Sports psychologist

Question: I am a sophomore in college and I coach high school basketball part-time. I would like to stay involved in athletics after graduation, but not necessarily as a coach. In my psychology classes I heard about sports psychology but have not learned much about it. Can you tell me what sports psychologists do and what I have to do to become one?
— Dwayne

Response: Sports psychologists study how participation in sports, exercise and physical activity affect an individual's psychological development and health.

Job Description
Sports psychologists have expert knowledge in the research underlying the psychology of sports. They are familiar with the field of exercise science, also known as kinesiology.

Exercise specialists, athletic trainers, youth sports directors, physical therapists, and other psychologists all use knowledge and techniques developed by sports psychologists. They assist with improving exercise adherence, rehabilitating injuries, educating coaches and parents, building self-esteem, teaching group dynamics, and increasing effectiveness.

When working with teams and individual athletes, sports psychologists use psychological principles to help improve athletes' motivation and performance. There are many specific concepts within applied sports psychology such as goal setting, concentration, relaxation and imagery. The general goal of a sports psychologist is to teach athletes the mental skills necessary to perform consistently in training and competition and to help them realize their potential as people and athletes. They may attend their clients' sporting events and training sessions.

The practice of applied sports psychology usually involves a combination of individual and group consulting or counseling depending on the style of the psychologist and the needs of the client. Specially trained licensed psychologists are typically practitioners in the field. But some practitioners have master's degrees from kinesiology or related exercise science and psychology programs.

Licensing
To become a sports psychologist you need to complete a Ph.D. psychology program and become licensed as a psychologist. Licensing requirements include completing two years or 3,000 hours (minimum 1,500 hours postdoctoral) of supervised professional experience with a licensed psychologist, and passing written examinations.

For more information, contact:

California Board of Psychology

1422 Howe Avenue, Suite 22

Sacramento, CA 95825-3200

(916) 263-2699

bopmail@dca.ca.gov

www.psychboard.ca.gov

The California Board of Psychology protects the safety and welfare of consumers of psychological services. The California Psychology Licensing Law requires all applicants to take and pass the national Examination for Professional Practice in Psychology (EPPP) and the California Psychology Supplemental Examination (CPSE). Both examinations are computer-administered and are available for qualified applicants continuously at testing sites located throughout the state.

Training Options and Costs
Many area universities offer Ph.D. programs in psychology, including the following:

UCLA Department of Psychology

1285 Franz Hall

Box 951563

Los Angeles, CA

90095-1563

310.825.2961

fax: 310.206.5895

www.psych.ucla.edu

The UCLA Psychology Department offers graduate Ph.D. training with area emphases in behavioral neuroscience, clinical, cognitive, developmental, learning and behavior, measurement and psychometrics, and social psychology. In all of these fields, the central objective is to train researchers dedicated to increasing the body of scientific knowledge upon which the discipline of psychology rests.

The program is designed to prepare psychologists to function effectively as researchers, college and university instructors, and professional research psychologists. Professor Tara Scanlon specializes in sport psychology, positive psychology, and the psychology of the gifted and talented. She also does work on motivation and emotion regarding youth sport through elite athletes, as well as performers in other talent domains such as art, music and education.

Admission criteria to UCLA's Ph.D. programs generally include the GRE, three letters of recommendation, transcripts, a statement of purpose and copies of one or two term papers or research reports written by the applicant.

In addition to relatively formal criteria, the admissions committee pays particular attention to applicants who seem likely to contribute considerable intellectual, social or cultural diversity to its student body. Women, minorities and other students with diverse backgrounds and experiences are therefore encouraged to apply.

The application deadline is December 1. For California residents, the tuition cost is currently $8,109.50 per year.

Associations

California Psychological Association

3835 North Freeway Blvd, Suite 240

Sacramento, CA 95834

916-286-7979

Fax: 916-286-7971

vEmail: calpsych@calpsychlink.org

www.calpsychlink.org

This association supports California psychologists in their efforts to promote the health and well-being of all citizens. Membership is $75 for first year, and $95 for subsequent years.

Association for the Advancement of Applied Sports Psychology (AAASP)

www.aaasponline.org

According to its web site, this is the largest applied sports, exercise, and health psychology organization in the world. Membership benefits include a journal and a newsletter, member and graduate directories, and the opportunity to receive information and products related to applied sports psychology. Annual student membership is $75, and professional membership is $135.

North American Society for the Psychology of Sports and Physical Activity (NASPSPA)

www.naspspa.org

The North American Society for the Psychology of Sports and Physical Activity is a multidisciplinary association of scholars from the behavioral sciences and related professions. Member benefits include a bulletin board, electronic newsletter, employment listings, and a member directory. Annual student membership is $25. Professional membership is $60.

International Society of Sports Psychology (ISSP)

The ISSP is devoted to promoting research, practice, and development in the discipline of sports psychology throughout the world. Members of the Society include researchers, psychologists, educators, coaches and administrators, as well as students and athletes interested in sports psychology.

The association publishes a newsletter and sponsors meetings and a quadrennial congress. Membership rates are $10 for students, and $40 for professionals earning $30,000 per year or more.

Employment Outlook
Faster than average employment growth is expected for sports psychologists through 2008, but job competition will remain keen.

During the last two decades applied sports psychology has received significant and increasing attention as athletes acknowledge working with sports psychologists. Coaches at the high school and university levels seek applied sports psychology professionals to work with their athletes and teams on game preparation, team cohesion, communication skills and other areas that affect performance. Applied sports psychologists are being added to athletic department staffs at major universities to assist athletes with life skills development and to improve coping with the demands of being a student–athlete.

Earnings
Sports psychologists charge an hourly fee for service. The fee can vary from $75 to $150 or more. Some sports psychologists are retained by sports teams and negotiate an annual or seasonal contract.
 
Susan W. Miller, M.A., is a National Certified Career Counselor, a Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist and holds diplomate status on the American Board of Vocational Experts. She heads California Career Services, a private practice career counseling firm in Los Angeles.

E-mail career questions you'd like answered in this column to info@californiacareerservices.com or visit California Career Services at www.californiacareerservices.com.