University of Oklahoma Athletics
Sport Psychology
May 20, 2013 | Athletics
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Sport psychology is a type of mental coaching that is used by athletes, teams, and others who want to improve their performance in any number of areas. It is for those who wish to harness the power of the mind to perform with greater confidence, consistency, and at the upper ranges of their potential.
Most athletes realize the importance of physical preparation. GREAT athletes recognize that solid physical preparation combined with excellent mental preparation leads to their best performances.
Sport psychology sessions take on differing forms. They range from a five-minute discussion in passing or a brief talk at practice, to a 50-minute session in an office.
However, sport psychology sessions are often slightly more instructional and solution-focused than most counseling sessions.
Issues Addressed
Emphasis is placed on the enhancement of psychological skills, such as gaining and maintaining confidence in one's abilities, focusing attention correctly under pressure, and maintaining composure during challenging situations. Time is often spent helping individuals recognize and more effectively utilize personal strengths.
Other issues addressed often include:
- low confidence
- difficulty in communicating with teammates or coaches
- distractibility in competition
- lack of joy and fun in sport
- taking too few or too many risks
- lack of motivation
- performance slumps
- playing with hesitation
- unproductive self-coaching
- ineffective leadership skills
- sub-optimal team dynamics
