Sports psychology was discovered in the 1920s at the Deutsche Sporthochschule in Berlin, Germany, by Carl Diem. It is a relatively new discipline within psychology. Other labs were opened in the mid-20s, one in Leningrad by A. Z. Puni and one at the University of Illinois by Coleman Griffith. He published the first book on the subject titled The Psychology of Coaching was published in 1926. Unfortunately, this lab closed in 1932 because of lack of money. There was little research done after the lab until a renewed interest in the 1960s. The International Society of Sport Psychology (ISSP) was established in 1965 and by the 1970s sports psychology courses were being offered throughout North America. Sports psychology became a scientific focus and it was used to improve athletic performance as well as how exercise could improve mental well-being and lower stress levels.
Mental Skills Sports psychology training enhances performance in athletes. Mental proficiency helps ensure consistency in performance at a high level. As coaches invest in sports psychology, the result can be seen in the difference between high achievement and mediocrity for players. Mental skills help athletes control their minds efficiently and consistently as they press toward their …show more content…
Setting goals is easy but it is hard to determine how to go about doing with without specific criteria or directives. They must clearly identify the time constraints. Goals must be moderately difficult so that it pushes athletes to work hard and extend themselves to meet the goals. They should be written down and monitored for progress. Short-range and long-range goals should be included. Personalities and differences should be considered in determining goals for each athlete. They should include positive and negative goals, as well as individual performance goals along with team