Sport Psychology in High School: A Good Idea Facing Big Challenges

This study by Dean and colleagues (2022) examined what high school sports coaches think about sport psychology—a field that helps athletes improve their mental game, like building confidence, managing pressure, and staying focused. The researchers asked nearly 300 coaches from the Northeast U.S. about their thoughts and experiences. Most coaches had a positive view of sport psychology. They believed it could help their athletes and were somewhat willing to be involved in using it. They also didn’t seem to care much about whether the sport psychologist came from the same background or culture as them. But even though coaches liked the idea, there were a lot of reasons they weren’t using sport psychologists with their teams. These included:

Cost – it’s too expensive; Time – teams are already super busy; Access – it’s hard to find a sport psychologist nearby; Lack of knowledge – some coaches don’t really understand what a sport psychologist does; Stigma – athletes might think it’s only for people with "problems."; Lack of support – school leaders and parents might not be on board, Trust and fit – coaches worry about finding the right person who connects well with the team; Effectiveness – some want more proof that it works; Perceived need – others just don’t think their team needs it.

Privacy – some are concerned about confidentiality and consent.

Even with all these challenges, the study says that bringing sport psychology into high schools could help athletes grow both mentally and physically, and even boost their performance.

Ford, J. L., Masters, S., & Vosloo, J. (2022). High school coaches’ attitudes toward sport psychology consultation and the barriers to implementation of sport psychology services. International Journal of Sports Science & Coaching, 17(5), 999-1008. https://doi.org/10.1177/17479541221101226