MIND AND BODY
- Sports psychology examines the processes and effects of sport from a psychological perspective.
- sports psychologists help sportspeople to be mentally prepared for effective training and optimum performance
- coping skills for dealing with anxiety and intense career stress - for example, using muscle relaxation, breathing exercises and meditation
- goal-setting or visualisation, which are techniques that have been shown to improve concentration and performance
- ‘scanned’, that is, quickly glanced around
- The field of sports psychology has grown rapidly in recent years and has become a mainstream element of professional sports.
- When players get injured, the sports psychologist supports them through their recovery with a customised programme for their physical pain management as well as their mental wellness.
- One professor of sport sciences, after observing more than 250 players, was able to conclude that play was more successful whenever players ‘scanned’, that is, quickly glanced around, before receiving a pass.
- The conclusion, in psychological terms, is that waiting too long causes overthinking, which often results in no score.
- After all, when we feel our best, we are more likely to do our best.