Sport Psychology . . .
. . . is the scientific study of people and their behaviors in sport and exercise contexts which involves such topics as personality, motivation, attributions, arousal, leadership, and goal-setting. In essence, the field is concerned with the psychological determinants of behavior in movement situations as well as the psychological effects of sport engagement and physical activity.
The role of a sports psychologist is to recognize how participation in sport exercise and physical activity enhances a person’s development. Sport psychologists are recognized for the valuable contributions they make in assisting athletes and their coaches in improving performance during competitive situations, as well as understanding how physical exercise may contribute to the psychological well-being of non-athletes. Many can benefit from sport psychologists: athletes who are trying to improve their performance, injured athletes who are looking for motivation, individuals looking to overcome the pressure of competition, as well as individuals who are trying to get fit and young children involved in youth sports as well as their parents.