Role of Clinical Psychologists in competitive sports
Written By: Arshita Dawra
It is crucial to be both physically and mentally fit. Both have equal importance. Throughout the game, the athletes must be in a good mental state. All the sports are covered in this discussion. No matter how long you’ve practised or how many methods you’ve developed, if your mental state isn’t good, you won’t be able to implement any of those. There are numerous typical causes of player stress, including the competitive environment, high expectations, distinct lifestyle needs, perfectionist tendencies, and societal stigma. Pressure to outperform yourself may degrade your performance, raise your heart rate, make it harder for you to make choices, produce unneeded anxiety, and lead you to act up. Sometimes, this might be intimidating, especially for those who perform nationally or internationally when there are so many expectations.
The mental stress that comes with working hard to maximize the opportunities presented by athletics is easier to manage with psychological assistance. Coaches assist players in advancing their abilities by generally putting a greater emphasis on the physical aspects of the game than sports psychologists, a more specialized profession that emphasizes the mental side of the game. Regardless of their skill level or experience, athletes who feel the pressure to perform flawlessly, have a heavy load of expectations, or are having trouble getting into a rhythm may decide to take a break or seek outside assistance, like sports psychologists, to deal with the invisible factors affecting their performance. Athletes of all levels—professional and amateur—can benefit from the aid of psychologists. By devising new cognitive methods, such as self-talk, relaxation techniques, and other approaches, psychologists can assist athletes in improving their performance. They can help the athlete handle the pressure of competition and still allow them to enjoy sports.
Argentina recently took home the FIFA World Cup 2022. It has been said that football is “more than just a game.” Football players struggle psychologically while having outstanding athletic performance in the highly stressful environment of football, where emotional experiences are intertwined with numerous performance-related factors.
‘The psychologist took the pressure off me’: Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez says how he and Argentina effected turnaround against Mexico.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Dibu Martinez of Argentina has discussed how getting psychological support helped him to recover from the crushing defeat to Saudi Arabia. He expressed how difficult it was for him to accept his subpar performance, and his psychologist assisted me in shedding this weight. He also discussed the stress brought on by expectations and what it’s like to play in the Cup.
References –
“‘The Psychologist Took Pressure off Me’: Argentina Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez Says How He and Argentina Effected Turnaround Against Mexico.” The Indian Express, 27 Nov. 2022,