Becoming a Sport Psychologist

Book excerpt: Sport psychology is a competitive profession with rigorous and demanding entry routes in terms of education, training and accreditation. Once qualified, the sport psychology practitioner will face complex, day-to-day professional challenges of the kind not always covered in conventional sport psychology textbooks. Becoming a Sport Psychologist is the first book to reveal the reality of working in sport psychology through the personal perspectives and narratives of some of the world’s leading sport psychologists, top professionals with many years experience of working at every level of sport, from amateur to elite, in consulting and support roles, and in sport psychology research. With each chapter focusing on a key issue or issues in professional practice, each contributing psychologist discusses their own education, training and professional experience, their personal motivation and their approach to consulting and delivery, helping the reader to develop a rounded understanding of how to succeed in sport psychology. The book also explores key professional issues such as intervention style, work-life balance and the commercial aspects of sport psychology practice not covered in other books, plus it offers a summary of typical education and training routes and additional information on professional organisations and accreditation schemes. Becoming a Sport Psychologist is invaluable reading for anybody considering a career in sport psychology, or any practising sport psychologist looking to extend and develop their professional skills.