How to become a Sports Psychologist

Vijay GarG *

Sports Psychologist help in enhancing the performance of athletes in sports. They may function as trainers, consultants, or therapists. Sports psychologist helps the athletes in overcoming eating disorders. They help the athletes, coaches and sports team; mentally prepare for matches, races and other competitions. Sports psychologist also help the athletes in overcoming depression, anxiety, stress, lack of confidence and any sports injury. He provides counselling and guidance to the athlete which greatly benefits them.

Sports Psychologist also promotes the psychological advantages of exercise among people like in public institutions, prison and hospitals. They are also invited to the companies to give seminars to the employees regarding the advantages of exercise, methods of improving mental and physical health and also tell how to implement them in real life.

Sports Psychologist Eligibility

Educational Qualification

To become a sports psychologist one requires masters or doctorate degree in sports psychology.

Age limits

There is no restriction with regard to the age of the candidate if he or she wants to be a Sports Psychologist.

Sports Psychologist Required Skills

To become a successful Sports Psychologist the aspiring candidates need the following skills:
Sports psychologist should have a proper understanding of the application of stress management and mental conditioning techniques.
He should have a thorough knowledge of exercise, science and sports medicine.
They should have an understanding of common sports-related injuries and treatments.
He should know objectivity and sound judgment.
They should have a critical thinking ability.
A sports psychologist should have interpersonal skills and confidentiality.
He should know data analysis.

How to Become a Sports Psychologist?

To become a Sports Psychologist the aspiring candidates have to follow the given steps:

Step 1

After completing 12th class from any stream, the candidate needs to earn a bachelor degree in Sports Psychology from an accredited college. Aspiring candidates may have to take some entrance exam to enter a reputed college to get a Bachelor’s degree in Sports Psychology. However, some institutes provide admission on the basis of marks in qualifying exams.

Step 2

After a bachelor degree in sports psychology, the aspiring candidate can go for a master degree in Sports Psychology to get specialization in the field.

Step 3

After getting Master’s degree in Sports Psychology one can join some organization as a trainee/Assistant Sports Psychologist or go for a Doctorate Degree in sports psychology.
Note: Candidate needs to hold a certificate in Sports psychology from the Association for Applied Sports Psychology (AASP).
Sports Psychologist Training Institutes in India
National Institute of Sports, Patiala, Punjab
Indian Institute of Psychology & Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka
Indian Institute of Sports Medicine, Chennai, Tamil Nadu
Indira Gandhi Institute of Physical Education & Sports Sciences, New Delhi, Delhi
Institute of Sports Science & Technology (ISST), Pune, Maharashtra

Sports Psychologist Job Description

A Sports Psychologist is responsible for accessing their client’s individual needs. They also maintain records of performance, so as to track the progress level of an athlete and their other clients. Sports psychologists may be researchers as well as service providers. Sports psychologists have a major impact on the performance of an athlete.

A sports psychologist performs the following activities:

Improve Mental Performance: A sports psychologist help in improving mental performance of an athlete; which further contributes to boosting confidence level, more focus, and intensity.
Help to Cope up with Fear: Sports psychologist help athletes in overcoming the fear of failure, stress, tension and anxiety.
Overcome Injury: Sports psychologist help the athlete to overcome a long-term injury with returning to a prior level of performance–pre-injury.
Prepare for Competition: Sports psychologist help the athletes and sports teams to prepare for competition both mentally and physically.
Improve Efficiency: Sports psychologist help in improving the quality or efficiency of the practice of the athletes.

Sports Psychologist Career Prospects

Careers in sports psychology cover a range of areas. Sports psychologists may practice in a hospital, clinic, gym, physical rehabilitation centre, high school or university. Some may work in private practice or provide contracted consulting services to clients in other settings.

Professionals in this area are often employed as part of a team of specialists, assembled from a variety of disciplines to maximize health and wellness among athletes, coaches, teams, parents of athletes, fitness professionals and more.

Sports Psychologist Salary

The salary for a sports psychologist ranges from Rs.30,000 to Rs.40,000 per month. But after a few years experience under his belt, a Sports Psychologist can expect anything between Rs.50,000 to Rs.2,00,000 per month.