Sports Psychology

Most of us enjoy watching sports and we often hear about the mental aspect of the game. Occasionally, the topic will come up about sports psychologists helping athletes with focus, visualization, confidence, patience, etc.

This article is designed to explain the profession of Sports Psychology. You will quickly begin to relate how the knowledge of this profession can improve your poker game. The arena of competitive psychological science has been developing over the past 30 years.

Sports Psychologists are generally used by individual athletics like golf, tennis, track and field. However, the profession can also be instrumental in group sports. The objective is to assist the athlete in performing to their fullest potential by expanding the essential mental abilities to achieve the highest level of performance. 

Alex Rodriguez, NY Yankee all-star 3rd baseman has made no secret about the idea that he has sought help though sports psychology. It is highly probably that the guidance he has received has helped him to become the highest paid player in baseball. Since 1988, tennis sensation Jennifer Capriatti has always traveled to various tournaments with her sports psychologist.

                  

The truth is, many professional athletes have counselors in their entourage and they are as significant as a trainer or coach. According to and article from “Athletic Insight”, which is a online journal of sports psychology, an athletic counselor has experience in the following areas:

· Peak performance by using mental skill conditioning.

· Situations which are particular to the psychological welfare of competitors.

· Assisting the systems and organizations which are introduce in a sport setting.

· Developmental and social agents that determine athletic involvement.

Dr. Patrick J. Cohn PhD., an expert in this profession, would rather be recognized as a a “mental game coach". Virtually all athletes find it easier to relate to this description other than a sports psychologist, which could have a unfavorable connotation.

A mental game coach will address competitors' performance during play and not necessarily their individualized problems. The key is to enhance performance. Dr. Cohn states that there are many athletes who are recognized as offering “outstanding talent” or “gifted” in an ability, but somehow never perform adequate to their highest potential. This might be a signal that their mindset is defeating their performance.

Dr. Cohen lists on peaksports.com, many of the inquiries he could ask an athlete:

1) Are you concerned with how other view you athletic ability? Are you self conscious?

2) Do you perform better in practice than you do in the actual event?

3) Does anxiety affect your game? Can you think straight?

4) What motivates you? Fear of failure or fear of success? Are you self-defeating?

5) Are you easily distracted by matters carrying on close to you? 

Additional subjects in sports psychology are: goal setting, visualization, anxiety management, defeating crucial mentality ("choking"), overcoming injury, daily preparations, and ultimate advanced performance. Lately, competitive psychology has flourished in the company boardroom. Several corporations have started using performance based psychologists to heighten the execution and the rational of administrators and sale managers.

Dr. Cohn thinks salesmen worry to much about quotas that eventually their figures begin to decline. Executives must implement strategies to maintain focus on the present, instead of worrying about the past. They should find ways to deal with failure and maintain the workers motivation once affairs do not go as intended. Sports Psychologists have advanced strategies that they can use use to guide employees and build self assurance. This profession and information is necessary to become a successful poker player.