Demand for sports psychology professionals is growing every day. Students of psychology should consider acquiring a degree in sports psychology if they are interested in helping athletes. The work for a sport psychologist is rewarding, as it is a new and progressive field. However, sports psychology is not as well known as other fields of psychology, and many prospective clients will be skeptical of the service when considering its necessity at schools, sport clubs and other institutions. In the coming years, it is expected that sport psychology will become more mainstream, and thus more readily accepted. Now is the time to consider a sports psychology degree.

There are many areas within the field of sports psychology. Here are some examples:

Applied Sports Psychology

This sub-field focuses on delivering performance-enhancement skills like visualizing, positive thought, goal setting and managing emotions and arousal. Practice in this area would normally involve working in an athletic setting, such as a sporting facility or athletic institution. The main emphasis of applied sports psychology is to work directly with athletes, helping them to acquire mental training techniques.

Clinical Sports Psychology

This area deals with treating psychological problems that many athletes suffer from. Clinical sports psychology involves counseling work to diagnose and treat a wide variety of psychological based issues facing the athlete, which many include: substance abuse, depression, eating disorders, anger and anxiety. A professional in this field must become a skilled clinical and counseling psychologist beforehand.

Academic Sports Psychology

Some people are mostly interested in the research aspect of sports psychology, and for these individuals, furthering the knowledge in the field is a priority. By working at academic institutions in the lab, researchers of sport psychology provide valuable data to professionals out in the field.

If you are planning on getting a sports psychology degree, or starting a sports psychology program, it is recommended that you receive the Advancement of Applied Sport Psychology (AAASP) newsletter and journal, as the field is rapidly advancing all time and current information pertaining to the study must be closely watched.

Undergraduate Psychology Students

Courses specific to sports psychology are still quite rare at most academic institutions, thus it is recommended that students interested in this profession conduct their own research in how to pursue such a career. It may help to get involved with local sport teams or athletic clubs to observe how teams function, and become more intimate with athletic settings. Undergraduates should keep in mind that their involvement is strictly non-professional, as a degree or certificate is needed for any consulting work.

Certified Sports Psychologists

A legitimate sports psychologist must have a doctorate and the requiring training and license to practice sports psychology. Proper credentials ensure that practitioners in the field are competent and tested at what they do.