Excelling in Sport Psychology

Planning, Preparing, and Executing Applied Work

Alison Pope-Rhodius, Sara Robinson, Sean Fitzpatrick, Alison Pope-Rhodius, Sara Robinson, Sean Fitzpatrick

• Publisher: Routledge
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9781138193482
• eBook ISBN:
  9781351395908
• Topic: Psychology
• Subtopic: Developmental Psychology
• Index: Psychology

Written for graduate students and early professionals who are conducting applied sport psychology work for the first time, Excelling in Sport Psychology is a guide for planning, preparing, and executing this work. Each chapter addresses a critical component of the internship experience, such as selecting a site for an internship, preparing to begin the work, evaluating the completed work, and marketing oneself throughout one's early career. The diverse experiences of the various authors provide a range of viewpoints for trainees to consider and apply to their growth as sport psychology or mental skills professionals. The text is written in a practical manner, with suggestions and questions that will drive this personal and professional growth. Each chapter also includes a personal account from a current student or recent graduate about their experience in that area.

This book will appeal to students in academic sport psychology programs seeking additional support and guidance about the internship process, as well as post-graduates who did not have an internship component to their program. Supervisors will benefit from reading the book as it highlights ways to work with trainees. Drawn from the experience of the applied Sport Psychology department at John F. Kennedy University, which has helped students set up internships, have successful experiences, and attain jobs for over 25 years, this book can provide a model for training programs approaching the challenges of fieldwork.

1
Pursuing Applied Work

Are You Ready?

Alison Pope-Rhodius, Sara Robinson and Sean J. Fitzpatrick

The decision of whether someone is ready to begin doing applied work in sport psychology is a critical step that cannot be overlooked in the process of the training experience. Trainees must be prepared; they need to have taken the necessary coursework, gained the core competencies required, and, most importantly, feel confident that they are ready to take the next step in their development. Beginning this process too early may lead a trainee to doubt their potential, while waiting too long may hinder a trainee’s development. Through self-reflection, as well as conversations with supervisors and other trusted individuals, trainees can ensure that they are ready to begin “doing” the work.

This chapter will help readers make this crucial decision about readiness to begin by providing information on when, in an individual’s development, an internship should be considered. Additionally, this chapter will aid trainees in their decision-making process by providing several issues and questions to consider, such as how much coursework the student has taken and the timing of the internship in relationship to other training demands.

Background Information on the Authors

The first author of this chapter, Alison Pope-Rhodius, is the Chair of the Sport Psychology Department at JFKU. Having done all her formal training in the UK (Ph.D. from Liverpool John Moores University), she was first accredited for applied work with BASES in 1996 and has since become a CC-AASP. She teaches a foundational course at JFKU called Sport Psychology A and the more advanced Sport Psychology B class, and regularly supervises M.A. interns and post-Master’s and doctoral trainees. She has worked as a non-clinical practitioner for over two decades, has a small private practice that specializes in elite individual performers, and is the host of the podcast “Wee Chats with Brilliant People.” She can be contacted at [email protected].

The second author, Sara Robinson, received her Master’s Degree in Sport Psychology from JFKU in 2006. She has taught Performance Enhancement courses in the program and supervised students since 2009. Additionally, for several years she was responsible for setting up internships for the program’s LEAP (Life Enhancement through Athletic Participation) Project, which supports underserved youth. In this position, she worked directly with coaches and interns developing and supporting applied internships from beginning to end. She has worked as a practitioner in applied sport psychology for the last ten years. Sara can be contacted at [email protected].

Sean J. Fitzpatrick was trained at West Virginia University (WVU). At WVU Sean received his Bachelor’s, Master’s, and Doctorate in Sport and Exercise Psychology as well as an additional Master’s in Community Counseling. Sean’s work at JFKU focused on research methods, assessment of learning, and supervision of interns working within a wide range of sports. He is currently an Assistant Professor and Department Chair of Exercise and Sport Science at Marian University in Fond du Lac, WI. He has worked with a variety of athletes and exercisers across various sporting domains. Sean can be reached at [email protected].

First things first, congratulations! The decision to begin an internship in applied sport psychology is exciting for trainees to consider. In our experience, trainees often report that their first applied experience is the most influential in regard to their growth as future professionals. This is not surprising as internships have been identified as a critical component of applied sport psychology training (Owton, Bond, & Tod, 2014; Tammen, 2000; Watson, Zizzi, Etzel, & Lubker, 2004; Wylleman, Harwood, Albe, Reints, & de Caluwé, 2009). Whether you are searching for your own internship or working with your academic program or professional organization to secure a site, it is critical that you begin your internship only when you are ready. Deciding when that moment is can be difficult.

For many trainees, the choice of when to begin an internship is decided for them. When a certain milestone is reached, be it coursework or other indicators, internships can begin. Even if the decision about timing is made for you, spend time reflecting on whether or not you are prepared to begin your internship so that you can enter the experience with confidence. There are a number of factors to consider when tackling the decision to begin an internship, which we will discuss in more detail. Starting an internship before you’re ready, or starting an internship too late, can have potentially negative consequences.

