3 careers in sports science

Sports psychologist

Franck Ribery (R) of Bayern Muenchen talks to sport psychologist Philip Laux (L)

Most of the sports require split second decisions from the athletes. All sports demand a tireless work ethic if an athlete is to get better. Teams are also interested in the psychological profile of prospective talent to see how they will fit in the team culture. A team like the Lakers with an alpha dog like Kobe won’t swing for anyone who is not willing to subvert their personal game in Kobe’s interest. If a team observes from a sports psychologist’s scouting report that two players of similar talent levels differ greatly in their work ethic, it can help the team choose the more promising prospect. A sports psychologist can try to pin down the drive and motivation of an athlete, allowing the team to better manage their talent.

For instance, the San Antonio Spurs have made it a point to surround their core players of Duncan, Parker and Ginobili with hard working, hard hustling, defensive minded players who are hungry to get better and to accept the role designated to them. In their outlier levels of consistency, they have juggled their roster endlessly. Duncan has seen over 100 teammates come and go himself. Yet the Spurs have never chased marquee free agents or sought out superstars via trade. Their incredible scouting staff is famed for picking diamonds in the rough.

Teams also make it a point to get savvy veterans who can have a calming and commanding voice on the younger and lesser experienced teammates. These players serve as the lynchpin during the storms faced by all teams when one needs a steady voice to rely on.

An architect chooses the construction materials with utmost care, needle eyed precision is required to assemble complimentary pieces of a structure. A professional sports team isn’t much different. Sports psychologists figure out what makes a player tick, so that the team can push the appropriate buttons to get the most out of them. They also classify different personality types to enable a team to mix and match its personnel for an optimal mix.