Mind Games: The Role of Sports Psychologists in Team Sports

Key points by Ioanna Georgia Eskiadi

In this webinar we discussed the importance of sports psychologists in team sports, and analyzed the way in which sports psychologists can boost a team and help athletes to achieve their goals by maintaining good mental health. It is undoubtable that sports and especially team sports can cause psychological problems, especially in children and in teenagers, since athletes have to face competition, a culture of winning and being the best player. The importance of sports psychology has been understood for decades, but many coaches and athletes pay little attention to how it can help them perform better. Physical aspects of sports are critical, but they become even more significant when combined with an effective mental training program, including looking into relationships within the team, aspects of leadership, behavioral patterns, and individual personalities. Sports psychologists can help athletes cope with competitive fears, improve mental skills, prepare for competitions, return after injury, develop pregame routines, improve practice efficiency, cope with adversity, perform well under pressure, manage expectations, maintain confidence, handle emotions after setbacks and mistakes, and improve consistency in performance, among other skills. It all starts, however, with building a solid team culture, including goals, values, attitudes, and beliefs.

It’s important for coaches and administrators of youth and development teams to know the techniques that can help them build strong, cohesive, and successful sports teams. This can be achieved by developing a positive culture on youth sports teams and by emphasizing education that includes psychology and youth development principles. To develop a positive culture, you need contribution, a positive approach and relationships. Relationships matter, especially with vulnerable youth who do not have access to positive adult relationships. A positive coaching approach helps coaches and athletes build trust, develop good relationships, increase motivation in their athletes and perform better. Sports opportunities for youth to accomplish goals is a valuable part of learning how to contribute to society in positive ways. Working together for the same goal increases understanding and appreciation among the people who are perceived as different from each other. Social responsibility can be increased, and attitudes of violence can be decreased through sport-plus programming.

Mental toughness is important for a team’s success, since the overall or prevailing level of mental toughness is a factor in a team’s success, how an organization or team responds to setbacks, how it responds to opportunity, and how it responds to change. It’s important to have control (of emotions and life), commitment (in delivery-oriented and goal oriented), confidence (in abilities and inter-personal confidence) and challenges (of learning from everything and stretching oneself) in order to have mental toughness.

Key points

· Sports psychology as a tool to perform better.

· Need to boost the psychology of athletes.

· Effective mental training programs.

· Cope with competitive fears and prepare for competitions.

· Manage expectations and maintain confidence.

· Build a solid team culture.

· Include in a team’s values: goals, attitudes and beliefs of each person.

· Develop a positive culture on youth sports teams.

· Sport opportunities for youth to accomplish goals.

· Building mentally tough teams.

Speakers:
Karanbir Singh is sports Psychologist in Tata Steel High Performance Center Sport Department from India.

Lindsey Blom is professor of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Ball State University from USA.

David Charlton is the owner and Sports Psychologist of Inspiring Sporting Excellence from Great Britain.

Dubravka Martinovic is Sports Psychologist, Performance Consultant from Croatia

Grant Parr and mental Performance Coach, San Francisco State University Women’s Volleyball Department in USA.

This webinar is part of World Learning’s International Sports Programming Initiative (ISPI) — Virtual Together program, a series of virtual events, launched in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. ISPI is a program of U.S. Department of State’s Sports Diplomacy division. The series aims to engage the sports community globally, to creatively problem solve, share digital tools and work together, follow health guidance, and continue to promote active, healthy lifestyles both physically and mentally throughout this crisis. Additional modules related to these objectives are being developed and will be announced. The webinar is produced by Digital Communication Network, a diverse professional coalition in the digital space.