Sport Psychology

Session 1

Introduction to Sport Psychology

Session objectives

• Understand what sport psychology is• List factors associated with sport psychology• Explain why athletes use sport psychology• Identify athletes who may benefit from using

sport psychology skills in the future

Introduction to the unit

• This unit will specifically be looking at the psychology of performance in sport.

• Specifically we will be focusing on the extent to which the human mind plays a role in sport performance.

Examples

What is Sport Psychology?

• “Sport psychology is the scientific study of people and their behaviours in sport and exercise contexts and the practical applications of that knowledge”

• (Gill 1979)

What is sport psychology?

• Sport psychology involves preparing the mind of an athlete just as much as one prepares the body

• For many elite level, professional, recreational and even youth athletes, successful performances can not simply be reduced to superior physical performance

Factors associated with sport psychology

Psychology

M

S/a

L

P

A

Factors associated with sport psychology

Psychology

Motivation

Stress/anxiety

Leadership

Personality

Arousal

Who uses sport psychology

• Co______

• Pl______

• Ma________

• Sp____ Ps________-

• Phys______________

Use of psychology

Activity 1

• List as many sporting examples as you can of when you think sport psychology might be used in sport.

• Example – A coach in the dressing room before walking out onto the field of play

Session objectives

• Understand what sport psychology is• List factors associated with sport psychology• Describe why athletes use sport psychology• Identify athletes who may benefit from using

sport psychology skills in the future