Beginning an internship too early, before you are ready, can lead to a loss in confidence, as well as unnecessary stress from facing challenges that you are not yet equipped to handle. Let’s imagine an intern in this scenario. Pat has taken a few sport psychology courses, and was also a former athlete. An opportunity to work with a local youth soccer team as a mental skills intern becomes available, which Pat pursues and then secures. During Pat’s first presentation with the team, the athletes are not engaged and Pat struggles to find an effective way to deliver the information. Over time this pattern continues, and Pat’s lack of group management skills, as well as an inability to synthesize and deliver various sport psychology concepts, leads the coach of the team to ask Pat to present to the team less and less. As Pat’s time with the team decreases, so does Pat’s confidence. Pat’s initial impression of applied work in the field is poor, and Pat believes that she is missing some it factor that is needed to be successful as a mental skills coach. Trainees’ internship opportunities are where their future professional identities begin to develop (Foltz et al., 2015), and experiences like Pat’s can lead to a premature negative judgment regarding one’s potential in the field.

There are also potential ethical issues with starting an internship too soon. Without possessing the foundation needed, interns may end up doing more harm than good. A core characteristic of someone who is unprepared is an inability to realize what they do not yet know (Robinson, 1974). This ignorance can lead an intern to not consider the negative consequences of certain actions. Mental skills are taught incorrectly, identifiable emotional triggers with clients are overlooked, and/or fundamental ethical principles such as dual roles are not considered, all of which can have negative consequences for the athlete.

As Pat’s case highlights, starting an internship without possessing certain competencies is worrisome. However, on the other end of the spectrum, waiting too long hinders development as well. Delaying internships can prolong the time it takes for a trainee to become a professional as this training experience needs to be completed prior to the beginning of a career in the field. Additionally, the accumulation of other training experiences prior to supervised applied work can falsely cement assumptions about working with athletes. It can be difficult to overcome the angst that may occur when a trainee realizes that prior beliefs based on their training were incorrect. Therefore, trainees who have waited too long for an internship may develop a less flexible approach to their work. Despite these potential concerns with starting internships too late, many trainees may find themselves hesitant to label themselves as ready for an internship.

At the heart of many ethical codes is a commitment to practice only when one possesses the competencies necessary. For potential interns, the calculation of whether or not one is competent can be paralyzing. There are always more classes to take, more observations of professionals to be done, or more journal articles to read. If you wait until you know everything, or feel 100% confident, then you will never begin an internship! Most graduate students have a strong desire to be effective in their work, and the thought of making mistakes with athletes can be a hard pill to swallow. It is only natural to be anxious ahead of your first internship (Tod, 2007), but if you have prepared correctly (and with appropriate guidance) you will find few other training experiences that are as impactful as your first. Most students find their internship experiences to be satisfying (Fitzpatrick, Monda, & Butters Wooding, 2016), and ensuring that you are ready for the internship is step number one to getting the most out of this valuable training component.

When to Begin an Internship

What are the elements to have in place before you start your applied work in the field? There is no legal protection around the terms sport or mental skills in the U.S., thus anyone who has a license to practice psychology could, in theory, also practice sport psychology. However, ethically this would not be appropriate and is not something we could recommend. In addition, just taking introductory courses in this area does not qualify you to practice. After all we do not want you to start doing applied work just having read about the importance of being mentally strong or how to relax before you play! Lastly, even someone who has been an athlete and who has experienced the mental demands of sport themselves is still not ready to begin working with athletes without adequate training. Examples of individuals without training in sport psychology who are not ready to work with athletes and coaches are:

• Weekend Warriors or recreational athletes/exercisers
• Experienced high-level athletes
• Athletes who may have experienced working with a sport psychologist or mental skills trainer
• Personal trainers and other professionals who have experience working with athletes
• Individuals with education in and training in psychology who do not have specific training in sport psychology

The individuals in each of these groups may very well possess experiences that will aid their eventual applied sport psychology work, but they all still lack the knowledge and skills needed to ethically and skillfully practice in the field. Knowledge of particular sport environments will often help you be a better practitioner, but will not replace learning about the work in academic courses or the guidance you will receive during supervision.

Thus, to be ready for starting applied work in sport psychology, what elements do you need to have considered and have in place? You need to consider whether you have the necessary knowledge, skills, beliefs, values, attitudes, and supervised experiences in order to start. Various certifying/accrediting associations, e.g. AASP, have knowledge areas within which you need to have passed specified coursework, gained various supervised experiences, and (eventually) pass a certification exam to practice in the field. At JFKU, we have seven Program Learning Outcomes (PLOs) that, when viewed as a collection, describe the work of a competent sport psychology professional. The PLOs are what are expected of students by the end of the Master’s Degree and are assessed at different levels at various points during the students’ time in the program. While other great training programs exist, we believe ours gives a strong foundation to train individuals for practicing in the field as a mental skills coach. JFKU’s Sport Psychology PLOs are as follows:

