The Role of a Clinical Psychologist in a Division I Athletics Program

2007 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 261-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gary Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Division I ◽  
Clinical Psychologist ◽  
Student Athlete ◽  
Sport Psychologist ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting

In recent years, Division I athletics programs have hired counseling or clinical psychologists as a resource for student-athletes who need assistance with clinical issues, personal difficulties, and performance issues. This article documents the evolution of this type of position at Virginia Tech and includes a discussion of the goals of the clinical sport psychologist position, an overview of the daily activities the position entails, and a discussion of the issues that comprise the assessment, conceptualization, and treatment of student-athlete concerns. Models for conceptualizing and delivering sport psychology interventions are also discussed. Evidence indicates that having access to a mental health professional familiar with the issues facing college athletes can be instrumental in helping many of these student-athletes achieve success in the university setting.

Management of the Athlete with an Eating Disorder: Implications for the Sport Management Team

1987 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ron A. Thompson
Keyword(s):  
Sport Management ◽  
Management Team ◽  
Psychological Characteristics ◽  
Student Athlete ◽  
Eating Disordered ◽  
Exercise Physiologist ◽  
Sport Psychologist ◽  
University Level ◽  
And Performance

While college women in general are at risk for anorexia nervosa and bulimia, these disorders may present more of a problem for the student-athlete due to her weight/body consciousness and the pressure associated with athletic competition at the college or university level. This paper discusses the physical and psychological characteristics of each disorder, their etiology, and how each affects the life and performance of the athlete. Recommendations are offered regarding the role of the sport management team (i.e., sport psychologist, team physician, coach, athletic trainer, exercise physiologist) in assisting the eating-disordered athlete.

Is Authenticity and Integrity Possible for Sexual Minority Athletes? Lesbian Student-Athlete Experiences of U.S. NCAA Division I Sport

2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 60-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie M. Fynes ◽  
Leslee A. Fisher
Keyword(s):  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Ncaa Division I ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
College Campuses ◽  
Division I ◽  
Consensual Qualitative Research ◽  
Student Athlete ◽  
Collegiate Sport ◽  
Interview Guide

The purpose of this study was to explore the congruence of identity in 10 former U.S. NCAA Division I (DI) lesbian student-athletes using a semistructured personal identity interview guide (adapted from Fisher, 1993) and Consensual Qualitative Research (CQR) (Hill, 2012; Hill, Knox, Thompson, Williams, Hess, & Ladany, 2005). Five domains, nineteen categories, and related core ideas were found in the transcribed interviews. The five domains were: (a) stereotypes and perceptions of female athletes; (b) stereotypes and perceptions of lesbians and lesbian athletes; (c) climate for LGBT athletes; (d) negotiating identities; and (e) recommendations for college campuses. The main goal of the current study was to determine whether lesbian athletes felt comfortable being who they are in the context of U.S. DI sport. Recommendations for how applied sport psychology consultants, coaches, and administrators, all of whom play an important role in athletes’ collegiate sport experience, could change the structure of U.S. universities to help lesbian student-athletes become more comfortable are given.

Addressing the Problem of Student- Athlete Sleepiness: Feasibility of Implementing an Interactive Sleep Workshop at a Division I School

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Kaier ◽  
Danielle Zanotti ◽  
Joanne L. Davis ◽  
Kathleen Strunk ◽  
Lisa DeMarni Cromer
Keyword(s):  
Academic Performance ◽  
Longitudinal Data ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
Sleep Hygiene ◽  
Division I ◽  
Daily Functioning ◽  
Student Athlete ◽  
Daytime Functioning ◽  
Sleep Behaviors

Sleep concerns are prevalent among student-athletes and can result in impaired athletic and academic performance. The current study investigated the feasibility and effectiveness of a brief sleep workshop for student-athletes. Athletes (N = 152) completed baseline and follow-up questionnaires (n = 104) after the intervention. Greater than half of the athletes (51%) who attended the workshops and followup reported at least one change in sleep behaviors. Results revealed a significant decrease in sleepiness from baseline to follow-up and an improvement in daytime functioning. Although athletes reported an increase in problematic sleep hygiene behaviors, they recorded significant increases in sleep knowledge from baseline to follow-up, which was maintained at the second follow-up. These longitudinal data provide evidence that a brief psychoeducation sleep workshop for student-athletes is promising for improving sleep knowledge and daily functioning.

scholarly journals Athlete–Coach Conflict and a Sport Psychologist Caught in the Middle: A Case Study of Consultancy During Athlete Preparation and Performance in Olympic Games Athletics

2021 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 30-42
Author(s):  
Jonathan R. Males ◽  
John H. Kerr ◽  
Joanne Hudson
Keyword(s):  
Sport Psychology ◽  
Elite Athlete ◽  
Olympic Games ◽  
Theoretical Perspective ◽  
Demand Model ◽  
Personal Experiences ◽  
Basic Performance ◽  
Sport Psychologist ◽  
And Performance

This case study examines the personal experiences of an elite athlete, coach, and sport psychology consultant (SPC) during the athlete’s preparation and performance in a recent Olympic Games. The qualitative research details how the consultancy process was affected by the athlete’s late admission of the deteriorating relationship with his coach. The concepts of closeness, commitment, complementarity, and co-orientation provided a theoretical perspective to the SPC’s interpretation of athlete performance and the interpersonal conflict that developed between athlete and coach. The basic performance demand model provided an applied perspective. The SPC’s commentary adopts a reflexive discursive style that also focuses on the SPC’s role in the consultancy process and the effectiveness of the performance demand model materials. Five important recommendations arise from the case study, and these might inform other SPCs’ future athlete–coach consultancies and interventions.

