What is the role of a sport psychologist?

The sports sector is one of the most thriving in around the world.  In Spain along, for example, the industry generates 414,000 jobs, 30% more than the average for the rest of the country's sectors. One of those jobs is precisely that of a sports psychologist. In fact, more and more teams and athletes hire the services of a sports psychologist because they are aware that mental state is as important to improve their performance as physical or tactical training.

What does a sports psychologist do?

The sports psychologist focuses on behaviour in the field of physical activity and sport. They study and analyse cognitive, emotional and behavioural processes in the context of physical training and competition to understand how they influence performance. Therefore, the functions of a sports psychologist are varied:

• Evaluates the athlete to understand what factors affect their physical performance using techniques such as interviews, observation, questionnaires and/or psychometric tests that allow building an individualised psychological profile.
• They provide different psychological strategies that contribute to optimising sports performance. One of the functions of the sports psychologist is to advise athletes so that they can improve their attention and concentration, better manage their emotions, increase their motivation, reduce pre-competition anxiety and strengthen their self-confidence.
• Psychological support during injury. The sports psychologist helps athletes to maintain motivation during rehabilitation and provides them with tools so that they can gradually re-join training. They also work with doctors and physical therapists to design intervention plans that help people affected by different diseases to lead a more active and healthier lifestyle.
• They advise and train technicians, monitors and coaches so that they can create a climate that favours training and motivates the athlete to give their best. In fact, among the functions of the sports psychologist is also to advise the work of the multidisciplinary teams that supervise athletes or people with injuries who want to recover.
• Promotes cohesion in team sports, so that each athlete can perform at their best and, at the same time, feel that they are part of a group. Precisely, another of the functions of the sports psychologist consists of designing and applying group intervention programmes aimed at fostering a positive training climate in which all team members feel comfortable.

Where do sports psychologists work?

Sports psychology is an increasingly interesting outlet for psychologists since it has expanded from being used solely in traditional fields, such as in high-performance sports. Nowadays, sports psychology is associated with any area of health and quality of life, intervention in groups with special needs and collaboration with companies and sports organisations.

Therefore, the sports psychologist can work at different levels. Professional and high-performance sport is the best-known aspect, but you can also work in grassroots sports at school or community level.

The sports psychologist can also work in sectors more oriented towards leisure, health and recreation, as well as in the field of special needs. They may work in sports centres and facilities, clubs, gyms and, in a general sense, in any entity or body, whether public or private, that uses physical and/or sports activity as a tool.

How to obtain a specialisation in sports psychology?

Obtaining a specialisation in sports psychology may vary from country to country. In Spain’s case, the College of Psychologists (COP) indicates that to practice as a sports and physical activity psychologist it is essential to have a Degree in Psychology. Then it is necessary to carry out a postgraduate training or master's degree in Sports Psychology.