What is sport psychology?

Elite athletes in any sport are often under a lot of pressure from sponsors, fans and the media, and as a result, they can find themselves under enormous physical and mental strain. Sports psychology is often applied when an athlete needs more support and guidance to maintain their peak performance.

In this post, we will look in more detail what sports psychology deals with, its functions, and where you can study a Master in Sports Psychology Online, Master Sport Psychology in person or a relevant master to launch your professional career as a sports psychologist.

What do you mean by sports psychology?

Athletes are under immense physical and emotional stress. They feel the pressure from the coaches and their teams as well as the pressure they put on themselves. This type of chronic stress can affect your peak performance and impact on your ability to reach your goals. And if that deep stress isn't dealt with well, it can lead to long-term mental and physical health problems.

Sports psychologists help athletes manage the changing emotions that influence their practice. They use a holistic approach to health for each of their clients. They take into account both an athlete's physical capabilities and her mental handicaps.

They also help to manage everything that can affect performance in relation to your personality and sports context. In other words, beyond just motivating them, sports psychologists create strategies, and look for ways to improve mental strength and athletic performance simultaneously.

What do sports psychologists do?

Sports psychology has several benefits for both mental health and physical performance. Some of the advantages of sports psychology include:

• Improve performance: Various mental strategies, such as visualisation, self-talk, and relaxation techniques, can help athletes overcome obstacles and reach their full potential.
• Coping with pressure: Sports psychologists can help athletes of all levels - elite and amateur - cope with pressure from parents, coaches, or even their own expectations.
• Recover from injuries: After an injury, athletes often need help sticking with their recovery plan, physical therapy, and adjusting to being out of competition.
• Enjoy sports: Sports organisations or even colleges, universities, and other educational institutions often hire a sports psychologist to educate coaches on how to help young people enjoy sports and promote self-esteem and healthy living.

Sports psychology can even help people off the field or off the track. The same strategies that sport psychologists use with their athletes—relaxation techniques, mental rehearsals, and cognitive restructuring, for example—are also helpful in places of work and other settings.

What do you need to be a sports psychologist?

If you are interested in becoming a sports psychologist, at the Real Madrid Graduate School - Universidad Europea, we offer you several options, such as the master's programmes already mentioned. We know that you will have professional and personal commitments, and that is why our academic offer includes the possibility of studying online or in person.

In both formats, we offer you a unique experience, thanks to our collaboration with Real Madrid. During the master's degree, you will be in contact with leading professors and professionals in their areas of knowledge within sports psychology. Our academic model is based on experiential learning, with which you will be able to work on real cases and develop the necessary skills to succeed in your professional career after finishing the programme.