Chronicles of a sports psychologist

Additionally, the coaching staff and parents or significant others of athletes also need to understand ‘what works for athletes’, as they form the main support network. This was highlighted by an elite athlete during a session, who asked “Can you please tell the coach how to behave before our events?’ Of course, I can only subtly tell the coach. The quote explains how essential it is for the coaches and parents to actually understand the ‘mind approach’ as they are constantly with the athlete, and will influence his or her mindset.

I have witnessed numerous occasions wherein the parent of the athlete is the one causing all the trouble. At those times it becomes important to show them how negatively they are impacting the players. Constantly criticizing and complaining will add to the existing pressure, and would not help the athlete in any way. There may be some athletes who could work well when negatively psyched, but does this strategy work for all athletes? Also, we need to remember to keep the athletes in the best state possible if we expect them to perform to their best ability!

I have realized during the course of my work that an integrated approach works best. I remember a pre-conference workshop organised by ISSP (International Society of Sport Psychology) at Sydney wherein the gold medal winning Australian water sports team coach and psychologist conducted a workshop to explain the impact of team work. This approach works best as no other person would know the player as well as the coach, hence receiving a coach’s feedback is doubly important.

More recently, Virender Sehwag, whose blistering unbeaten 95 annihilated Mumbai Indians during IPL 6, has attributed his revival in form to Sir Viv Richards’s ‘bluff’ theory. The former West Indian great, and now mentor for the Delhi Daredevils, told Sehwag to pretend that he was in terrific touch even if he wasn’t, so as not to give the opponents any advantage. As the saying goes, ‘fake it till you make it’; it’s all about quietening the ‘monkey mind’. The former great Viv Richards surely has some good psychology recipes from his experience.

The attitude towards sports psychology in India is changing positively, but it still has a long way to go. Thankfully, athletes, coaches, sports administrators, parents and the media are starting to give it attention the way sports developed countries do. I feel that the day we realise why it is essential to have a psychologist on board, we will take a big leap in world sport.

I shall conclude by stating that sport psychology aims to ensure players stay in their ‘zone of optimal functioning’ with a variety of techniques, which in turn enables athletes to stay in the ‘present’ and focus on the game, thereby ensuring they give themselves the best shot at achieving their goals!