks to their proven study methods.
Programs:- Fitness and Nutrition
Keiser University
Campus
Keiser University eCampus Online offers degrees in fields that are in high demand and provides job placement assistance to all its students and alumni.
Programs:- Psychology, BA (Online)
- Fort Lauderdale
