Femcompetitor.com, grapplingstars.com, fciwomenswrestling.com, fcielitecompetitor.com, fciwomenswrestling2.com Tomasz Kudala-Shutterstock-photo-
February 8, 2024,
Don’t snicker.
We don’t.
Well, at least not some of the time.
Question for you? When a Sports Psychologist (SP) works with a high paid well-known athlete, do you feel it is their message that is propelling the player to great heights or the player’s talent and they could do just as well without the SP?
When you think about, isn’t a Sports Psychologist a coach by a different name?
Not really. It is a designation that is a little more complex than you might think.
Sport psychology was defined by the European Federation of Sport Psychology (FEPSAC) in 1996, as the study of the psychological basis, processes, and effects of sport.
Sport psychology is recognized as an interdisciplinary science that draws on knowledge from many related fields including biomechanics, physiology, kinesiology and psychology.
It involves the study of how psychological factors affect performance and how participation in sport and exercise affect psychological and physical factors. Sport psychologists teach cognitive and behavioral strategies to athletes in order to improve their experience and performance in sports.
One of the top female athletes in tennis, is super star Iga Swiatek, who makes use of a Sports Psychologist.
Here is what FCI wrote about her process in September of 2021, when Iga was at her peak, “You must have the presence of mind to look in your rear view mirror to see her coming.
Because she is coming. Charging.
Mostly you’ve looked into the right and left side mirrors. That’s understandable.
Your training has taught you to stay in the present, with an eye to the future, and it is pointless to look behind you.
Unless you have Poland’s Iga Swiatek on your side of the draw. It’s okay to stay focused, yet take a peek.
Sports Psychologists all over the world should be rooting for Iga Swiatek at this year’s 2021 US Open.
She is a former 2020 French Open champion. It was as though she came out of nowhere. An incredible break through.
Iga uses the services of a Sports Psychologist.
We sense many parents around the world who hope to turn their child into the next teen tennis Phenom are contemplating acquiring the services of a Sports Psychologist. If it works for Iga, it might work for their young tennis player too.
We sure hope so.
We’re rooting for Sports Psychologists all over the world. With our mind and eyes.
It is also closely associated with Sports psychiatry.
We understand.
We also understand, at least in times past, they are not supposed to coach during the match. Right?
What they seem to do instead is roll their eyes a lot. Up, down, far left, far right, sideways and the powerful extended blank stare. Two blinks for this. Three blinks for that. Four swift blinks means “what the heck are you doing”?
That we understand.
At times the players didn’t seem to.
But Ms. Swiatek appears to have taken this to a whole different level. A higher path.
Her Sports Psychologist is Daria Abramowicz. She says things like, “Even on her worst day, Iga is open-minded.”
Okay. Is there something there that we are missing? If she keeps this up, we may need a translator.
Daria certainly has the qualifications.
The team at tennismajors.com chronicles some of Daria’s accomplishments. They express her vast experience in sports include sailing competitively for 12 years and then coaching for more than 10 years.
Fine. That is one definition of vast. All said and done, it really doesn’t matter what others think. It is the way the Daria has Iga thinking.
Like a winner.
They add that since she is familiar with all points of views, having been an athlete, a coach and a psychologist, Daria describes her approach as holistic. She always tries to see the big picture.
Most likely with big eyes.
When she coached, we wonder if she blinked three or four times during Iga’s matches?
We must admit, given Iga’s results we are intrigued with what Daria is doing. We have researched video of her overlooking Iga’s workouts. It’s right out of a Zen movie.
When asked by Tennis Majors magazine about how they could recognize her influence on the court, Daria replied, “You can probably see it between the games: how she approaches the changeovers, the way she breathes or does some other things. And in between points, you can see how she just turns her back to the match, thinks a little bit and takes a breath.”
Very analytical.
Back to the present.
Any edge that a player can give themselves to win, is worth the price. Wouldn’t you agree?
They paint with a broad brush.
A sport psychologist does not focus solely on athletes.
This type of professional also helps non-athletes and everyday exercisers learn how to enjoy sports and stick to an exercise program.
In addition to instruction and training of psychological skills for performance improvement, applied sport psychology may include work with athletes, coaches, and parents regarding injury, rehabilitation, communication, team building, and career transitions.
Online sources state Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, and Shaquille O’Neal all say that working with sports psychologist George Mumford was an integral and very important part of their success.
Look at Iga’s success.
She is currently ranked as the world No. 1 in women’s singles by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA), having previously held the position for a total of 88 weeks.
Simply amazing.
Iga is a four-time major singles champion, having won the French Open in 2020, 2022, and 2023 and the US Open in 2022. She is the first player representing Poland to win a major singles title. She has won a total of 17 singles titles, including the 2023 WTA Finals.
Incredible.
With the huge money involved in professional sports and the fierce competition, any advantage a player can use to successfully climb through her open window should be explored.
A Sports Psychologist can raise the percentages that the quest involved will be far more successful.
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OPENING PHOTO Tomasz Kudala-Shutterstock-photo- Femcompetitor.com, grapplingstars.com, fciwomenswrestling.com, fcielitecompetitor.com, fciwomenswrestling2.com
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sport_psychology
https://maximizethemind.com/a-few-famous-athletes-who-believe-in-sports-psychology/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iga_%C5%9Awi%C4%85tek
https://www.fciwomenswrestling2.com
https://www.fcielitecompetitor.com/
https://fciwomenswrestling.com/
NOTE: Very important, whenever you are engaging in a new exercise or sport for the first time, please consult with your physician first.