• Performance Enhancement Skills—The students will be able to describe, explain, synthesize, and apply performance enhancement techniques with individual performers and teams.
• Theory—The students will be able to describe, explain, synthesize, and apply theoretical perspectives from sport psychology and related fields.
• Assessment—Students will be able to describe, explain, synthesize, and apply various assessment tools in a continuous and evolving process to create effective action plans. Students will be able to screen clinical issues.
• Counseling Psychology Skills—The students will be able to identify, describe, and explain how to use counseling psychology skills to develop a working relationship with the client. Students will be able to identify, describe, explain, and apply how the self impacts the client–consultant relationship.
• Multicultural Competence—The students will be able to identify sources of bias within themselves, integrate concepts, and adapt their skills to work with a diverse range of populations.
• Ethics and Professionalism—The students will be able to identify, explain, synthesize, and critically analyze ethical principles in a professional and culturally appropriate manner. Students will be able to utilize decision-making principles and explain choices made relating to ethical situations.
• Evidence-Based Practice—The students will be able summarize and critique research in the field of sport psychology. Students will assess and apply both established and current research findings to their applied work.

These PLOs cover what we believe are the required foundations for working in the field. You may find it helpful to assess yourself on these seven areas and consider how to seek additional training experience in the domains in which you think have deficits. Having a conversation with a faculty member or potential supervisor about the needed skills and abilities within these areas can also help to illuminate areas where growth is needed prior to beginning your internship.

In addition to growing your knowledge, skills, and abilities, your attitude to what lies ahead and how you conduct yourself in applied settings will be crucial in terms of if you are successful in the field. When you have a high task focus (Nicholls, 1984) or, as Dweck (2016) suggested, a growth mindset, you believe that your success comes from effort and that you hold your fate in your own hands. Feeling a sense of autonomy and (hopefully) feeling competent can also enable you to feel more motivated (Ryan & Deci, 2000). In addition, not believing that you are perfect will also be helpful along this journey. You are going to hear critique and feedback from your professors, supervisors, peers, and clients, so being open to hearing this without being devastated by it can be very helpful, to say the least.

Self-reflection is an important element in all applied work, especially when starting out (it is also integral to the framework of this book). Reflective practice is “an intentional process that enhances self-awareness and understanding through thinking about applicable ‘events’” (Rhodius & Huntley, 2014, p. 91; also see Chapter 5 of this book for more information on reflective practice). By doing periodic and consistent systematic reflective exercises, you can learn to realize what your own beliefs, values, and assumptions are around many aspects of the world (not just sport psychology). Reflective practice should begin before you start the work. Then, once you are consulting, you should use a consistent method of reflecting on your own thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Before starting an internship, you will not (by definition) have much (if any) supervised experience in sport psychology under your belt. However, a good training program will have guided you in various activities such as mock consulting experiences, presentations in class, role plays, and shadowing more experienced students/consultants doing applied work, all of which test and develop your knowledge and skills. If you can, try to practice your skills in environments where you will get quality feedback from someone who can guide you (ideally a CC-AASP supervisor or equivalent), as this will help give you a sense of when to begin your first applied internship.

As we discussed at the beginning of the chapter, coming to the decision that you are ready for an internship can be difficult and is one that should be approached deliberately. Work with your peers, faculty, and/or supervisors to gain their input. You may also find it useful to utilize a decision-making model to ensure that you are carefully evaluating your readiness (see Cottone & Claus, 2000, for a review of ethical decision-making models).

Improving Your Readiness

If your training program tells you that you are ready and you have taken the coursework, practiced, researched, and prepared, and all signs are pointing to you being ready, but still you don’t feel ready—what then?

Firstly, know that this lack of confidence is common. Then, take the time to reflect on the areas you are most comfortable and least comfortable with. Additionally, consider asking others, such as peers or faculty you have worked with about your readiness in the weaker areas. Then, take the time to address those gaps. If there are core competencies that you have not met and do not understand, then more education is likely necessary. For example, if you live...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Contents
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• List of Contributors
• List of Abbreviations
• 1 Pursuing Applied Work: Are You Ready?
• 2 Securing an Internship Site: Where in the World Are You Going?
• 3 Finding a Supervisor: How Can You Create the Right Match?
• 4 Acknowledging Biases: How Can Who You Are Affect What You See?
• 5 Developing Self-Awareness: Have You Ever Looked in the Mirror?
• 6 Working with Your Supervisor: What, You Have Another Relationship to Think About?
• 7 Doing the Work: Can You Go from the Classroom to the Field?
• 8 Collaborating: Are You a Team Player?
• 9 Being Your Best: Are You Looking After Yourself?
• 10 Ethical Quandaries: What Were You Thinking?
• 11 Handling Referrals: What If Your Clients Need More?
• 12 Evaluation: You Think You’re Good, but Do You Really Have Any Idea?
• 13 Reaching the Finish Line: That’s It . . . What Do You Do Now?
• 14 Securing Work: Will Anyone Pay You?
• 15 Marketing Yourself: How Do You Tell the World How Good You Are?
• 16 Using Technology in Practice: How Do You Stay Connected?
• 17 Continuing Education: There’s Still More to Learn?
• Index