Sport Knowledge: The Effects of Division I Coach Communication on Student-Athlete Learning Indicators

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Rikishi T. Rey ◽  
Gregory A. Cranmer ◽  
Blair Browning ◽  
Jimmy Sanderson
Keyword(s):  
Student Athletes ◽  
Team Sports ◽  
Cognitive Learning ◽  
Affective Learning ◽  
Division I ◽  
Student Athlete ◽  
Power Bases ◽  
Expert Power ◽  
State Motivation ◽  
Practical Implications

Sporting environments are informal contexts of learning that are dependent upon coaches’ use of effective instructional communication strategies. Coaches’ use of power while communicating instruction to athletes is especially germane, as coaches must appropriately use relational influence to inspire optimal athletic performance. Using French and Raven’s power bases (i.e., expert, referent, reward, legitimate, and coercive power), this study considers Division I student-athletes’ reports of affective learning for their sport and coaches, cognitive learning, state motivation, and team winning percentages as a function of their coaches’ use of power. Data collected from 170 student-athletes participating in team sports at Power 5 institutions revealed two significant canonical correlation roots. The first demonstrated that the increased use of prosocial power and avoidance of antisocial power were associated with greater amounts of affective learning for coaches, cognitive learning, and state motivation. The second revealed that expert power was associated with increases in cognitive learning and winning. This research has heuristic implications for expanding the assessment of athlete experience, as well as practical implications regarding the identification of effective modes of relational influence in coaching.

Dynamics of Public Training in a University Setting

2015 ◽  
pp. 281-295
Author(s):  
Bantu Morolong ◽  
Rebecca Lekoko ◽  
Veronica Magang
Keyword(s):  
Continuing Education ◽  
Relevance Feedback ◽  
Training Programs ◽  
Strategic Decision ◽  
General Consensus ◽  
University Of Botswana ◽  
The University ◽  
University Setting ◽  
And Training

The case presented in this chapter submits a general consensus about the role of leadership in a university public training program. Focusing on short training programs provided by the Centre for Continuing Education of the University of Botswana, there are some indications that the effectiveness of these training is compromised by a number of issues. Emerging from reflective evaluations and experiences from coordinators are issues of relevance, feedback loop, inclusiveness and training goals. In the light of our understanding of different goals of training, it becomes clear that current public training at the University of Botswana focus more on the conceptual understanding along with occupational at the expense of other areas of public training. The analysis reveals some shortcomings in a number of aspects that calls for a multi-task, multi-skilled leader who can serve well as a strategic decision-maker, partner with clients; skilled designer and marketer of training programs.

scholarly journals Specialization and Performance: Evidence from NCAA 4 × 400 m Relay Times

Economies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 96
Author(s):  
Candon Johnson ◽  
Robert Schultz ◽  
Joshua C. Hall
Keyword(s):  
Performance Measure ◽  
Division I ◽  
Division Iii ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
The Difference ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Better Than

This paper investigates the impact of having open 400 meter (400 m) runners on NCAA relay teams. Using data from 2012–2016 containing the top 100 4 × 400 m in each NCAA Division relay times for each year, it is found that more 400 m specialists lead to an increase in the overall performance of the team, measured by a decrease in relay times. The effect is examined across Division I–III NCAA track teams. The results are consistent across each division. We view this as a test of the role of specialization on performance. Using runners who specialize in 400 m races should increase overall team performance as long as specialization does not lead to an inefficient allocation of team human capital. An additional performance measure is used examining the difference between projected and actual relay times. Divisions I and II are found to perform better than projected with an increase in 400 m runners, but there is no effect found in Division III.

Psychosocial Influences on College Adjustment in Division I Student-Athletes: The Role of Athletic Identity

2009 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 345-361 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mickey C. Melendez
Keyword(s):  
College Adjustment ◽  
Student Athletes ◽  
College Success ◽  
Athletic Identity ◽  
Division I ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Division 1 ◽  
Psychosocial Influences ◽  
The Impact

Traditionally, graduation rates have been employed as a primary measure of college success for student-athletes. However, other sport related factors influencing college success and adjustment have yet to be adequately researched in the literature. The purpose of this study was to examine more closely the impact of race, gender, and athletic identity on the college adjustment of a group of freshmen and sophomore varsity student-athletes. A regression model employing athletic identity as a moderator of race for specific indices of college adjustment in student-athletes was tested. One-hundred and one varsity student-athletes from three Division 1 universities participated in the study. Findings revealed significant correlations among the variables of gender, race, athletic identity, and certain aspects of college adjustment. In addition, the model of athletic identity as a moderator of race in student-athletes was partially supported. Implications of the current findings to student-athlete retention and support services are discussed.

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