Sports are organized by a group of unwritten rules or traditions, which govern competitive play, and ensure fair award of the winner, regardless of skill or merit. In most organized sports, statistics of performance are regularly maintained, and for less popular sports, such information can be widely announced or even reported in sports news. However, in other sports, such as cricket and lacrosse, the actions of players and teams are largely unregulated, with the result that much of the sporting activities are undertaken without regard for any official rules. This leaves many sports fans with an enormous range of opportunities and choices, with potentially enormous revenue opportunities. It also allows fans to express their passion for their team by following games on television or online.
One area of great interest for sports psychologists is sport performance. Although the exact mechanism by which performance varies between events is unknown, psychologists have studied the effects of the various physical conditions, emotional stress and fatigue experienced by athletes. They have used a variety of techniques to explore these factors and their effect on performance. These include data analysis of past and present results, sports medicine and rehabilitation, and game analysis. A special area of psychology called sports counseling focuses on the emotional aspects of sportspeople and their relationships with their fans.
The relationship between sports psychology and physical activity is particularly relevant in certain sports like rugby and golf, where players are engaged in extreme physical activity in order to reach an objective. It is important for sports psychology to understand the physiological and psychological processes that go along with physical activity in order to provide relevant solutions. For example, it can help to improve sports training strategies by encouraging athletes to practice for longer periods in order to maximise the potential gains from their training. This is especially important in elite sports where training periods can stretch out over months rather than weeks at a time.
The psychological aspects of sports psychology also play a role in helping athletes overcome the anxiety that can accompany extreme sporting activities. One of the common anxieties of athletes is the fear of failure. Helping athletes to overcome this fear may prove difficult because they are aware that the result of each individual sport may not be close to their desired goals. However, positive thinking techniques can reduce the feeling of anxiety and help athletes to persevere.
In addition, sports psychology professionals can help athletes to overcome depression that can accompany the stress of extreme sports activities. Depression is a common problem among athletes because they are so closely linked to their sport. Overcoming depression can help athletes to keep pushing even when they are dealing with injuries or other obstacles that prevent them from competing. In addition, sports psychologists can help to create a support system for athletes in order to maximize their efforts and minimize the negative impact that depression can have on their performance.
There are many more unique benefits of sports psychology that go beyond simply helping athletes succeed on the field. For example, sports psychologists can help athletes understand the importance of their intrinsic motivators. Intrinsic motivators are those characteristics that motivate an athlete regardless of competition or success. Sports psychology professionals can identify and teach athletes the right strategies and habits that lead to peak performance. This approach, which helps athletes develop intrinsic motivators rather than trying to artificially sharpen skills through the use of stimulants, has been shown to produce greater long-term benefits for athletes.
